A Retainer is a sum of money which is paid to a law firm by a client.  This money is deposited into the client's trust account and it remains the property of the client.  As each bill for work that has been performed by the law firm is issued, the Retainer is utilized to pay the outstanding law firm bill.  When the amount of the Retainer drops below an agreed upon level, the client is asked to deposit additional money into his or her client trust account to replenish the Retainer thereby ensuring that there will be money available to pay the law firm's bills and to pay the expenses incurred in the divorce process.  A full accounting of the activity in the Retainer account is detailed on each bill so the client has a full understanding of how the Retainer has been utilized.

The amount of the Retainer varies from case to case.  It is based on the complexity of the individual case.  It is not uncommon for the Retainer to between $2,500 to $5,000 in an average divorce case with higher Retainers in cases where it is anticipated that the litigation will proceed for some time.  If you have any questions about Retainers, please feel free to contact the Divorce Law Group.