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What is a Retainer Agreement?

A retainer agreement is an agreement wherein a person provides a money deposit to a lawyer and/or law firm. In exchange, the lawyer and/or law firm agrees to act on that person's behalf for a given legal matter. The retainer agreement, among other things, sets out the scope of professional services.  

How Do Retainer Agreements Work?

When Client A provides us a retainer (i.e. money deposit) to begin work on their file, that money is immediately deposited into our trust account. As we complete work on Client A's file, we provide them with a monthly statement of account which outlines the work completed during the relevant time period. Once Client A is provided with, and approves the statement of account, we are permitted to transfer the amount to which we are entitled under the statement of account out of our designated trust account, which represents our professional fees. 

Do You Need to Provide a Money Retainer?

We will require a money retainer (i.e. deposit) to commence work on your file. The amount of retainer a client is asked to provide will depend on several things, including the type, length, and complexity of a given matter. For routine legal work such as the drafting of a conventional will or contract, we will only require a one-time, flat-fee payment. Please be advised, however, that the flat-fee may vary depending on the length and complexity of the document. For increasingly lengthy and complex civil, employment, or estates matters, we provide clients with a statement of account (i.e. invoice) monthly as their matter progresses.

"Charges" or Disbursements 

We will also incur a number of charges on a client's behalf over the course of their file. These charges are known as "disbursements." Disbursements include charges for such things as printing, binding, copying, and filing. Disbursements  are the client's responsibility and are included in their statement of account. 

Harmonized Sales Tax (HST)

We are required to charge HST on all professional fees and most disbursements.  

Acceptable Forms of Payment

We accept cash, email money transfers, cheques, VISA and Mastercard.