The retainer is the foundation of every solicitor-client relationship: it is the contract that sets out what work you will do, on what terms, and how you will be paid. Getting it right — and keeping the client properly informed about cost — is both a regulatory duty and the practical basis on which you can charge and recover your fees. Mishandling it is one of the most common sources of client complaints, so this is a topic you will rely on in everyday practice.
This lesson takes you through the engagement from start to finish:
- The Retainer — what the contract is, the difference between general and limited retainers, when you may cease to act, and your lien over the client's papers.
- The Client Care Letter and Costs Information — the document that delivers your duty to keep clients informed, and exactly what it must contain.
- Fee Structures and Transparency — hourly, fixed, and capped fees, and what firms must publish online.
- Contentious and Non-Contentious Business — how the two categories differ and which fee-agreement rules apply to each.
- Billing and Statute Bills — what makes a bill a statute bill, interim bills, and payments on account.
- Challenging a Bill — court assessment, time limits, and the basis of assessment.
- The Legal Ombudsman — when clients can complain, the time limits, and the remedies available.