What is a Retainer Agreement?

Jed Dietrich, Esq. is Recognized as a Best Lawyer of America and Will Aggressively and Tenaciously Fight to Attempt to Obtain the Best Result Possible for People who Experienced Personal Injuries in Buffalo, New York.


Attorney's feesA retainer agreement is a contract between an attorney and their client, in which the client agrees to pay their attorney for their legal services. When a client signs a retainer agreement, they signify that they are committed to working with that attorney or firm on their case. A retainer agreement will often contain the following:

  • 1) A description of the attorney’s fees and how they are calculated;
  • 2) The rights of the client and the attorney;
  • 3) The billing terms and frequency of payments; and
  • 4) The scope of the attorney’s work.

According to research conducted by the Insurance Research Council, those who retain a lawyer for their personal injury cases typically receive 3.5 times higher settlements than those who attempt to settle on their own. Often this number is much greater. Since 2005, Jed Dietrich, Esq. has led his team of superior injury lawyers at the Dietrich Law Firm P.C. to provide his clients with the highest level of personal injury service. Jed Dietrich, Esq. and his top rated team of elite injury lawyers, have battled to obtain over $175 Million in verdicts and settlements on behalf of their clients. If you were injured as a result of someone else’s negligence, call the Dietrich Law Firm P.C. now at (716) 839-3939 or visit us online for your free consultation. We are available 24 hours per day and 7 days per week. Remember, there is never a fee unless we WIN for you.

DID YOU, OR A LOVED ONE, SUFFER A PERSONAL INJURY IN BUFFALO, NIAGARA FALLS, ROCHESTER, OR OTHER PARTS OF NEW YORK STATE?

CALL JED DIETRICH, ESQ. AND HIS TOP RATED AND HIGHLY EXPERIENCED TEAM OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK INJURY LAWYERS AT (716) 839-3939 NOW TO OBTAIN THE HELP THAT YOU DESERVE!

Types of Retainer Agreements

There are three common types of retainer agreements: a general retainer contract, a retaining fee, and a special retainer. A general retainer contract includes a fee for a particular period of time rather than a specific case or project. This ensures the attorney’s availability for a client. A retaining fee usually includes a deposit that the client pays to the attorney in advance, which the attorney puts in a trust account. As the attorney works, they withdraw money from that trust as payment for work done. Any amount left over is refunded to the client at the conclusion of the work. A special retainer includes a one-time fee that a client pays for a specific case. Though many states prohibit this type of retainer agreement, they are allowed in New York State.

There are never any up-front costs or out-of-pocket expenses to retain the legal services of the Dietrich Law Firm P.C.’s highly-qualified personal injury attorneys. Our team will only seek compensation for their services after your case is successfully settled or after a winning verdict at your trial. Our seasoned attorneys work on a contingency-fee-basis, meaning our final legal fees are subject to the compensation we obtain for you. If you decide to have us represent you, we will enter into an agreement detailing that the Dietrich Law Firm P.C. will retain a set proportion of your case’s final settlement or court award.

Contingency fee retainers protect you because if no money is recovered for you, we receive no money from you. Each day, Jed Dietrich, Esq. fights to obtain the highest possible compensation for the people of Buffalo, New York, after personal injury accidents. Jed Dietrich, Esq. and his top rated team of elite injury lawyers, have battled to obtain over $175 Million in verdicts and settlements on behalf of their clients, including $2.7 Million for a person hit head-on by a dump truck and $7 Million for a woman who nearly drowned in a pool. Call Buffalo, New York’s aggressive, tenacious and hardworking personal injury attorney Jed Dietrich, Esq. and his top rated team today at (716) 839-3939 for the zealous representation that you need!

When to Use a Retainer Agreement

Anyone in need of legal assistance should seriously consider having some form of a written retainer agreement with their attorney. Certain areas of law benefit from having a detailed agreement, such as:

  • 1) Personal injury or negligence cases;
  • 2) Both civil and criminal cases;
  • 3) Divorce, family, or custody cases; and
  • 4) Freelance or business cases.

These areas of law tend to benefit more from the protection that a retainer agreement offers because of the continually evolving nature of the cases. While a retainer is by no means required to obtain legal services, it is highly recommended in personal injury cases. If you, or someone you love, require immediate legal assistance, call Jed Dietrich, Esq. and his team of top rated Buffalo, New York personal injury lawyers today at (716) 839-3939.

Benefits of a Retainer Agreement

Retainer AgreementA retainer agreement benefits both the client and the attorney. A retainer guarantees time from the attorney for the client specifically and ensures payment for the attorney. It is also beneficial for the client as it provides an estimated budget for any legal fees over the period of time in which legal services are needed.

The Dietrich Law Firm P.C. operates on a contingency fee basis, meaning that there is no upfront cost to obtain our legal services, and you only pay if we win for you. Another benefit of this type of retainer agreement in the intrinsic increase in motivation for the attorney to obtain a favorable outcome because they only collect a fee if they win your case. These fees are usually paid through a percentage of the awards won for the client. Because there is no fee until a case is successful, attorneys may be more selective about what cases they take on. We carefully analyze your case to ensure that we will be able to win for you. Call us at (716) 839-3939 or visit us online. We are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to schedule your free consultation.


Call the Dietrich Law Firm P.C. immediately at (716) 839-3939 so that our aggressive, tenacious, and hardworking personal injury lawyers can fight to obtain the best result for your personal injury claim in Buffalo, New York. We are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and there is never a fee until we WIN for you!

Client Reviews
★★★★★
I am a medical doctor and have worked with many of the best lawyers in Buffalo and I can say without question that Jed Dietrich is the only lawyer I would trust with my injury case in Buffalo New York. B.O.
★★★★★
Dogged, Determined, and Dead-set on getting you the Maximum settlement for your injuries! T.F.
★★★★★
No one will work harder, smarter or better; I have retained Jed and he obtained the best result for my case. D.P.
★★★★★
The definition of an "A" type personality-exactly who I would want to represent me in a serious personal injury case. E.S.
★★★★★
Jed is a Master in the courtroom without an equal. S.C.
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