Retainer Fees

Strategy Session

While a phone consultation will give you the opportunity to discuss your case with The Law Offices of Howard W. Bailey, we would like to offer you an opportunity to present at no charge or obligation a more detailed written description relaying the facts of your case on our Strategy Session Form page.

How Much Does it Cost to Retain an Experienced New Jersey Criminal Trial Attorney?

What will this cost? This is a common question that you will need to ask any criminal defense lawyer you are interviewing if you are charged with a crime, an offense, or a violation where you need legal representation. The range of what a lawyer charges will depend on a number of factors. There are several different types of retainer fees, and there are several different types of costs and expenses you need to be prepared to accept.

Retainer Fees in Criminal Cases

Howard Bailey offers two major types of legal fees in criminal cases, FLAT FEES and HOURLY FEES. The type of fee you select will depend on what you want included in your retainer fee.

• FLAT FEE: Once the overall fee is set, it covers the cost of the representation for the time period specified by the agreement. It does not matter how many hours the lawyer spends on your defense, as all time is included in the fee. The fee is capped at the set amount.
  • Once the overall fee is set, it covers the cost of the representation for the time period specified by the agreement. It does not matter how many hours the lawyer spends on your defense, as all time is included in the fee. The fee is capped at the set amount.
• HOURLY FEE: The hourly fee is set, and an initial deposit made on behalf of your account. The lawyer tracks the time spent on your representation, and bills against the deposited monies. When the funds get low, you deposit more money in your account.

Expenses and Costs in Criminal Cases

In addition to the legal fees, there are different types of costs and expenses that are not part of the retainer fee. As examples, there may be expert witness fees, investigator expenses, transcript costs and a host of other potential costs that need to be accounted for.

Get a Written Retainer Agreement

When you hire a criminal defense lawyer, the retainer agreement will be reduced to writing, and you will be given a copy of it. The agreement will specify the type of retainer fee, the types of costs and expenses you will be responsible for, and when the payments on the retainer fee are to be made in addition to other terms of the representation. If you need representation in a criminal case, consult with an experienced criminal trial lawyer, call Howard Bailey at 973-982-1200.