The term “limited scope retainer” means the provision of legal services by a lawyer for part, but not all, of a client’s legal matter. Another expression is often used is “unbundled services”.
In other words, you hire a lawyer to help you as needed. This can be for one meeting, ongoing legal advice behind the scenes or representation in Court for a step in some litigation. The self-rep can hire the lawyer to perform a single task or provide coaching to help equip the self-rep to do the task.
Limited scope retainers are designed to provide valuable legal guidance at an affordable cost, making them a facilitator of access to legal services and access to justice.
You can hire a lawyer to provide a number of services. Here are just a few examples:
- an opinion as to the strengths and weaknesses of your case
- strategic advice for your case
- guidance on court procedure
- preparation or review of court documents, such as pleadings, affidavits, etc.
- assistance with negotiation or mediation
- coaching on how to conduct a discovery, or perform the discovery on your behalf
- coaching for or representation at a specific hearing or Court appearance
