retainer agreements help clarify and formalize the roles and obligations of both attorney and client. a retainer fee helps secure the services of the attorney and shows a willingness on the part of the client to hire and cooperate with the lawyer. a general retainer contracts the services of an attorney for a specific period. the lawyer refunds the client any leftover amount in the trust account at the conclusion of the retainer agreement. additional terms may include: in the vast majority of legal cases, lawyers already have a standard retainer form ready.