Retainer

Retainer is, in English law, the act of engaging an attorney or counsel to attend to a certain suit or case. The retainer of an attorney may be either verbal or in writing; but the retainer of counsel is usually by written memorandum handed to his clerk, together with a small retaining fee. A general retainer is given by a party who wishes to secure the services of counsel in all actions brought by or against him. The term retainer is also used to denote the right of an executor to retain a debt due to himself from his testator's estate.