by EmilyFreelance Legal Advice: How to Set Up Retainer Packages
One of the most sustainable and profitable models for freelance legal professionals is offering retainer packages. Unlike hourly billing or one-off projects, retainers ensure predictable income, stronger client relationships, and long-term business stability.
If you're a legal freelancer offering services like contract drafting, compliance consultation, business formation guidance, or intellectual property support, retainer packages can transform your workflow and revenue model.
In this guide from FreelancerBridge, we’ll explore how to set up freelance legal retainer packages, including pricing strategies, service structure, and best practices to attract and retain quality clients.
Long Description
Retainer packages are pre-paid agreements between you and your client that reserve your services for a specific amount of time or work. They’re common in corporate law, business consulting, and intellectual property law—but increasingly, freelancers across all legal specialties are adopting this model.
Let’s walk through a step-by-step strategy to design, offer, and manage retainer packages that meet your clients’ legal needs while securing your freelance business with recurring revenue.
1. Understand What a Legal Retainer Package Is
A retainer package is a legal service agreement where a client pays a recurring fee—monthly, quarterly, or annually—in exchange for guaranteed access to a set amount of your legal time or deliverables.
Types of Legal Retainers:
General Counsel Retainer – Offering broad legal support for startups or small businesses.
Compliance Retainer – For businesses that need ongoing monitoring of regulations.
Contract Review Retainer – Monthly review and updates to legal documents.
On-Demand Legal Advice – A flexible package that includes a set number of consultations.
Retainers benefit both parties: clients get dependable legal support, while you receive consistent income.
2. Define Your Niche and Ideal Client
Before creating packages, define who your services are best suited for. Retainer clients usually come from industries that require ongoing legal advice such as:
Startups and small businesses
Real estate firms
E-commerce platforms
Content creators and influencers
Medical and healthcare practices
Clearly outline your niche (e.g., “freelance legal advice for SaaS startups” or “retainers for real estate compliance”) to create highly targeted packages.
3. Decide What Services to Include
Not all legal tasks are suited for a retainer. You should include repeatable, scalable, and time-bound tasks that can be done regularly.
Common Services in Legal Retainers:
Monthly contract reviews
Employment or vendor agreement drafting
Legal audits and compliance check-ins
IP management (trademark monitoring, copyright support)
On-call legal consultations
Avoid including one-off tasks that require intensive, unpredictable work unless priced accordingly.
4. Choose a Retainer Model That Fits Your Workflow
Retainers can be structured in various ways depending on your preferences and the client’s expectations.
Popular Models:
Time-Based Retainers – Client pays for a fixed number of hours per month (e.g., 10 hours).
Task-Based Retainers – Specific deliverables each month, like “3 contract reviews + 1 consultation.”
Access-Based Retainers – Client pays for priority access, not tied to hours or tasks.
Each model has pros and cons. Time-based is easier to manage for some freelancers, while deliverable-based may be more transparent for clients.
5. Determine Pricing for Your Packages
Pricing is critical. Retainer clients expect value, and you must ensure the price covers your time and expertise.
How to Price:
Calculate your hourly rate, average time per task, and expected monthly workload.
Offer discounts for commitment. For example, a 10-hour monthly retainer may be priced at 5–10% less than your regular hourly rate.
Include a setup fee if onboarding is complex.
Consider tiered pricing with different service levels (Basic, Standard, Premium).
Make sure your pricing reflects the value and access the client receives—not just the time.
6. Draft a Clear Retainer Agreement
Your retainer agreement should lay out all expectations and boundaries to protect both you and your client.
Key Elements to Include:
Scope of work
Time or task limits
Response time expectations
Roll-over or expiration of unused hours
Payment terms (monthly in advance, auto-renewal)
Termination clause
You can create templates or use contract platforms like Bonsai, HelloSign, or LawDepot for consistent client onboarding.
7. Offer Multiple Tiers or Plans
Having different retainer packages allows you to serve a range of clients—from startups with small legal budgets to fast-growing companies needing comprehensive support.
Example Retainer Packages:
Basic Plan
5 hours/month
Monthly compliance check
1 contract review
Standard Plan
10 hours/month
All Basic services
1 custom contract drafting
Email support
Premium Plan
15+ hours/month
All Standard services
On-call legal consultation
Priority email + phone support
This tiered approach helps you upsell clients as their legal needs grow.
8. Use Automation and Tools to Manage Retainers
Managing multiple retainer clients manually can become overwhelming. Use the right tools to stay organized.
Tools to Consider:
Calendly or Acuity – for scheduling calls
Notion or Trello – for tracking client deliverables
Bonsai or AND.CO – for proposals, contracts, time tracking, and invoicing
Google Drive or Dropbox – to organize contracts, templates, and legal files
Automation reduces admin time and gives clients a more professional experience.
9. Market Your Retainer Packages Effectively
Once your packages are created, market them through the right channels.
Where to Promote:
Your website (dedicated pricing or services page)
LinkedIn (especially in niche groups or targeted posts)
Email newsletters
Direct outreach to startups, founders, and small business owners
Online communities like Indie Hackers, Product Hunt, or Reddit (in legal/business forums)
Use SEO-friendly content like blog posts or lead magnets to attract inbound leads. For example, a guide titled “Top 5 Legal Mistakes Startups Make” can drive traffic to your retainer offering.
10. Retain Clients Through Excellent Service
Client retention is key to making retainer packages successful. Go beyond just fulfilling the monthly quota—be proactive and consultative.
Retention Tips:
Schedule monthly check-ins to review progress
Share legal updates relevant to their industry
Send friendly reminders about unused hours
Offer loyalty bonuses or discounted upgrades
Happy clients will renew retainers, refer others, and provide long-term business stability.
Conclusion
Setting up retainer packages for your freelance legal services is one of the most powerful strategies to build consistent income, deepen client relationships, and scale your business. When done correctly, retainers allow you to plan your time better, reduce uncertainty, and deliver higher value to clients.
From choosing your service model and setting the right price, to marketing effectively and delivering consistently, each step in this guide is designed to help you make the transition into a retainer-based model smoothly.
At FreelancerBridge, we believe legal professionals deserve sustainable and scalable freelance careers. By offering structured and value-driven retainer packages, you can create a thriving freelance legal business that supports both your clients and your long-term goals.
