Sigh. 5k is three months rent for many people. It's not surprising that we don't...

chii · 2024-01-31T03:45:02 1706672702

> bootstrapped startups from underprivileged people.

i dont think startups should be paying a retainer. You do this only after it's worth the money - ala, you either know your domain is a gray area and is definitely going to require a lawyer.

This has nothing to do with underprivileged people or not.

JohnFen · 2024-01-30T23:45:40 1706658340

This might depend on where you are. In my area, it's unusual to have to provide a retainer at all unless you're doing something big or the lawyer suspects you might have trouble paying your bill later.

phasetransition · 2024-01-31T12:28:15 1706704095

In my personal experience with small firms closed ended matters like wills, contracts, or individual IP filings don't require a retainer.

Open ended matters, like probate, starting an IP portfolio, or response to a C&D trigger a retainer.