An expert witness retainer agreement is a contract that defines the working relationship, payment terms, and services between an expert witness and a legal professional. It covers aspects like hourly rates, expected hours, fees for various services, and the cancellation policy.

It establishes a transparent and mutual understanding between the expert witness and their attorney client, detailing the engagement terms and ensuring both parties align on expectations and financial matters.

While detailed contracts are valuable, the assurance of prepayment for services is paramount. Contracts are primarily utilized in disputes, but satisfaction from both parties often means the contract's finer details are seldom invoked.

Suing an attorney client over withheld payment involves significant expenses, complexities, and time. Many experts conclude that the effort isn't worth the potential rewards, highlighting the importance of securing payment upfront.

Prepayment refers to the practice of receiving payment for services before they are rendered, ensuring financial security and reducing the administrative burden on the expert witness.

An evergreen retainer requires the client to maintain a minimum balance for the expert's services. When the balance dips below a certain point, the client replenishes it, ensuring continuous financial security and engagement.

Prepayment offers financial security, simplifies the billing process, and reduces the risk of disputes over payment, making it a preferred arrangement for expert witnesses.

An effective agreement clearly states payment terms and rates, details the services covered, and includes an "evergreen" clause to ensure ongoing engagement. It avoids complex legal jargon for clarity and ease of understanding.

While it provides a framework for legal recourse if payment is withheld, the goal is to avoid disputes through clear terms and prepayment, emphasizing the agreement's role in setting expectations rather than serving as a tool for litigation.

The answer to this question is, it depends. If you have not received payment in advance, you should not under any circumstances, begin work without having your agreement signed by the attorney. However, if you have sent your agreement to the attorney, and the attorney has send you payment, you could choose to begin work on the case, as you have the ultimate protection being that you have already received payment for your services. It is always preferrable to get your retainer agreement signed, but in our experience with experts, nearly half of them will work without their agreement being signed.

Note: Nothing on this site should be taken as legal advice. For legal advice you should consult a lawyer.