Legal · free calculator
Lawyer retainer burn rate calculator
Project how fast a legal retainer will burn given hourly billing pace, replenishment threshold, and projected case length.
Weeks until retainer burns through
Show the work
- Total projected cost$31,200
- Replenishments needed6
- Replenishment trigger amount$1,250
Retainers don't last as long as you think
The retainer agreement looks like a contained budget. It's not. It's an opening deposit you'll be asked to refill repeatedly as the meter runs. Knowing the burn rate up front avoids the "we need another $5,000" surprise call mid-case.
The math
weekly burn = avg hours billed/week × hourly rate
weeks to zero = retainer ÷ weekly burn
total case cost = weekly burn × expected case lengthA $5,000 retainer at $400/hr × 3 hours/week burns through in 4.2 weeks. On a 26-week case, you'll fund the retainer 6 times — true cost ~$31,200.
Hourly burn realities
- Document review case: 1-2 hrs/wk steady-state, 5+ hrs around hearings
- Active litigation: 3-5 hrs/wk steady, 15-25 hrs around depositions/trial
- Deal closing transactional: lumpy — 0-1 hrs most weeks, 30+ in closing weeks
How to negotiate
- Cap monthly billing at $X without your sign-off
- Itemized invoices weekly (not monthly)
- Junior associate rate cap for non-strategic tasks
- Right to swap counsel within firm if your attorney leaves
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