Small Business Contracts

Engagement Letter

The fee agreement every new matter needs: scope, fees, deposit, billing and how it ends.

What you get

  • An editable Word document, drafted from your answers and the state's official text.
  • A proof of sources: every citation in the draft with the words it quotes, the official source, the date the text was saved and its fingerprint.
  • Notes for counsel listing each point marked [VERIFY], each blank and each choice left for the client.

What the intake asks

Plain questions, in the order an attorney would take the facts. Anything left blank stays a marked blank in the draft; nothing is invented to fill it.

The engagement

  • Who is the client
  • Responsible attorney and firm
  • What kind of matter is this
  • The matter and the services included
  • What is not included

Fees and billing

  • How will the fee be charged
  • Fee terms
  • Advance deposit or retainer
  • Costs and expenses
  • Billing and payment terms

The relationship

  • Communication and decisions
  • Conflicts and consents
  • Ending the engagement
  • Fee disputes
  • Other terms

Signing

  • How will this be signed
  • Other instructions or open decisions

Where it is offered

Every state Lawsmith has official sources for:

Official sources on file

The drafter works from the texts Lawsmith has saved for this document in the state you choose, plus federal law where it applies. Each is read from the official publisher and dated.

StateSources for this document
California17
Connecticut3
Delaware3
District of Columbia9
Florida7
Maryland17
Massachusetts8
New Jersey6
New York8
Ohio11
Pennsylvania8
Texas9
Virginia11

Among them, for New Jersey:

  • N.J.S.A. 2A:14-1: 6 years
  • N.J.S.A. 2A:13-5 Lien for services.
  • N.J.S.A. 2A:13-6 Recovery of fees and disbursements.
  • N.J.S.A. 56:8-1: Definitions.
  • N.J.S.A. 56:8-2: Fraud, etc., in connection with sale or advertisement of merchandise or real estate as unlawful practice.

How the draft is checked

Before it writes, the drafter must quote the official text behind each citation. Lawsmith compares every quotation with the text on file, character for character; a citation with no checked quotation reaches you marked [VERIFY]. The draft still needs your review before it is signed, filed or sent. How citations are checked

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