This Agreement is made and entered into as of [Date] by and between Joseph A. Milchak, an attorney licensed to practice law in the State of California (the “Attorney”), and [Client’s Name] (the “Client”).

Understanding the Terms:

True Retainer: This typically means the client is paying upfront for future services, regardless of whether those services are immediately rendered.

8 Hours of Availability: The attorney is committing to be available for work for 8 hours, starting from the date of the agreement.

Flat Fee: The fee is a fixed amount, not based on hourly rates.
California Yearly Bar Dues: The fee is equal to the annual dues paid by attorneys in California. California’s current mandatory annual fees for lawyers is $598. 

1. Retainer Fee.Client shall pay to Attorney a retainer fee of $598 (the “Retainer Fee”). The Retainer Fee shall be earned by Attorney in exchange for the following:

Availability: Attorney shall be available for work for up to 8 hours during the 6 months following the date of this Agreement.

Scope of Work: During the 8-hour period, Attorney shall perform the following tasks:
Consultations, respond to emails, phone calls, conducting research, working on documents, and other related task normally associated with an attorney.

Hourly Rate: Attorney’s hourly rate is $150. The Retainer Fee is equivalent to approximately 4 hours of Attorney’s time at the stated hourly rate.

2. Additional Fees.In addition to the Retainer Fee, Client shall be responsible for paying any additional fees, immediately including but not limited to:

Government fees
Fee’s related to the faster government processing and writ of mandamus
Postage and express mail fees
Translation fees for client (SIL International, lists around 7,100–7,139 languages)
Clerical fees for client (like typing)
Out-of-pocket expenses, such as court fees, filing fees, and medical fees.
Fees for specific tasks or services that are outside the scope of this retainer.

3. Fee Adjustments.If the scope of work changes beyond the 8 hours, the parties may negotiate a revised retainer agreement.
   
   
4. Termination.Either party may terminate this Agreement at any time, with or without cause by oral or written communication (email is sufficient from either party).
   
   
5. Governing Law.This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of California.
   
   
6. Written Agreement: This Agreement is provided in written form voluntarily, even though California law does not require agreements under $1,000 to be documented in writing.
   
   
7. Entire Agreement
   This Agreement constitutes the entire understanding between the parties and supersedes all prior agreements, representations, and understandings, whether oral or written.