Part of Nova Aurora, clarity tools for people the legal system was never designed for. $19.99 launch · $29.99 regular · one retainer · this site only
For first-time legal clients and divorce clients comparing attorneys

Know what you're agreeing to before you sign.

Most people sign their retainer without really knowing what's inside it. Upload your agreement and we'll show you the clauses worth questioning before you sign.

Start a review · $19.99 launch See a sample report
  • 18 clause categories analyzed
  • Retainer Health Score, 0 to 100
  • Red / Yellow / Green / Gray flag system
18 clause categories reviewed across fee structure, retainer handling, arbitration, withdrawal, file ownership, disclosures, and more.
Rule 1.5(b) The ABA requires the basis or rate of the fee to be communicated to a new client, preferably in writing, before confusion turns into a dispute.
$19.99 Launch pricing. Regular price $29.99. One retainer agreement, clause-by-clause review.
How it works

Three steps. Before-signing clarity, without the legalese.

Designed for the moment the retainer agreement arrives, because most people are asked to sign a legal agreement before they've had time to properly understand it.

01

Upload the retainer agreement

Send the PDF, a photo, or the text itself. One agreement per review; if you're comparing attorneys, submit each retainer separately.

02

We review it clause by clause

Every agreement is checked across 18 categories, then scored with Red, Yellow, Green, and Gray flags based on clarity, consumer risk, and common ethics-rule issues.

03

You receive a plain-English report

Your PDF explains what each flagged clause means, why it matters, what to ask before signing, and where the agreement looks standard versus unusually aggressive.

Why this exists

Most people sign attorney retainers without ever getting a clear, independent explanation of what they're agreeing to.

The need is real: fee agreements are regulated, bar associations regularly warn about problematic retainer language, and contract-review tools already exist for almost every major consumer purchase; yet nobody built one specifically for attorney retainers.

1.5(b)

Fee terms are supposed to be communicated clearly, in writing

ABA Model Rule 1.5(b) says the scope of representation and the basis or rate of the fee must be communicated to a new client, preferably in writing, before or within a reasonable time after representation begins. That only helps consumers if they can actually understand what the document says.1

2023

Earned-upon-receipt retainers are a recurring ethics problem

ABA Formal Opinion 505 explains that simply labeling a fee as non-refundable or earned on receipt does not make it ethical or enforceable. Multiple jurisdictions require careful treatment of advance fees and trust-account handling, which is exactly the kind of clause most clients miss.2

$239.88/yr

The broader contract-review market already exists

Rocket Lawyer sells a $239.88-per-year legal plan that includes AI contract review. That validates consumer demand for document review, but it is a general subscription product, not a retainer-specific review built around fee clauses, withdrawal language, arbitration, and bar-rule disclosures.3

  1. 1 ABA Model Rule 1.5 (Fees). ↩
  2. 2 ABA Formal Opinion 505 (2023) summary. ↩
  3. 3 Rocket Lawyer pricing (legal plan with AI contract review). ↩
A real sample format

This is the style of report you get back.

No vague “AI summary.” The report is structured, clause-specific, and written so you can use it in a conversation with the attorney before signing.

Sample report · Texas family law retainer Reviewed under: ABA Model Rule 1.5 + Texas Disciplinary Rule 1.04

Smith v. Smith Family Law Retainer Agreement Review · 18 clauses analyzed · 4 Red, 5 Yellow, 9 Green · Retainer Health Score 58 / 100 (Caution).

Download full sample PDF (7 pages) Anonymized divorce-client example · same format every customer receives

Agreement excerpt

Before signing
Clause 4 Hourly $450/hr partner, $325/hr associate, billed in 0.3-hour increments YELLOW
Clause 7 $5,000 retainer is earned upon receipt and non-refundable RED
Clause 11 All fee disputes arbitrated under JAMS rules YELLOW
Clause 14 Firm may withdraw on 7 days notice for any reason RED

Our review report

4 clauses flagged
Clause 4 Fee Structure YELLOW
0.3-hour minimums inflate cost for short tasks. Ask whether calls and emails can be billed in 0.1-hour increments instead.
Clause 7 Earned Retainer RED
ABA Formal Op. 505 (2023) warns that labels alone do not cure non-refundable advance-fee problems. Ask whether unused funds are refundable and whether the money stays in trust until earned.
Clause 11 Arbitration YELLOW
Private arbitration may waive a jury trial and may affect access to state-bar fee arbitration. Ask whether bar-sponsored fee arbitration rights are preserved.
Clause 14 Withdrawal RED
Most jurisdictions require reasonable notice and, in active litigation, court approval. Ask for a longer cure period and explicit language about court approval before withdrawal.
Start your review

One flat fee. No subscription.

This is focused on pre-signing retainer review only. One agreement at a time, with the same core analysis and report structure for every customer, and a heavy emphasis on plain-English risk flags and questions to ask before you sign.

  • 18 clause categories analyzed across the agreement.
  • Retainer Health Score from 0 to 100, plus Red / Yellow / Green / Gray flags.
  • Plain-English explanation of what each clause means and why it matters.
  • Negotiation talking points you can use before you sign.
  • Your documents are processed for fulfillment, then auto-deleted after the PDF is sent.
Retainer review
$19.99 $29.99 regular · 30-day launch pricing
One retainer agreement, clause-by-clause. No subscription, no upsells.

Upload your retainer agreement

PDF, image, or text works. We send the completed PDF report by email after checkout.

If you know the governing state, include it. Some engagement-letter disclosures are state-specific.
We send the completed review PDF here.

Attorney Retainer Review is an automated informational analysis service operated by Nova Aurora Ventures LLC. We are not a law firm, do not provide legal advice, do not recommend whether you should hire a specific attorney, and do not create an attorney-client relationship. Our reports are designed to help you understand a proposed agreement before signing. They are not privileged, may not reflect every rule in your jurisdiction, and should not be treated as a substitute for advice from a licensed attorney.

Common questions

The questions people ask before they upload.

Is this legal advice?
No. This is not legal advice, not attorney review, not a law firm service, and not a substitute for hiring counsel in your jurisdiction. We provide an automated informational analysis of the retainer language so you can understand what deserves a question before signing.
Can I review more than one retainer?
Yes; submit each retainer separately. Each one gets the same full clause-by-clause review and Retainer Health Score, so you can compare attorneys' terms side by side using the reports.
What if my attorney updates the agreement?
Re-submit the new version. Even small wording changes can materially affect refundability, arbitration rights, withdrawal, or fee calculations, so the report should match the exact version you are being asked to sign.
What about flat-fee or contingency retainers?
Yes, both are supported. The scoring adjusts based on the fee structure, including issues like gross-versus-net expense deductions, milestone scope, refundability, and what happens if the attorney withdraws mid-matter.
What happens to my retainer agreement?
It is processed for fulfillment and auto-deleted after the PDF report is sent. We do not promise privilege, we do not create an attorney-client relationship, and we do not keep the file around as a permanent customer vault.
Does a Red flag mean the attorney is unethical?
Not necessarily. A Red flag means the clause is unusually one-sided, potentially unenforceable, missing where required, or significant enough that you should raise it before signing. The report is designed to support questions and negotiation, not to accuse anyone of misconduct.
Will this tell me which lawyer to hire?
No. We do not rank attorneys, recommend specific firms, or advise you whether to sign. We explain what the agreement says, what looks standard versus aggressive, and what questions to ask before you decide.