NJSBA Family Law Section

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Natalia Teper Esq.
Pennington NJ
(609)737-3030
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Natalia,



I suggest that you treat the former client's request as a fee dispute and that you send her a letter by regular and certified mail, RRR, informing her of her right to fee arbitration.



Then see what she does.



Since you say that you more than earned what you have been paid, does it matter who paid the funds?



Hanan Isaacs


Original Message------

Listmates,

Long story short, former client is asking me to return her retainer fee. I earned that money many times over and was even awarded fees from her ex (never saw a penny). If I were to receive all money awarded to me from the ex and add the money client paid, the total is still less than what I have billed for and earned in this matter. I do have a signed retainer and can account for every dollar spent and sought.

However, what I am wondering is this... Client paid her original retainer using a check she received from some organization that assists battered women. That check was issued specifically to pay for the legal services. So, if I were to refund her the money she paid me, shouldn't I be refunding that money to the organization that issued the check and not to the client? Just wondering.

Thank you

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Natalia Teper Esq.
Pennington NJ
(609)737-3030
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1. Why would you refund the retainer if the fee for the services rendered exceed the retainer?

2. If client wasn't the one who paid the retainer, you would need the written authority of the payor before paying any refund of that retainer to the former client.

3. Do you think this is a scam by the former client to get money she would like to have but which really belongs to someone else (either the battered women's shelter or you)?




Sent from my Verizon Wireless 4G LTE smartphone


Original Message------

Listmates,

Long story short, former client is asking me to return her retainer fee. I earned that money many times over and was even awarded fees from her ex (never saw a penny). If I were to receive all money awarded to me from the ex and add the money client paid, the total is still less than what I have billed for and earned in this matter. I do have a signed retainer and can account for every dollar spent and sought.

However, what I am wondering is this... Client paid her original retainer using a check she received from some organization that assists battered women. That check was issued specifically to pay for the legal services. So, if I were to refund her the money she paid me, shouldn't I be refunding that money to the organization that issued the check and not to the client? Just wondering.

Thank you

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Natalia Teper Esq.
Pennington NJ
(609)737-3030
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Why would you ever return a "retainer", which is really a deposit, I'm sure, and probably as so designated in your retainer agreement – if your hours and expenses exceeded that deposit?!



Description: cid:809112918@04052012-2ECF

Mark F. Saker, Esquire

Attorney ID #271831971
Cerrato, Saker & Wilder
A Professional Corporation
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Original Message------

Listmates,

Long story short, former client is asking me to return her retainer fee. I earned that money many times over and was even awarded fees from her ex (never saw a penny). If I were to receive all money awarded to me from the ex and add the money client paid, the total is still less than what I have billed for and earned in this matter. I do have a signed retainer and can account for every dollar spent and sought.

However, what I am wondering is this... Client paid her original retainer using a check she received from some organization that assists battered women. That check was issued specifically to pay for the legal services. So, if I were to refund her the money she paid me, shouldn't I be refunding that money to the organization that issued the check and not to the client? Just wondering.

Thank you

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Natalia Teper Esq.
Pennington NJ
(609)737-3030
-------------------------------------------</mailto:[email protected]>