Billing and Retainer

A practical solution giving you the full service you need

Chadwick, Washington, Moriarty, Elmore & Bunn P.C. understands that community associations are not-for-profit entities with many challenges. The firm offers reasonable billing arrangements that allow your association to afford high-quality legal counsel at competitive rates.

Retainer plan

Chadwick Washington’s annual retainer plan offers a comprehensive package of legal services to community association clients. The annual fee is based on the size of your association. Services covered by the retainer are described below.

Please note that our retainer plan changed effective 2018 to add one “retainer meeting” per year (up to two hours), for those clients signing up under this new plan.  This could be a board meeting or perhaps a membership meeting.  Please note that retainer clients covered under the prior plan can “opt into” the new version of the plan if they wish — please contact the attorney assigned to your association for details and rates.

Unlimited telephone contact

All telephone calls between the firm and the association (including designated members of the Board of Directors and your management agent) are included under a fixed retainer fee. Chadwick Washington believes that telephone contact without hourly charges is one of the most important parts of the retainer relationship. Clients can minimize or avoid legal problems by getting preventive advice before an issue becomes serious.

Complimentary legal review

An initial board seminar and legal review is offered during the first year of the retainer agreement. The goal of this session is to assist the association’s board in reviewing its governing documents, fiduciary responsibilities, practices, procedures and remedies. You have the opportunity to ask questions and the firm gets to learn about your specific needs and goals.

Reduced rates for hourly services

For clients on our retainer plan, we provide certain services at a reduced hourly rate. This offer typically applies to:

• Drafting legal opinion letters to the board
• Conducting research to resolve issues and answer questions
• Attending board meetings upon request
• Representing your association in court if necessary
• Other counseling requests

To ensure the most cost-effective representation for your association, Chadwick Washington strives to have the majority of the work conducted at associate rates, with supervision by partners.

Reduced fees for collections work

Retainer clients who require assessment collection services are entitled to reduced flat fees.

Annual seminar

Chadwick Washington holds seminars throughout the year free of charge to its clients. The attorneys provide updates regarding changes to pertinent laws and conduct workshops on other matters of interest to community associations.

Registered agent

One of the firm’s attorneys will serve as registered agent for your association if you wish. A low one-time fee primarily covers the administrative costs associated with changing the association’s current designation. The filing of annual reports and accepting service of process pertaining to lawsuits against the association are billed at the retainer hourly rate.

Traditional billing arrangement

For those clients who have only occasional needs for legal work, the firm’s standard hourly rates and flat fees are competitive and may be the right arrangement for your association.

Virginia and D.C. law firm offering cost-effective billing arrangements

To discuss the firm’s retainer services in more detail, contact Chadwick Washington online or call 703.352.1900.