Lueder, Larkin & Hunter, LLC

Our billing options for community association clients include our Standard Retainer, Modified Retainer, Advanced Contingency Retainer, Declarant Control Retainer, and Non-Retainer.

The primary difference between our retainer options is how we bill for work performed in the collection of unpaid assessments. Each community is unique, and the simple fact is that there is not one approach that works best for all communities. Our retainer options under Common Sense Collections affords each client the ability to choose a billing method that works best with its specific budget and characteristics.

Standard Retainer

This has been our most popular retainer option since the inception of the firm. The annual retainer fee is $960.00 and is for services from January 1 to December 31. For associations that become a new client during the year, the retainer fee is prorated at $80.00 per month for the remainder of the first year the association becomes a new client. The Retainer Option includes the following benefits:

1. Reduced Hourly Rates. Retainer clients receive a reduced rate of $200.00 per hour for each of our attorneys and $100.00 per hour for our paralegals. We do not increase our rates for partners, senior associate attorneys, and senior paralegals.
2. Unlimited Telephone Conversations and Consultations. We will engage in unlimited telephone conversations and consultations with board members and the association's manager without charging fees.
3. Meeting with the Board of Directors (or Customized Board Training Seminar). An attorney will meet with the board of directors at the location of your choice without charging attorney’s fees on a once per year basis during business hours Monday through Friday or evening hours Monday through Thursday. If the meeting is at our firm’s location, the association will receive a $100.00 credit. The board meeting may address any legal or practical matter or may be used as a customized training seminar.
4. Collections. Results-based collections of unpaid assessments pursuant to our Common Sense Collections, including deferred fees for liens and collection litigation. Please contact us for details.

Modified Retainer Option

The annual retainer fee is $840.00 and is for services from January 1 to December 31. For associations that become a new client during the year, the retainer fee is prorated at $70.00 per month for the remainder of the first year the association becomes a new client. The Modified Retainer Option includes the following benefits:

1. Reduced Hourly Rates. Modified Retainer clients receive a reduced hourly rate of $200.00 per hour for each of our attorneys and $100.00 per hour for each of our paralegals for non-collection work. For the collection of unpaid assessments, Modified Retainer clients receive a greater reduced rate of $160.00 per hour for each of our attorneys and $60.00 per hour for each of our paralegals. We do not increase our rates for partners, senior associate attorneys, and senior paralegals.
2. Unlimited Telephone Conversations and Consultations. We will engage in unlimited telephone conversations and consultations with board members and the association's manager without charging fees.
3. Meeting with the Board of Directors (or Customized Board Training Seminar). An attorney will meet with the board of directors at the location of your choice without charging attorney’s fees on a once per year basis during business hours Monday through Friday or evening hours Monday through Thursday. If the meeting is at our firm’s location, the association will receive a $100.00 credit. The board meeting may address any legal or practical matter or may be used as a customized training seminar.
4. Collections. There are no deferred attorney’s fees. There is an $80.00 fee for the initial collection letter. The attorney’s fees for liens are non-deferred at $105.00 per lien. Collection lawsuits are non-deferred and billed at greatly reduced rates of $160.00 per hour for all of our attorneys and $60.00 per hour for all of our paralegals. Please contact us for the details of our Common Sense Collections.

The Modified Retainer is, in essence, the same as the Standard Retainer discussed above but with three differences: (1) reduced annual fee; (2) non-deferred fees for collection lawsuits and liens; and (3) greatly reduced rates for the collection of assessments.

Advanced Contingency Retainer

The annual retainer fee is $960.00 and is for services from January 1 to December 31. For associations that become a new client during the year, the retainer fee is prorated at $80.00 per month for the remainder of the first year the association becomes a new client. The Advanced Contingency Retainer includes the following benefits:

1. Reduced Hourly Rates. Standard Retainer clients receive a reduced rate of $200.00 per hour for each of our attorneys and $100.00 per hour for each of our paralegals. We do not increase our rates for partners, senior associate attorneys, and senior paralegals.
2. Unlimited Telephone Conversations and Consultations. We will engage in unlimited telephone conversations and consultations with board members and the association's manager, if any, without charging fees.
3. Meeting with the Board of Directors (or Customized Board Training Seminar). An attorney will meet with the board of directors at the location of your choice without charging attorney’s fees on a once per year basis during business hours Monday through Friday or evening hours Monday through Thursday. If the meeting is at our firm’s location, the association will receive a $100.00 credit. The board meeting may address any legal or practical matter or may be used as a customized training seminar.
4. Collections. Collections pursuant to our Common Sense Collections. Please contact us for details.

Declarant Control Retainer Option

We offer a specialized Retainer option available only to associations that are still under Declarant control. Under this specialized Retainer, the association will receive the same reduced hourly rates as our regular Retainer clients of $200.00 per hour for each of our attorneys and $100.00 per hour for our paralegals, plus unlimited telephone conversations and consultations with the manager and any board members, plus deferred fees for liens and collection litigation under our Common Sense Collections. The Declarant Control Retainer does not, however, include an attorney attending a board meeting at no charge. The annual retainer fee under this option is $480.00, which is half the amount of our regular Retainer Option, and is for services from January 1 to December 31. For a Declarant controlled association that becomes a new client during the year, the Declarant Control Retainer is prorated at $40.00 per month for the remainder of the first year the association becomes a new client.

Non-Retainer Option

Our rates for all work performed for Non-Retainer clients are $245.00 per hour for each of our attorneys and $130.00 per hour for our paralegals. We do not increase our rates for partners, senior associate attorneys, and senior paralegals. All work is billed on a monthly basis as work is performed. There are no deferred fees for the collection of unpaid assessments. The initial collection letter is $100.00, and the lien is $105.00. Collection litigation is at $245.00 per hour for each of our attorneys and $130.00 per hour for our paralegals.