Attorney Engagement Letter and Fee Agreement
(Flat Fee Arrangement) (VA)

Summary

This template is an engagement letter and fee arrangement formalizing an attorney-client relationship for a civil litigation matter in Virginia state court on a flat fee basis. A flat fee means charging for a predefined service at a fixed rate. This template includes practical guidance, drafting notes, and optional clauses. Flat fee arrangements can be useful in small or repetitive cases such as small claims or subrogation matters. This template is customized for a corporate client. An engagement letter must contain certain essential information, such as the client's identity, the intended scope of the contemplated legal work, and the fee arrangement (including billing frequency). This template provides for a flat fee arrangement, which is atypical in litigation matters. For a template hourly fee agreement, see Attorney Engagement Letter and Fee Agreement (Hourly Fee Arrangement) (VA). For a template contingent fee agreement, which is often used by plaintiff's attorneys, especially in personal injury litigation, see Attorney Engagement Letter and Fee Agreement (Contingency Fee Arrangement) (VA). If you will be jointly representing multiple parties, you should include provisions: • Disclosing the potential for conflicts of interest and provisions • Covering potential termination of interest should a conflict arise • Explaining the possible impact on attorney-client privilege of such an arrangement and its termination For a template non-engagement letter, see Attorney Non-engagement Letter (VA).