Legal Definitions - Retaining lien

A retaining lien is a type of attorney's lien that allows a lawyer to keep possession of any property belonging to their client until the client pays for the legal services provided. This lien is created when a client fails to pay for the legal services provided by the lawyer.

John hires a lawyer to represent him in a lawsuit. The lawyer wins the case, but John fails to pay the lawyer's fees. The lawyer can then use a retaining lien to keep possession of any property belonging to John until he pays the fees owed.

Another example could be a lawyer who has possession of a client's important documents or evidence. If the client fails to pay for the legal services provided, the lawyer can use a retaining lien to keep possession of the documents or evidence until the fees are paid.

These examples illustrate how a retaining lien allows a lawyer to retain possession of a client's property until the client pays for the legal services provided.