Buy a defined handoff, with the initial signing step included
A mass tort signed retainer is an agreed document deliverable. It is different from a raw inquiry, a qualified lead or a connected call. The useful question is what your staff receives with the signature: contact details, screening answers, the approved document version and any additional materials specified in the agreement.
That distinction matters when comparing prices. A proposal that includes signing may cover work your employees would otherwise perform. Compare the fee with the work completed, the work remaining and the number of delivered matters your firm ultimately accepts. A signature alone does not establish medical evidence, legal eligibility or final case acceptance.
| Delivery stage | What is in scope | Your next step |
|---|---|---|
| Raw lead | Agreed inquiry and contact information | Contact, screen and develop the opportunity |
| Qualified lead | Inquiry screened against agreed questions | Confirm information and complete remaining intake |
| Signed retainer | Firm-approved signed documents and agreed packet | Review the packet, onboard and pursue required evidence |
Your acceptance standards shape the acquisition brief
Start with the matters your firm wants to review. Supply the approved screening questions, required responses, hard disqualifiers, geography and handling rules for uncertain answers. Keep self-reported information visibly separate from independently checked facts. This gives intake a usable record of what has been established and what still needs review.
Document who can approve a change to the question path or retainer. Version control helps prevent an older document or screening rule from continuing to circulate after your requirements change. It also gives both teams a common reference when reviewing a delivery.
Define the retainer packet before the first delivery
Ask for a synthetic example and have the receiving team walk through it. Can staff identify the prospective client, locate the signed document and see which follow-up steps belong to them? A clear packet helps reduce back-and-forth and keeps a new matter from waiting on an avoidable administrative question.
The packet below is a scoping checklist, not a claim that every program automatically includes every item. Required fields, signature evidence, document access and delivery methods are agreed before launch.
- Client and campaign identifiers that match the receiving system.
- Screening responses, criteria version and screening time.
- The firm-approved document and agreed completion evidence.
- A record of the acquisition source and required permission evidence.
- Open questions, missing materials and the owner of the next action.
- A delivery acknowledgment and a defined channel for packet issues.
Compare cost per accepted case as well as cost per retainer
A retainer price gives you one part of the acquisition model. The proportion of delivered retainers that the firm accepts changes the effective cost of building its docket. Track spend and credits against the same delivery cohort, then separate administrative packet defects from later records or merits decisions.
For illustration, $24,000 in net acquisition spend across 40 delivered retainers is $600 per retainer. If 30 are accepted after review, acquisition cost per accepted case is $800. These are hypothetical inputs, not TortHarbor pricing or projected results. Additional intake and case-development costs should be recorded separately.
Start with a program your team can review and expand
Agree on the tort, packet, document version, delivery cap, billing event, duplicate definition and review window. Define any exclusivity and credit rules in writing. Make sure the people accepting deliveries and reconciling invoices use the same definitions.
TortHarbor gives your firm one acquisition relationship across the agreed sources and delivery formats. Retainer programs sit alongside raw and qualified leads; inbound calls and traffic remain core options when those formats better fit your operation. Share your brief and we can discuss which work to move upstream and which work your team should retain.
Plan the next step with your intake team.
Turn your claimant profile into specific questions, acceptable answers and hard disqualifiers. A shared brief gives sources a consistent standard and helps keep your team from spending time on known mismatches.
- Identify exposure or product, relevant dates, reported injury, geography and representation questions.
- Separate information needed before delivery from evidence your team will collect later.
- Choose the format, distribution terms, budget, daily cap and staffed delivery hours.
- Name the people who approve criteria, receive deliveries and reconcile outcomes.
These describe different stages. Keeping them separate helps your team understand what it is buying and what remains to be done.
- Screened: responses have been assessed against the campaign’s questions and rules.
- Verified: specified facts have been checked against identified evidence; define which checks are included.
- Retained: the agreed retainer documents have been signed.
- Accepted: your firm has completed the review it requires to accept the case. Neither screening nor a signature guarantees that result.
Outcome feedback turns intake experience into acquisition decisions. Track the same group of deliveries over time so we can identify where prospects stop progressing and discuss changes to sources, screening or handoff.
- Keep delivered, contacted, screened, retained and accepted counts separate.
- Record why an inquiry did not progress, such as unreachable, screening mismatch or insufficient supporting evidence.
- Allow for your intake and records-review cycle before comparing results.
- Use reconciled outcomes to discuss source mix, questions, delivery timing and capacity for the next phase.
Questions before you start
Are signed retainers the same as accepted cases?
No. The signed documents are the agreed deliverable. Your firm controls its legal review, evidence requirements and final case acceptance.
Does a retainer program include medical records?
Only if records work is explicitly included in the agreed scope. Ask which evidence is provided, which facts are self-reported and who obtains outstanding materials.
Can we use our own retainer and qualification questions?
The program is scoped around the firm’s approved documents, screening questions and handoff requirements. Document versions and changes are agreed before use.
What does a signed-retainer program cost?
Pricing depends on the tort, screening, sources, document requirements and purchased scope. Submit your criteria for a proposal; illustrative calculator values are not quoted rates.