Opinion ID: 788144
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The Retainer Agreement

Text: 10 When she hired MKM to represent her in the arbitration, Rubens signed two retainer agreements that contain the same provision regarding the payment of costs and expenses: 11 Client agrees that she will be entirely reasonable [sic] for all costs and expenses in this litigation. The client understands that the costs and expenses could exceed $10,000.00 and that it will be necessary to pay for accommodations and expert witnesses. In addition, the client understands that some experts may require advance payment of their fees. Client accepts full responsibility for the payment of these costs and expense and agrees to indemnify Mason, Ketterman & Morgan if the firm incurs any expenses as a result of the client's failure to pay the costs and expenses in this case. 12 Rubens admits that she signed the retainer agreements, that she received at least some letters from MKM requesting payment, that she did not pay most of those bills, and that she did not respond to the letters requesting payment or contest any of the amounts due. In her opposition to the defendants' motion for summary judgment on costs and expenses, Rubens submitted an affidavit in which she claimed that she had not received some of the bills and that she believed some of the expenses listed were not properly billed to her case. 13 With regard to the defendants' counterclaim for these costs and expenses, the District Court found that Rubens did not dispute the evidence setting forth the costs and expenses she owes for the arbitration and concluded: 14 In the absence of any evidence putting into question the reasonableness of these costs, and because there are no disputed issues of material fact, I conclude that MKM is entitled to judgment against Rubens for $11,978.31 on its counterclaim for arbitration costs and expenses. 15 Rubens v. Mason, 2003 WL 22234704, at . 16 Judgment was entered on October 7, 2003. Rubens filed a timely notice of appeal on November 5, 2003.