The only time an attorney generally goes on retainer is when the work is so steady, constant, that a regular billing makes sense. The auto club here used to have an entire law firm on a monthly retainer and they handled ALL the insurance defense claims necessary. I used to have several small real estate developers on retainer, a regular monthly fee to handle ordinary non-litigation documentation, contract review etc. It worked for both of us for some time, and when it didn't we stopped it.
In California there is a firm of 2nd Amendment specialists which hands out safe magnets and bright orange business cards prominently displaying their phone number. Most of us carry it in our wallet, and put on the safe the magnetized display warning the police consent to search is not given, the contents are private and a search warrant is required. These guys know the gun laws, arcane as they are here, backwards and forwards and have many successes to their credit. They are not miracle workers however; you have to get them a set of facts to work with that are favorable, so don't do nothing stupid!
