Yes they can. Upon completion of a free telephone consultation, you and your lawyer may decide to proceed with further legal action in a particular matter. This could require a substantial amount of hours being spent on your case by your plan lawyer. If such a situation arises, your plan lawyer may ask for a retainer based on the estimated number of hours he or she thinks the case will take. As a plan member this retainer will be calculated using the rate of $125 per hour.