contract-law
What is a &quot;Reserved&quot; clause in a contract? (letter of engagement)
<p>I'm being asked to sign a letter of engagement with an attorney.</p>

<p>One of the numbered paragraphs is blank and just says "Reserved". What is the reason for it, can the attorney just insert whatever terms they want later? Clearly not, but it must have some purpose.</p>

<p>This letter is being presented on an online signing service if that matters.</p>

<p>I think the most likely explanation is that they have a standard engagement language with standardized paragraph numbering, and they just take out or insert paragraphs as applicable to an individual client.</p>

<p>So maybe they would have a standard paragraph 19 that explains how their contingency fee arrangement works, and a paragraph 20 that says what happens if your case has to be appealed. But if you were paying them hourly instead of on contingency, they'd just pull out paragraph 19 and mark it "reserved," leaving them with the same terms in paragraph 20 as they have in all their other contracts.</p>
