Legal fee (8)
I believe the answer is:
retainer
'legal fee' is the definition.
(I've seen this in another clue)
This is the entire clue.
(Other definitions for retainer that I've seen before include "Old servant - preliminary fee" , "Eritrean (anag)" , "Long-standing family servant" , "Part payment down for an old servant" , "Household servant (often faithful and old!)" .)