is it normal for a lawyer to try to secure aditional collateral?

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Idaho
my friend's lawyer is trying to secure collateral in addition to the retainer already paid. his lawyer had been on his case for 7 months and has yet to give him or the person that hired the lawyer any kind of statement showing where the retainer went?

Did your friend hire this lawyer do do something or did he retain the lawyer for future help and advice? Why do you believe that an accounting of this retainer is due?
I don't follow your collateral question. Was the lawyer retained to deal with an issue about the collateral of a loan?

Good luck

my friend's grandma hired this guy and has already payed him a $5000 retainer and the lawyer has been defending my friend for the past 7 months. They feel that an accounting for the retainer is due because my friend an his grandma do not feel that he is defending him at all and he is trying to secure more collateral.

Ok, so the lawyer was hired to aid in the defense of your friend in some matter. It would not be inappropriate for the grandmother to ask for a statement of the current billing.
I still don't understand about securing more collateral. Do you mean the lawyer wants more money to continue the defense? If not, then what do you mean.

Good luck