Fees

Initial Consultation

If we are retained by a new client for a period of one hour or more, the first 30 minutes will be credited to the client. Standard hourly rates are charged for the work performed by the lawyer and law clerks for the time spent on your case.

Our fees are based on the following elements:

  • the time spent on your behalf and the service which is performed

  • our experience and abilities

  • the complexities of the matter and your potential monetary exposure

  • the degree and type of resistance encountered

  • the extent to which any work needs to be performed on an emergency basis

  • the results accomplished

Disbursements are out-of-pocket expenses and include but are not limited to the following:

  • couriers, printing, photocopying of documents

  • long distance telephone calls

  • facsimile transmissions

  • postage

  • court filing fees

  • parking, where fees apply

  • fees for accountants and other outside experts.

Retainer

The retainer is an amount paid to the lawyer in trust, for deposit to your credit on the understanding that it will be used to satisfy our accounts for legal services and disbursements at the time accounts are delivered. The retainer is a source of payment for your accounts. You are expected to provide and replace the retainer when requested, as it is spent, so that we continue to have enough money in trust to cover legal services completed and necessary next steps.

Invoice (Statement of Account)

We call your “invoice” or “bill” a Statement of Account.

To help you plan for the financial requirements of your matter, we will discuss the costs with you during the initial visit.

Payment Options

Our preferred methods of payment are:

E-transfer: Please contact us to arrange E-transfers.

Cheque / Money Order: Please collect instructions for the addressee of cheques/money orders.

Cash: Cash is accepted up to a reasonable limit and must be delivered in person at reception.

The alternate methods of payment are:

Credit Cards: Visa, MasterCard and Amex are accepted.

Tips to minimize your legal fees

You can work with us in keeping your legal fees down by:

  • making sure any documents provided to us are completed and organized chronologically; and

  • addressing multiple issues in a single call or meeting.

Please note that legal assistants are not allowed to provide you any legal advice.

Keeping you appraised on the progress of your file

We understand and appreciate that you may be anxious to have your matter resolved rapidly in order to move on with your life. Unfortunately, it is a fact that most matters take time to resolve as there are many factors that are out of our control (e.g. waiting for an opposing party to respond, waiting for information to be gathered by a third party, or waiting for the court).

We will try to move your file along as quickly as possible. We ask for your understanding when the delay is not in our control.

Please note that it is our policy to send copies of all relevant correspondence and court documents to you. This allows you to monitor the progress of your file.