Legal Fees

Litigation is expensive. Receiving (and following) responsible legal advice can keep costs down by creating realistic goals, focusing on the issues and avoiding unnecessary conflict.

It is not possible under Law Society rules to work on a contingency basis in family matters, that is, for the lawyer to receive a share of the money obtained for the client, except in rare circumstances. I bill clients each month, based on the time spent on their cases. Clients receive a statement showing the work done in the past month and other expenses incurred on the client's behalf. GST and PST are added to lawyers' fees.

When a client and I agree to work together, I ask for a retainer, a sum of money held in my trust account and applied to the client's bill. The size of the retainer depends on the nature and stage of the case.

It is difficult to give a valid estimate of legal costs in litigation, because factors such as the actions of the other party and availability of court time are unpredictable. I can provide a list of steps in the court process, with a range of costs for each, together with the usual disbursements associated with each step. Brigitte and I will work with you to avoid unnecessary expense and use your litigation budget wisely.