Legal Services

What Should You Expect In Your First Consultation?

When you first consult us with questions, for example about your rights in an estate, collecting a debt, or your recovery from a motor vehicle accident, one of our lawyers will first take a detailed history.

One of the first questions is “what was the date?” that you first became aware of a potential claim, injury, or right to be enforced? Many aspects of a legal claim require formal documents to be filed or other steps to be taken within a limited time period (often, but not always, 2 years). The date must be confirmed at the outset.

To file a Statement of Claim by a specific deadline, we normally require a minimum of 3 months’ lead time before the limitation date.

Please note that we always ask for full contact information and photo ID from the people who meet with us.

What Does it Cost to Meet With a Lawyer?

In our office there are no hidden fees or surprises, and we strive to ensure client satisfaction. You will never be charged any legal fees until you have first been advised in writing of the basis for calculating your legal fees, and have agreed to be billed on that basis.

Some work is billed on a flat fee basis. Some is billed on the basis of the hourly rates currently in effect for the lawyer working on your file. Some legal work may be billed on a contingency basis (fees are a percentage of amounts recovered for you). The method of billing depends upon the nature of the work required for that file.

For many matters we are able to offer our clients a brief, no-cost, no-obligation initial consultation (in person or by telephone) to learn the history, and begin to consider the legal approach to your case.

Standards for Service

We strive to ensure timely, effective and efficient service for all of our clients.

We keep expectations, timelines and responsibilities clear, so both lawyer and client understand what will be happening when, and what can or cannot be controlled by your lawyer.