personal and corporate bankruptcy, consumer proposals, realization of security, receiverships. top What happens if my problem is outside of your area of practice?To provide the best service and value to my clients, I have focused on the areas of practice outlined above. However, since starting practice in 1980, I have practiced in most areas of the law and have a good working knowledge in most areas. Over the years I have established a close working relationship with lawyers who prefer to focus on areas of the law such as divorce and child custody, criminal law, patents and trademarks, personal injury and immigration. If you require the assistance of a specialist, then I will work with you to find the lawyer most suited to represent you. How do you set fees?In setting a fair fee for clients, the primary consideration is the value of the work to the client. It is important that the client receive value for the fee paid while providing fair compensation for the work done. The factors considered in setting the fee are:
Records will be kept of the time spent on behalf of the client for various activities such as conferences or meetings, telephone calls, research, preparation, court attendance, and travel on your behalf, and related matters. The final fee may be more or less than the actual time spent to reflect the factors listed above and to ensure that the client receives value for the fee charged. Clients are also charged for out of pocket expenses such as photocopies, couriers, fax service, court and registry fees, bailiff's fees, long distance telephone charges, title registration fees, and title search fees. In British Columbia, legal fees and certain out of pocket expenses are subject to both the Goods and Services Tax and the Provincial Sales Tax. Hourly RatesMy present hourly rate is $300.00, although for certain special types of work a higher rate may be charged. If an hourly rate, rather than a flat fee, is to be charged for the work, the client is advised in advance. A legal assistant or a research assistant does certain work under my direct supervision. These individuals have special skills and training. The research assistant is a fully qualified lawyer but not in public practice. A legal assistant is a fully qualified secretary with additional training and skills in certain fields of practice. All work done by the legal assistant is presently charged at the rate of $75.00 per hour. Work done by the research assistant is charged at $110.00 per hour. Work is done by the assistants to ensure services are provided in an efficient and timely manner for the least cost to the client. What services do you provide for a flat fee? For certain well-defined services (such as basic wills, incorporation of a basic company or purchase and sale of homes) we have a fixed or flat fee. The fee reflects the amount of work required for an ordinary transaction. If there are unusual or extraordinary circumstances beyond our control, then an additional fee may be charged. What do you charge for a basic Will? My fee for a basic will for an individual start at $350.00. Taxes and out-of-pocket expenses are extra. If the right solution for you requires more than a basic will, then the extra charges for preparing a more complex will or a trust if needed will be discussed with you before the work is done. With recent changes in the law, and blended families becoming more common, there is no longer a "simple will". The actual fees will depending on the circumstances. What do you charge for a simple residential conveyance (home purchase) and mortgage? My fee for a simple residential conveyance and mortgage depends on each particular situation. For a basic residential conveyance (where we simply transfer title and register in your name as the purchaser), our fees are typicallly $600.00. Taxes, title search and registration fees, and other out-of-pocket expenses are extra. We are always happy to provide a detailed quote of the total cost of the transaction. If you wish a quote, please contact my office. I do provide a free initial consultation at times if you have previously requested this. Otherwise, I will charge for the work done. Depending on the nature of the work, I will bill you for my fees, taxes, and disbursements and other charges, on completion of the work or at the end of each important step of the case. Accounts are payable upon receipt, and interest is charged on overdue accounts. A retainer will be required in some cases. Updated: April 16, 2014 |
||
