Canadian Lawyer Magazine (http://www.canadianlawyermag.com/index.php) published the results of their legal fees survey in the June 2014 edition of their magazine. The broke down the cost of legal fees by area in Canada, area of law, and provided minimum – average – maximum ranges.
What I find compelling is the difference in legal fees for contested matters and trials versus the cost of resolution by agreement. Consider the following statistics, taken from the “Western” region in this excellent survey:
Type of legal work Maximum cost Average Minimum
Contested Divorce: $38,851 $9,903 $5,289
2 day trial: $28,300 $14,500 $8,900
5 day trial: $67,000 $37,300 $21,400
Separation Agreement: $3,458 $1,706 $1,219
Child Custody/support
Agreement: $3,313 $1,726 $1,212
Uncontested Divorce: $2,304 $1,383 $1,104
It clearly is more cost effective to reach an agreement on your legal issues then to permit a judge to make them for you in court.
My approach is to assist you in reaching that agreement, by providing you with advice and support so that you can negotiate with your spouse, attend mediation, or keep legal fees to a minimum by avoiding the court process. Whenever possible, I offer flat fee arrangements that are less than those determined by the above survey. Contact me for a consultation to determine how I can help you with your circumstances.
