Frequently Asked Questions
How much will it cost me?
Legal matters can be unpredictable. Unless a very specific limited task that does not involve choices by opposing parties, like only asking your car mechanic for an oil change, we cannot provide exact quotes. When you have a dispute involving other people then the time involved can vary with what the opposing party does as well as what your next step in the dispute process requires. Naturally the cost varies with the time required similar to adding requests to your car mechanic eg fix the transmission or a tuneup in addition to the simple oil change.
We understand legal services can be costly and that our clients do not want to be surprised with large bills. We offer DIY Support Services in addition to Traditional Retainers to allow our clients to control their legal costs.
Why do you need to do a conflict check and what is it?
To best assist any client we need to make sure there is no conflict in representing you for your legal matter. We search both you and any Opposing party in our software to make sure we have not worked on a legal matter involving any party that would create a conflict in representing you for your current legal matter.
Why do you need my ID?
The Law Society of BC requires that a Lawyer verify the identity of their clients. A lawyer is obligated to know his or her client, to understand the client’s financial dealings in relation to the retainer, and to manage any risks arising from the professional business relationship with the client. When you go to the Doctor you are required to show your MSP card to prove 2 things:
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Your ID = who you are for the medical system to track your records
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How your GP will be paid for your 10-minute consult
Otherwise, visitors to Canada need to provide ID eg: a passport plus a credit card to verify who they are.
What ID can I use?
You need to provide 2 pieces of Government Issued ID, one piece of ID must have a photo, both pieces must be valid.
Acceptable ID includes:
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Passport
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Nexus Card
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BC Services Card (formerly Care Card)
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BC Identification Card
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Driver's License
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Birth Certificate
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Social Insurnace Card
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Permanent Residency Card
Why do I have to wait to speak or meet with my Lawyer?
A good Lawyer is a busy Lawyer. Much like your Doctor or Dentist, your Lawyer has multiple clients and is not always available to speak with you when you phone or email. Our staff can schedule you an appointment to speak with your Lawyer or answer basic questions about your file such as when your next court date is or if we have received an entered copy of your recent Court document.
To meet all of our client’s needs we set aside specific days in the Lawyer’s calendar for in person appointments so that we can leave availability to schedule court appearances in a timely manner. To best assist all of our clients, we offer Phone and Video appointments as we can accommodate these types of appointments into a Lawyers schedule much sooner than an in person appointment.