Frequently Asked Questions

What do your services cost?

The services provided by a law office vary significantly depending on the nature of the legal problems clients bring to us. They can range from the relatively simple task of producing legal forms and standard court documents to drafting complex legal Agreements, written opinions, or advocacy in the Courts.

In downtown Vancouver, B.C., the cost of legal services is usually billed to the client at an hourly rate for the work done, according to the level of experience and expertise of the person doing the work. The hourly rates in this city range from $100 per hour for the work of a paralegal or legal assistant, to $400 per hour for the work of senior counsel.

Carla Courtenay uses a “reasonable fee” basis for billing, also called “value billing”. This means that she makes an assessment of the actual work done over any billing period, and considers its difficulty, the time spent, and the importance of that particular work to reach the desired goals for the client. The proper factors for consideration are well known in the legal profession, and are set out in the Legal Professions Act of British Columbia.

There is an inherent difficulty in all legal work of estimating in advance what it will cost to complete it satisfactorily. This is because other persons are invariably involved in the process, and their responses to each step taken on behalf of a client can alter the plan of work. New issues may arise which could not have been foreseen at the outset.

The most significant factor affecting the cost to resolve a legal matter is the amount of underlying dispute and conflict that exists with others over the position taken by the client. For example, a client who needs a domestic agreement, such as a “pre nuptial”, could face an expense of $1800 or an expense of $8000, depending on the number of contentious issues the contracting parties need to resolve before they can sign a formal agreement.

The office of Carla Courtenay keeps clients regularly informed of the cost of the services they are requiring. We bill our clients on a monthly basis. A lawyer’s bill has two components: the fees for the legal work done, and the disbursements which the office has had to pay to third parties, or incur within the office, to conduct matters on behalf of the client.

A lawyer’s Retainer is a form of security for the payment of the legal accounts. Clients must at all times provide the law firm with a form of security which is acceptable to the lawyer. This is most frequently a deposit of cash into a trust account for the client, from which the client’s bills will be paid. Alternate forms of security can be arranged, including the client’s authorization to use a valid Visa charge account to satisfy the accounts, or a collateral mortgage on a client’s interest in real property, or a payment guarantee provided by another person on behalf of the client.

What is involved in an initial consultation?

We consider the first consultation with a client to be the most important one, requiring preparation and close attention.

To arrange one, prospective clients are asked to contact Ms. Courtenay’s assistant by telephone for an initial discussion of the nature of the client’s concerns, and to determine whether our office is the best place for the client to be.

We ask clients to prepare for the initial consultation and provide information in advance to Ms. Courtenay so that she can prepare also. Her assistant will provide guidance on what documents clients should bring with them, and what they could usefully provide to us in advance. Write down the questions and concerns you have so that you can refresh your memory during the consultation.

A lawyer is a professional confidante for you and all of the content of any consultation, including your identity and the simple fact you are in our office, is confidential.

Clients who are not in Vancouver can arrange for an initial consultation by telephone. All initial consultations, including by long distance telephone conference, are by appointment.

You can expect an initial consultation to take 1 to 2 hours, and result in you having a better understanding of your legal position and what it is likely to take to improve that position or resolve the matter to your satisfaction. You will be thoroughly interviewed and you must be prepared to answer detailed questions about yourself, your family members, and about the history leading up to you contacting our office.

A number of outcomes are possible:

• Ms. Courtenay may advise you that legal work is premature and suggest that no file be opened until other events have taken place or other steps have been taken by you;
• a plan of work may be made involving immediate steps taken on your behalf;
• a strategy may emerge which involves actions to be taken by you with the guidance of Ms. Courtenay as you proceed, and before particular “legal” steps are taken;
• or, either you or Ms. Courtenay may decide that you would be better served by another lawyer. An initial consultation is not an engagement of Carla Courtenay as your lawyer, it is an initial step to obtain her advice and for you and she to decide whether and what additional legal work is needed and whether the services we provide will meet your needs.

The cost of an initial consultation can range from $275 to $650. Arrangements must be made in advance with Ms. Courtenay’s assistant to secure payment of the consultation. If you immediately retain our services the cost of the initial consultation will form a part of the first statement of account rendered to you, at the end of the month.