We always do what we can to keep fees down for the client and we have mentioned it time and time again about our flat fees.
As much as we try to keep fees less surprising for our clients, there are just some areas where there can be no compromise.
For instance, the majority of our corporate matters can be handled by the law clerk, under the direct supervision of a lawyer. This means that the lawyer sets out the ground work, the law clerk fills in information and then the lawyer puts the finishing touches on the document. This is team work and it’s efficient and cost effective of our clients.
What don’t you want the law clerk to do? You don’t want them to have control over litigation matters. To a degree they are involved, however, litigation is 99% run by the lawyer. Why is this? To be frank, I’m not a lawyer and didn’t go to University, law school or write the Bar Exam, and I really don’t want to be responsible for missing a crucial piece of information that maybe should have been plead, or denied, in a pleading. If that were to happen, that would mean unnecessary legal fees and disbursements out of your pocket, not to mention there being a association called the Law Society of Ontario which prohibits me from practicing law.
There are still some steps that law clerks can complete in a litigation matter such as calculation of costs on an action, searching, and drafting Affidavit of Documents, but the rest you will want to leave up to the highly trained and skilled lawyers.
Trust our offices when we say we will do what we can to keep your fees down by utilizing the law clerk, but know that I will not be the one drafting your Statement of Claim.
Christine Allan, Law Clerk