Fees

PRICE LIST – AS OF JULY 17, 2022
Disbursements are in addition to legal fees- not included.

Where a rate increase occurs during the conduct of a matter, the specific job that we are doing continues to be conducted at the rate agreed to when the matter started.  This rate will be reflected in your retainer agreement.  New matters/jobs that clients retain us for following a price increase are charged at updated rates.

We believe transparency in pricing is an important value.  If you have any questions about the information on this page, please reach out to us.

Regular Hourly Rates:

•      Kelly A. Driscoll:  $320.00 plus HST
•      Sarah M. Michel:  $250.00 plus HST
•      Shealyn MacLaughlin:  $225.00 plus HST
•     Articling Students:  $100.00 plus HST
•     Administrative Staff:  $60.00 plus HST

Premium Hourly Rates (applicable to unscheduled drop-in demanding immediate service, requests for after-hours appointments and requests for after-hours work):  

In some cases, clients will attempt unscheduled drop-ins to request immediate service, request that staff meet with them after hours, or request that staff complete work on their files during hours they are not scheduled to work.  We cannot always guarantee availability to meet such requests; however, where the applicable staff member agrees and the client agrees, the work will be completed at a “Premium Hourly Rate”.  The amount of this rate is the regular hourly rate of the applicable staff member plus an additional $100.00 hourly.

For more information on the “Premium Hourly Rate,” please see the “Frequently Asked Questions” section below.

Other Fees:   

• No show fee:  $50.00 plus HST (payable before a new appointment is scheduled)
• Late fee:  $25.00 plus HST for each 15 minutes past the scheduled start time of appointment (clients who are more than 30 minutes late will be treated as no shows)

Disbursements:  

• Mileage:  $0.50 per km plus HST
• Photocopies:  $0.50 per page plus HST
• File Opening and Storage Fee:  $75.00 plus HST

FAMILY LAW SERVICES

RETAINERS:

See the “Frequently Asked Questions” section below for an explanation as to why we can’t quote a retainer without having done an initial consult with a client.

INITIAL CONSULTS:

Initial consults are charged at one hour of the applicable lawyer’s “Regular Hourly Rate.”  Appointments are limited to one hour.  However, if more time is required and the lawyer is available, the client may pay for any additional time beyond the one hour at the applicable lawyer’s “Regular Hourly Rate.”

If the client wishes to communicate with the lawyer following the consult to obtain further advice or clarification, they will be charged at the applicable lawyer’s “Regular Hourly Rate.”

INDEPENDENT LEGAL ADVICE:

Appointments for independent legal advice (ILA) are charged at one hour of the applicable lawyer’s “Regular Hourly Rate.”  Appointments are limited to one hour.  However, if more time is required and the lawyer is available, the client may pay for any additional time beyond the one hour at the applicable lawyer’s “Regular Hourly Rate.”

CONTESTED PROCEEDINGS (I.E. PARENTING, ACCESS, SUPPORT, OR DIVISION OF PROPERTY & DEBT):

Contested family law proceedings are charged at our Regular Hourly Rate (or at our premium hourly rate if applicable).  A proceeding has become “contested” when the party who has been served with a pleading files a response or a defence with the court.

UNCONTESTED DIVORCE PROCEEDING:

For an uncontested divorce proceeding that does not deal with parenting issues, support issues, or division of property and debt, we charge a flat fee of $1,200.00, which does include:  the initial consult, drafting of documents based on the instructions given in the initial consult, meeting with the client to review and execute the documents, and communication with the courts.  This flat fee does not include court appearances, additional communication with clients or third parties beyond that described as included above, redrafting documents to reflect new instructions, no show fees, late fees, disbursements, or HST, all of which will be charged in addition to this flat fee.  Where a staff member’s time is charged in addition to this flat fee, it is charged at their regular Hourly Rate.

For an uncontested divorce proceeding that does deal with parenting or support issues, but which does not require a consent order, we charge a flat fee of $1,750.00, which does include:  the initial consult, drafting of documents based on the instructions given in the initial consult, meeting with the client to review and execute the documents, and communication with the courts.  This flat fee does not include court appearances, additional communication with clients or third parties beyond that described as included above, redrafting documents to reflect new instructions, no show fees, late fees, disbursements, or HST, all of which will be charged in addition to this flat fee.  Where a staff member’s time is charged in addition to this flat fee, it is charged at their regular Hourly Rate.

For an uncontested divorce proceeding that deals with parenting or support issues, or property/debt issues such that a consent order is required, we charge a flat fee of $2,300.00, which does include:  the initial consult, drafting of documents based on the instructions given in the initial consult, meeting with the client to review and execute the documents, and communication with the courts.  This flat fee does not include court appearances, additional communication with clients or third parties beyond that described as included above, redrafting documents to reflect new instructions, no show fees, late fees, disbursements, or HST, all of which will be charged in addition to this flat fee.  Where a staff member’s time is charged in addition to this flat fee, it is charged at their regular Hourly Rate.

If an expected uncontested divorce proceeding becomes “contested,” or if the proceeding requires disclosure or cooperation of the other party who does not immediately provide it, the proceeding will be charged at the rate of a “contested” proceeding.

PREPARATION OF DOMESTIC CONTRACT:

The fee for the drafting of a Domestic Contract will range from $1,750.00 to $3,000.00 depending on the scope of work required.  The amount of this fee will be agreed to in advance before the lawyer drafts the Agreement.  This fee will be charged once the Agreement is drafted, regardless of whether the other party agrees to sign.  Therefore, we strongly recommend that before giving a lawyer instructions to draft an Agreement, clients should actually have a conversation with the other party to determine whether they actually agree to the terms the client instructs the lawyer to draft.  This fee does include:  the initial consultation, the drafting in accordance with the client’s direction in the initial consultation, limited revisions going to grammar, and meeting with the client to provide independent legal advice and execute the document.  This fee does not include:  negotiations with the other side, communications with the client outside of those described as included in this fee, or revisions to the Agreement that alter the content based upon new instructions from the client, no show fees, late fees, disbursements, or HST.

WILLS & ESTATE SERVICES

LAST WILL & TESTAMENT (INDIVIDUAL):

A Last Will & Testament for an individual that does not include special provisions for the creation of a trust is charged as follows:

• Legal Fees:  $400.00
• File Opening & Storage Fee:  $75.00
• Photocopy Fee:  $50.00

When added up, the total cost will be $525.00 plus HST.

For a testator who requires special provisions for the creation of a trust, the time spent to create those trust provisions shall be billed, in addition to the above-noted fees, at the applicable Regular Hourly Rate.

MIRRORED LAST WILLS & TESTAMENTS:

Mirrored Last Will & Testaments that do not include special provisions for the creation of a trust are charged as follows:

• Legal Fees:  $750.00
• File Opening & Storage Fee:  $75.00
• Photocopy Fee:  $100.00

When added up, the total cost will be $925.00 plus HST.

To qualify for mirror pricing, the Last Wills and Testaments must truly reflect each other.  The same arrangements will be made in both documents for executors, gifts, guardians, and trust clauses.  Where each Testator requires different arrangements for executors, gifts, guardians, or trust clauses, they do not qualify for mirror pricing and will be charged for individual Last Wills & Testaments.

For testators who require special provisions for the creation of a trust, the time spent to create those trust provisions shall be billed, in addition to the above-noted fees, at the applicable Regular Hourly Rate.

POWER OF ATTORNEY (INDIVIDUAL):

A Power of Attorney for an individual is charged as follows:

• Legal Fees:  $350.00
• File Opening & Storage Fee:  $75.00
• Photocopy Fee:  $50.00

When added up, the total cost will be $475.00 plus HST.

MIRRORED POWERS OF ATTORNEY:

Mirrored Powers of Attorney are charged as follows:

• Legal Fees:  $600.00
• File Opening & Storage Fee:  $75.00
• Photocopy Fee:  $100.00

When added up, the total cost will be $775.00 plus HST.

To qualify for mirror pricing, the Powers of Attorney must truly reflect each other.  The same arrangements will be made in both documents for type of power of attorney, appointment of attorneys, appointment of monitors, and powers given to attorneys.

BUNDLE PACKAGE:  LAST WILL & TESTAMENT PLUS POWER OF ATTORNEY (INDIVIDUAL):

A bundle package where an individual purchases both a Last Will and Testament and a Power of Attorney at the same time is charged as follows:

• Legal Fees:  $700.00
• File Opening & Storage Fee:  $75.00
• Photocopy Fee:  $50.00

When added up, the total cost will be $825.00 plus HST.  This is a savings of $175.00 plus HST over purchasing the products separately.

To qualify for this pricing, the testator cannot include special provisions for the creation of a trust in the Last Will & Testament.  A testator who requires special provisions for the creation of a trust, will be billed for the time spent to create those trust provisions, in addition to the above-noted fees, at the applicable Regular Hourly Rate.

BUNDLE PACKAGE:  MIRRORED LAST WILLS & TESTAMENTS PLUS MIRRORED POWERS OF ATTORNEY:

A bundle package where a couple purchases both a Last Will and Testament and a Power of Attorney at the same time with the documents being mirrors of each other is charged as follows:

• Legal Fees:  $1,250.00
• File Opening & Storage Fee:  $75.00
• Photocopy Fee:  $100.00

When added up, the total cost will be $1,425.00 plus HST.  This is a savings of $275.00 plus HST over purchasing the products separately.

To qualify for this pricing, the testators cannot include special provisions for the creation of a trust in the mirrored Last Wills & Testaments.  Testators who require special provisions for the creation of a trust, will be billed for the time spent to create those trust provisions, in addition to the above-noted fees, at the applicable Regular Hourly Rate.

To qualify for mirror pricing, the Last Wills & Testaments and the Powers of Attorney must truly reflect each other.  The same arrangements will be made in all documents for the appointment of executors, gifts, guardians, trust clauses, type of power of attorney, appointment of attorneys, appointment of monitors, and powers given to attorneys.

REAL ESTATE SERVICES

Disbursements and HST are not included in the fees listed below.  Be aware that disbursements make up a large portion of individual client invoices for real estate transactions.  We can provide written estimates upon request after completion of an intake call to provide a better idea of what the total invoice will cost.

• Purchase of Residential Property:  $650.00 (inclusive of a mortgage, if required)
• Refinance:  $650.00
• Sale of Residential Property:  $550.00
• Conversion to Land Titles:  $400.00
• PID Consolidation:  $100.00
• Transfer without Consideration:  $300.00

Please note that unless your transaction is covered under our service agreement with BGRS, we reserve the right to charge additional fees where mortgage instructions are received less than two business days prior to closing, where a monoline lender is used, or where a lender that we consider high maintenance is used.  The reasons for this policy are:

• When mortgage instructions are received less than two business days prior to closing, our office is forced to delay other files by diverting staff resources and/or we are required to work outside normal business hours;
• So-called monoline lenders and other high maintenance lenders generally require many more steps and documents to be processed by our law firm as compared to the local lenders and thus additional resources are invested in these files.

We do honour the pricing in the Third Party Service Agreement with BGRS.  If you are requesting this pricing, please be prepared to provide your BGRS number.

MISCELLANEOUS SERVICES

NOTARIZING DOCUMENTS:

• $80.00 plus HST if less than 15 minutes of the lawyer’s time is required
• Regular hourly rate for applicable lawyer if more than 15 minutes of the lawyer’s time is required.

COMMISSIONER OF OATHS:

• $25.00 for where one signature of the Commissioner is required
• $5.00 for each additional signature of the Commissioner beyond the first one.

WEDDINGS:

• $400.00 plus HST if Officiant does not need to attend a rehearsal.
• $800.00 plus HST if Officiant is required to attend a rehearsal.
• Mileage will be charged if travel of more than 30 km round trip is required.