Comox Valley Lawyers Serving Courtenay, Comox & Area on Vancouver Island, BC.
Ives Burger, Comox Valley Barristers & Solicitors

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you provide a free initial consultation or otherwise offer or provide free legal advice?
No. We provide a half hour consultation for $25.00 to $75.00 (plus taxes) and we also provide a similar service in selected practice areas through the Canadian Bar Association.

When should I contact a lawyer?
We recommend that you contact a lawyer in the following circumstances:

  • You are buying or selling a home, condominium or other real estate.
  • You or your business have been sued.
  • You have been charged with a crime.
  • You have assets, children, a spouse, but no will or you have a will but your circumstances have changed.
  • You are about to embark upon a new business either by start-up or purchase.
  • You are interested in selling a business or major asset.
  • You are about to acquire a substantial asset or assets by way of purchase or lease.
  • You are owed money and are having trouble collecting it.
  • You are asked to personally guarantee another's debt.
  • Generally you are concerned about what legal rights you have in a certain area or you want to enforce your legal rights.
  • You have been in a motor vehicle accident.

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How do I retain your legal services?
Call us at 250-334-2416 to discuss your needs, or feel free to send us an e-mail outlining your needs.

The firm may or may not require the payment of a retainer before commencing representation of a new client, depending on the complexity of the case, the amount of work involved, and whether we take the case on contingency or a mixed-fee arrangement of partial hourly and partial contingency.

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What is a retainer?
A retainer is a deposit or advance payment to the firm of some of the fees and/or costs which the firm anticipates it will incur to represent you. The deposit is held in a trust account by the firm pursuant to a written fee agreement.

The firm pays itself from the retainer funds only as it earns the fees or spends the costs on your behalf. The amount of the retainer requested by the firm depends upon the amount of time, costs and resources which the firm anticipates it will spend to represent you. If it is a large assignment, the retainer may cover only a portion of the entire project. If the firm concludes its representation and has not utilized the entire retainer, you will be refunded the difference.

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How much do you charge, and how do you charge?

FIXED FEES
Conveyancing and mortgage legal work is done on either a fixed fee or advance quoted terms. We will be happy to provide you with a quote once you let us know what legal services you require.

Most of the legal work that we do for small businesses and professionals is based on a fixed fee structure, including:

  • Incorporation
  • Shareholders Agreements
  • Retail or office space leases
  • Asset purchase agreements
  • Share purchase agreements

Wills, powers of attorney and representation agreements are also done for fixed fees.

HOURLY RATES

For additional legal services we charge out at an hourly rate.

In litigation matters we normally enter into a formal retainer agreement that outlines the applicable hourly rates that will be payable as well as the disbursements (out-of-pocket expenses) that will be charged for handling conduct of the particular matter.

MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENTS

If we act on your behalf because you were injured in a motor vehicle accident, most times we will agree to a contingency fee agreement pursuant to applicable Law Society rules. This means you do not pay any fees until the matter is resolved.

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