Consultation fees charged when seeking legal advice are commonplace in the legal profession. During the initial meeting, lawyers at Barriston will typically charge an hourly-rate for their time spent with the client. The following will outline why consultation fees exist and what the client is actually paying for with that initial fee.

Consultation fees are charged in order to compensate the lawyer for their time, knowledge, and advice given to their potential new client. For clients, that initial consultation is one of the most valuable services a lawyer can provide. It gives them an opportunity to have their initial questions answered, have the merits of their case analyzed by an experienced professional in the field, and be given a quality legal opinion on their matter.

This can be particularly valuable when dealing with litigation or family law matters which have the possibility of going to court.

Such advice could include what the client’s options are, how to move forward with the matter, or whether or not the client’s matter has any merit to begin with. In most cases, the client leaves the consultation with an increased peace of mind. Whatever the advice may be, the consultation is a valuable service being provided by the lawyer, worthy of compensation.

Additionally, Barriston lawyers often spend time reviewing a client’s documents and correspondence ahead of the consultation. This preparation time is included within the consultation fee and allows for a more productive conversation.

If you are looking for legal advice on a matter, please visit our website or call our office at (705)-792-9200 to book a consultation with one of our experienced lawyers.

Written by Jack Luck and Nicolas Guevara-Mann