This piece originally appeared in AdvocateDaily. Should lawyers charge a fee for an initial meeting with a potential client? Charging for initial consultations may actually boost the number of new clients coming through the door, our own Timothy N. Sullivan tells AdvocateDaily.com. According to a recent Canadian Lawyer magazine survey on legal fees, lawyers are almost evenly split on the issue, with […]
We’re looking for an associate to join SullivanLaw. This could be a great opportunity for a new lawyer interested private practice at a small litigation firm. Or, this may be of interest to a more experienced lawyer who wants the benefits of a small firm without the risks of sole proprietorship. What the ideal new
Special and extraordinary expenses for children “My ex-wife said our daughter had been accepted to a prestigious, but expensive, dance camp. So I gave her $3000 as half of the tuition – but now I’m almost positive my daughter never actually went to the camp. What should I do?” Special and extraordinary expenses are governed
It tends to be used in situations where one or more parties is angry over a transaction that has gone poorly: “I’ll take you to small claims court!” one or more parties announces, usually as a threat. But is Ontario Small Claims Court a good option in specific situations? What is Small Claims Court used
Fewer married couples, but more common-law ones Just came across this great infographic issued last fall by the Vanier Institute of the Family, based on recent census data. As a lawyer who practices family law, it was particularly interesting to me because while there’s been a decline in the percentage of married couples (from 93%
by Sarah G. Mizrahi, Associate How a child, and their parents, can keep gifted down-payments safe in a separation Let’s start by pointing out the obvious: New homebuyers are facing a very different kind of social and economic landscape when buying their home. The fact is, housing prices in many parts of Canada continue to
Don’t worry so much about that first meeting For most people, engaging a lawyer is a big deal – and not something they do every day. So not only are there concerns about the issue that has brought a person to a law office in the first place, but also concerns about things like costs,
From this week’s Lawyer’s Daily: The Ontario government has introduced an amendment to the province’s Family Law Act that would make all children with disabilities eligible for child support regardless of whether their parents were ever married. “Our government believes that everyone is entitled to the financial support they need regardless of the makeup of their family,”
“I had a marriage contract drawn up by my lawyer. My lawyer said my fiance needs to get independent legal advice before she signs it. What does that mean and entail?” First of all, your lawyer is right: Before your fiance signs a marriage contract or cohabitation agreement that has been prepared at your
Divorce proceedings can sometimes get ugly. “I’m in the midst of a messy divorce, and my soon-to-be ex is convinced I had an affair. He says he’s going to subpoena my personal emails to prove it. I’m not having an affair, but I don’t want him to have access to all my personal emails,
