Consultation and Fees
Take back control by knowing your rights
When you book a consultation, you can review your situation, understand your rights and have all your questions answered. Peace of mind is a phone call away. Learn everything you need to know about the consultation process and how our fees work.
consultation cost? Will I owe fees if my case is not successful?
What is a legal consultation and what will it cover?
A legal consultation is a meeting that takes place between you and an employment lawyer to learn about your situation and listen to what is happening to you.
A legal consultation with Whitten & Lublin employment lawyers is specifically designed to:
- provide you with specific and clear legal advice in a manner that you can understand
- devise a clear strategy to assist you and remedy the harm that you face
- explain the costs, risks, timeline, and options for proceeding with your matter beyond the first meeting
Prior to the consultation, you will provide your documentation for your lawyer to review and prepare for your consultation.
What should I provide prior to my consultation?
Before your consultation, you should send any documentation you have so your lawyer can review them in advance. The specific items needed vary depending on the type of case. They can include, but are not limited to:
- your employment contract or an offer letter
- any document that you were given or asked to sign stating the term of your employment
- copies of important emails
- any disciplinary letter that you received
- any document that you feel is important to your case
- a 1–2-page summary of relevant events and any questions you may have
How long does a consultation usually last?
It will take approximately 1 to 1 ½ hours, which includes the lawyer’s preparation time. The consultation could be longer or shorter depending on the individual’s circumstances. During this time, you will discuss your unique situation and get answers to all your questions.
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When should you consider booking a consultation?
You should book a consultation any time you are facing a workplace situation or potential dispute. More specifically, you need to speak to an employment lawyer if you are facing any of the following situations:
- You have been dismissed and given a severance package.
- You were terminated and not provided with any notice or compensation.
- You think you may be terminated in the near future.
- Your job or pay was fundamentally changed and you do not agree to those changes.
- You are experiencing harassment or bullying at work from a boss or from another employee.
- You are being discriminated against.
- There are restrictions on your post-employment activities.
- You have received an employment contract.
- You are asked to sign a contract as a consultant.
- You are a non-unionized employee and have been temporarily laid off.
How much does a consultation cost?
We have a range of consultation fees based on the seniority and experience of the lawyer, ranging from associates, partners, and senior partners. It is a fixed dollar amount that covers the time your lawyer uses to review all your documents to understand your situation, prepare for your consultation and the time of your consultation, where the lawyer will answer all your questions and advise you on your entitlements and options specific to your situation.
Will I owe fees if my case is not successful?
Yes, you will owe the consultation fee, because the consultation is a fixed dollar amount that covers your lawyer’s time to review your documents, prepare for the meeting, and meet with you.
If you decide to retain us after that, the fee arrangement depends on the option your lawyer provides. Some arrangements involve deferred payment or contingency components. The right fee structure arrangement depends on your situation.
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How much will it cost to retain an employment lawyer?
Good quality lawyers deserve their reputations just as they deserve to be paid for their work. The lawyers at Whitten & Lublin are no different in this respect. However, we also understand that after a termination or job loss, your finances can be seriously affected, in some cases making it difficult if not impossible to pay for the bulk of your claim up front.
As a result, we have various written fee options and arrangements with our clients that are designed to make practical sense of their particular situation. These include:
- deferred payment plans
- hybrid fee arrangements
- flat rate quotes
- contingency agreements
- hourly rate agreements
Are there additional costs beyond legal fees?
There can be. Legal fees are one part of the picture, and some matters also involve out-of-pocket expenses, depending on how the case proceeds. Our employment lawyers will discuss these up front during your consultation, along with your payment options, and give you an opinion on potential costs from beginning to end based on your case.
What happens if my case settles early?
If an early settlement is a possibility, we will explain the pros and cons of the settlement offer and will also provide details of the fees you will or have incurred. We will also advise you on what further steps in your case may incur in additional fees before you are asked to decide whether to accept the offer.
Why should you hire the employment lawyers at Whitten & Lublin to represent you?
At Whitten & Lublin we promise to provide you with the following:
- lawyers who exclusively practise employment law – it’s all we do, making us highly proficient in this area of law
- a firm with extensive experience from handling thousands of similar cases
- lawyers and staff who are passionate about their work and truly care about your needs
- lawyers who are personally recommended by both industry peers and past clients, based on the great results they achieve
- lawyers and staff that are available during regular business hours and who are committed to returning your telephone calls and emails in a timely fashion
- specialized intake staff, available to discuss your potential case from 8:30a.m. until 5:30p.m.
When it comes to our legal fees, we commit to:
- discussing fee options/arrangements with you up front
- providing you with an opinion, based on the merits of your case, on the potential costs of following it through from beginning to end
- having an open and transparent discussion about our fee structures that will in almost all cases be confirmed in writing
- providing an explanation of the pros and cons of any settlement offer, along with details of the fees you will or have incurred (and any contribution towards fees), prior to being asked to decide about the offer
- advising on how to structure the legal fees and any potential settlement in the most tax-advantageous manner
Your employment
is our specialty
In need of legal advice? We are committed to treating your case with the care, dedication, and compassion that you deserve. Contact our employment and labour lawyers today to learn how we can help you understand and resolve your workplace legal matter.
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