How do I prepare for my meeting with a lawyer or paralegal?
Find a lawyer or paralegal that will take your case and that you're comfortable with.
Make an appointment with the lawyer or paralegal to talk about your legal problem in more detail. Ask if there will be a charge for the appointment. Some lawyers and paralegals don't charge for the first meeting. You might decide to have the first meeting in person, over the phone, or by videoconference.
At the appointment, ask the lawyer or paralegal questions about their practice or firm. Ask if they have experience with similar cases, and what they think are the strengths and weaknesses of your case. Ask what your options are to deal with your legal problem.
After your first meeting with the lawyer or paralegal, you can decide if you want to hire them.
Unbundled services
Some lawyers offer unbundled services or “limited scope ” services. This means you pay them to help you with part of your case. For example, instead of hiring a lawyer or paralegal for your whole case, you can hire them for one or more of the following:
- summary advice to learn about your legal options
- preparing documents like a court , tribunal application, or a demand letter
- appearances like a court , tribunal hearing, board hearing, or mediation
- coaching on the court or tribunal process or how to submit evidence
Unbundled services can be useful if:
- you can't afford to hire a lawyer or paralegal to help with your whole legal problem
- you hired a lawyer or paralegal to help with your problem, but you need to save money
Some lawyers and paralegals have websites that say if they offer unbundled services. Other lawyers and paralegals might not say that they offer unbundled services but, if you ask them, they might be willing to offer it to you.
There are directories of lawyers and paralegals that offer unbundled services on The National Self-Represented Litigants Project website and on Ontario’s Family Law Limited Scope Services Project website.
Language rights
You usually have the right to government services and legal proceedings in French, including hearings before French-speaking decision-makers. If you choose to have your or hearing in French, it's important to hire a lawyer or paralegal who speaks French. Ask the lawyer or paralegal about your French language rights.
If you need a translator in another language at your trial or hearing, your lawyer or paralegal can help arrange this.
