There are two ways in which you may arrange for a consultation with us:

1. Call us at 613-695-4529 (GLAW) or 613-983-5756 to speak to us; or,
2. Email us at agerami@geramilaw.com or use the consultation form on the “Contact Us” page of our website to send us a message providing a brief description of why you need to arrange for a consultation with us.

A retainer is a fee that ensures we will keep time available for our client during the retainer period should the need arise.  Before we begin work on your behalf, we require full payment of the retainer, which will be placed in our trust account.  The retainer will serve as a source of payment for all or part of our account(s) when rendered. You will be asked to replenish the retainer from time to time and any unused portion will be returned to you upon the completion or termination of our services.

Our fee will be based on a number of factors including:

• The time and effort required and spent on the case;
• The complexity and importance of the case;
• Whether special skill or service is required and provided;
• The amount involved or the value of the subject matter.

We will keep records of all the time we have spent on your file, based on which we will prepare your accounts. We will discuss your fees at our initial meeting and answer any questions you may have concerning our fees and billing procedures. We will also point out any uncertainties involved in your case, to assist you in making an informed decision.

The Retainer Agreement is the contract between our firm and our client (s) and will set out the following:

• The matter involved;
• A description of our services;
• The scope of the services we will be providing;
• Any delegation of work that may take place;
• Our fee arrangement (hourly or block fee) and billing format; and
• Withdrawal or termination of legal services.

We accept the following methods of payment:

• PayPal (directly on our website)
• Interac (in person)
• Visa or Mastercard (in person or directly on our website)
• Personal cheque (can be mailed)
• Certified cheque (can be mailed)
• Money order (can be mailed)

Legal Aid Certificates for criminal cases: http://www.legalaid.on.ca/en/getting/type_criminal.asp

Lawyers owe the duty of confidentiality to all of their clients. This duty survives their professional relationship and continues indefinitely after the lawyer has ceased to act for the client. It is recognized that full and unreserved communication between the client and lawyer is required for the provision of effective legal services. As such, clients can feel completely secure and proceed on the basis that matters disclosed or discussed with their lawyer will be held in strict confidence, unless the client provides express or implied authorization or the lawyer is required by law to do otherwise.

A lawyer can withdraw from representation of a client for good cause and upon notice to the client where appropriate in the circumstances. Below are some the grounds which may justify withdrawal of a lawyer from the client-lawyer relationship:

• Where there is a serious loss of confidence between the lawyer and the client;
• Where the client refuses to accept and act upon the lawyer’s advice on a significant point;
• Where the client fails to provide funds on account of disbursement or fees.

However, lawyers are not to withdraw their services at a critical stage of a matter or at a time when withdrawal would put the client in a position of disadvantage or peril. Lawyers are also required to do their best to minimize the expense and avoid prejudice to the client and to facilitate the orderly transfer of the matter to another legal practitioner.

Lawyers have the duty to raise every issue, advance every argument and ask every question that they believe could potentially help their client’s case with candour, courtesy and fairness, and to seek every remedy and defence that is authorized by law for their client.

A lawyer who is acting as a mediator is required to ensure that the parties to the mediation understand:

• That the lawyer is not acting for either party but is assisting the parties to resolve the matters in issue;
• The lawyer is not providing legal advice, but giving legal information to the parties in the mediation process;
• A lawyer-mediator will suggest and encourage parties to seek advice of separate counsel before and during the mediation process, as well as concerning any contract that the lawyer-mediator may prepare during the mediation process;
• The communications pertaining to and arising out of the mediation process are not subject to the same confidentiality obligations as that between the lawyer and his client. However, such communications may be covered by some other common law privilege.