An increasing number of clients choose St-Clair & Associates for our transparent billing policy.
This is what we believe in and what we stick by ::

:: 1. We do not compete to offer the lowest rate. ::

For a business model to function properly, we know very well that by attempting to display the lowest rates two things have to happen, either:

a) reducing the amount or quality of work – and results – provided, or
b) inflating the number of hours or items billed to compensate for the initial low rate.

We believe in an upfront approach where our rates are clearly indicated – and time entries are accurately documented - so that you have a better evaluation of costs.

The rates for our staff range from $120/hour for articling law students to $350/hour for senior attorneys, according to their specialization and level of experience. Unlike most firms, however, you do not have to negotiate your rate based on your income or capacity to pay; we set clear and transparent pricing ahead of time to ensure fairness. If you have a budget you would like to maintain for legal fees, we can indicate the steps you can perform on the file without having to sacrifice for a lower quality of service from certain "economical" firms.

:
: 2. More can be less, and less can be more. ::

With St-Clair & Associates, you benefit from a team of lawyers with a pool of expertise and resources.  Although a lawyer in sole practice can sometimes announce a lower hourly rate, our level of expertise and efficiency often means a lower final bill.  For example, we do not re-invent the wheel to draft proceedings for you; in most cases, we already have templates and sample proceedings to jump start document creation.  We also assign our internal support staff to do non-technical tasks when possible to reduce your costs and to allow your lawyer to focus on what’s most important – properly managing your case.  We believe you shouldn’t be paying a lawyer’s hourly rate for photocopying and simple tasks.

.

:: 3. “The devil is in the details.” ::

We believe in an open approach to our billing.  You deserve to know what tasks have been performed on your file, and we ensure that by providing itemized and detailed time entries that allow you to verify if there are any inaccuracies.  We hope that someday more firms will adopt this practice to improve the image of the profession.

:: 4. Do you know the risks of "free" consultations? ::

We are aware that many smaller firms and independent lawyers offer a free initial consultation.  We have tried that route, and discovered our lawyers were not providing the best for their clients since there was always a pressure to “close a deal” or create additional work in order to recoup the cost of the “free” consultation.  We truly believe that you benefit most when your lawyer can give you impartial legal advice – in your best interest – and not simply a legal opinion with the goal to generate more work. 

Like a reputable mechanic that tells you upfront what to address and what does not need replacing, a paid consultation encourages your lawyer to provide you with a full and true legal opinion of your best recourses.  And just as important, we don’t end up recouping the costs of “free consultations” from our existing clients; we focus on the work assigned.  We truly believe that this system benefits all clients in the long run.