Legal Fees

Legal fees are the main reason why many people avoid seeing a lawyer. For employment matters, most individuals are comfortable starting out by discreetly conducting their own research online. A few people will go a step further and call the Labour Board for advice. Almost everyone seeks out a lawyer as a last resort. The issue? Legal fees.
Unlike many employment law firms in Toronto, Lecker & Associates represents employees. This has been our specialty for over 40 years. We regularly publish blogs about matters that impact employees. In many cases, this information will help you understand your rights. But awareness alone will not help you resolve your concerns directly and effectively with your employer. In some cases, you will require experienced legal representation.
We are happy to have a frank and opendiscussion about our legal fees.
Hourly Fees: No Clear Total
Usually, lawyers charge their clients an hourly fee for their services. The fee depends on the “vintage” of the person you see. A seasoned lawyer with many years of practice and expertise will charge a higher fee than a junior intern.
If you have never retained a lawyer before, then you will be unfamiliar with the value of these legal fees. You will likely be terrified to pay a large deposit at the beginning of the process. As your case proceeds through the courts, you might get frustrated with not knowing how high the fees will climb and the sticker shock that comes at the end can leave you with a bad taste in your mouth, even if the legal outcome is a positive one.
That is why we avoid this approach as much as possible.

A Fair Approach to Legal Fees
At Lecker & Associates, we believe that legal consumers should have full disclosure of the value of the services we provide. If you require a legal opinion about your employment contract or severance package, or if you require guidance on how to manage difficult workplace situations like harassment, requesting accommodation, or taking sick leave, contact us for an appointment. It usually takes an hour and you may ask us about our fees when you call to book the time.
If you believe you require legal representation, we normally do not charge for an initial assessment of your case. This begins with a no-charge telephone interview which is conducted by a trained staff member. If you have a case, we will invite you to meet with one of our employment lawyers for legal advice and next steps. You may inquire about the applicable fees before we book the appointment.

Recovery Fee
For a vast majority of our cases, we do not require an up-front retainer. Examples include include wrongful dismissal cases, negotiating severance packages or settling a disability claim. We recover our costs by charging you a percentage of the settlement we secure for your case.
Once you engage our services, our relationship will begin with a Service Commitment Letter. It will outline all the services we will provide, along with the corresponding fee.
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The Fast Track
Our experienced lawyers will review your case to expedite it as efficiently as possible. Some cases lend themselves well for fast-tracked resolution through a procedure called Summary Judgement.
Decades ago, we spearheaded this procedure, paving the way for systemic reforms and efficiencies. We are now old hands at it and can advise if your case is suited for fast tracking in this way.
If so, this process offers a swift and cost-effective method for seeking resolution and you should not fear your employers’ vast resources to endure expensive legal battles. In fact, the very mention of summary judgement will spur some employers to settle cases faster.
About Summary JudgementTestimonials from Employees Like You
Breathe Easy, We’ve Got This
Book a no-charge telephone interview with our trained intake staff. If you have an urgent matter, please call our Ontario employment law firm at 416-223-5391 or message us via the chat button (bottom right), and our team will contact you as soon as possible.

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