Contingency Fees

What is a contingency fee?

Contingency fee arrangements permit people with limited resources to pursue their legal remedies. However, because we are assuming some of the risks associated with your case, the fees will reflect this.

With a contingency fee, whether or not fees are paid and how much is paid is 'contingent' on the result. Simply put, if nothing is recovered, you will not have to pay any legal fees - in certain cases, you may be required to pay disbursements*. However, if and when funds are recovered, our fees will be paid as a percentage of the amount recovered - in some cases, we may charge our regular fees plus a premium.

The percentage charged depends on a number of variables: the type of claim, the risk of whether there will be success, the potential recovery available and when recovery might occur. In the event we feel your case is an appropriate one for a contingency fee arrangement, your lawyer will discuss the terms with you.

When are contingency fees used?

Contingency fees are used in civil litigation cases. They are not available for criminal or family law cases. The types of cases in which we will consider a contingency fee arrangement are: employment law, personal injury and wrongful death, medical and professional malpractice, commercial and contractual disputes and class actions.

* Note: As your file progresses, we incur disbursements (out of pocket expenses) on your behalf. These can include registration or filing fees, fees for experts' reports, photocopying charges, long-distance telephone charges, special postage or courier fees, parking, and transportation costs.