RHYME & REASON

As in most everything else, achieving a good and satisfying relationship involves a two-way process.   The same applies in choosing and eventually working with a lawyer or legal consultant.  If you are thinking of consulting with or retaining a lawyer’s services, here are a few tips that could hopefully make the experience a positive one.  Since I obviously cannot speak for all lawyers or legal consultants, the suggestions below are mainly based on my own limited experience. First of all, your choice of a lawyer or consultant should not be driven solely by financial considerations.   That is, do not choose a lawyer   or consultant solely because he or she charges the lowest fees.   Conversely, the fact that a lawyer or consultant charges the highest rate does not necessarily translate into the best   services.   As clients, we need to understand that lawyers’ or consultants’ fees are driven by various considerations.   These include, the lawyer’s or consultant’s specialization, t

Canada’s immigration law underwent a major overhaul five years ago when a new Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA) was enacted in June 2002.   Consequently, the first set of permanent resident cards were issued a few months later, which means that their validity period of five years had just or will soon expire this year, 2007.   This then led to a number of issues arising among permanent residents who may have left the country after landing as permanent residents in Canada and who have failed to meet the permanent residency requirement of 730 days within the last five years.    Under IRPA, the residency obligation may be satisfied in any of the following ways: 1.       physical presence in Canada; 2.       if outside Canada accompanying a Canadian citizen spouse or common-law partner or a is a child accompanying a parent 3.       if outside Canada and employed full-time by a Canadian   business or in the public service of Canada or a province 4.       if an acco