Filipiniana News -
March 2011
Rhyme and
Reason
For many if not all of us, there
would come a point in our lives when we, or a family member, will require the
services of a lawyer, paralegal or legal consultant (referred here as a “legal
advocate”). Justifiably or not, many
are apprehensive about working with legal advocates. This article is meant to
provide some guidance towards eliminating such apprehensions.
As in most everything else, achieving a
good and satisfying relationship with a legal advocate involves a two-way
process. If you are thinking of
consulting with or retaining a legal advocate’s services, here are a few tips
that could hopefully make the experience a positive one.
First of all, your choice of a legal
advocate should not be driven solely by financial considerations. That is, do not choose a legal advocate only
because he or she charges the lowest fees.
Conversely, the fact that a legal advocate charges the highest rate does
not necessarily translate into the best legal service. As clients, we need to understand that legal
advocates’ fees are driven by various considerations. These include, the legal advocate’s
specialization, the complexity of legal issues involved and estimated amount of
time it will take, the volume of cases or transactions already being handled,
the location and cost of overhead expenses, the potential risks and amount of
work involved, the client’s means and ability to pay, etc.. Depending on your particular situation, one
way to determine whether the cost is reasonable is to verify the scope or range
of services covered, the approximate cost of disbursements and the flexibility
of payment terms.
Although the cost is of course a
significant factor to consider, one also needs to weigh other equally important
factors such as communication lines, for instance. Are you comfortable with the fact that you
can only speak with the legal assistant or receptionist and would only see the
lawyer (if at all) when signing or commissioning documents? Does the legal advocate return calls within
a reasonable time? Are you able to
convey all relevant details to the legal advocate handling your case, in a
language with which you are fairly comfortable?
Another important factor is compatibility
with your personal values. Does the
legal advice involve ethical or moral
issues that you feel uncomfortable about or disagree with? You must always remember that a legal
advocate can only provide legal advice but cannot force you to do anything
against your will. If the legal advice
involves declaring untruths or intentionally misrepresenting facts, then you
should be very wary. The same is true
for all other types of advice that legal advocates provide. It is your life and legal situation that is
at stake. If you feel that the advice is
against your moral values or beliefs, then this is one clear sign that the
legal advocate is not the right one for you.
It is also important to ensure that the
legal advocate is a member in good standing with the relevant regulatory
body. This means, for example,
membership with the Law Society of Upper Canada (LSUC) for a lawyer or
paralegal in Ontario or with the Canadian Society of Immigration Consultants
(CSIC) for immigration consultants. These regulatory bodies have mechanisms in
place to allow wronged clients to file complaints against the legal
advocate. While the systems in place are
not perfect, they were meant to protect the public against unscrupulous
practices and unprofessional services.
To ensure that your matter is attended to
promptly, you have to provide all the required documentation and ensure that
you have disclosed all pertinent information.
If you are unsure which information is relevant to your legal matter,
never hesitate to ask. It is always
better to provide all relevant information earlier rather than disclose them at
a much later stage when it could potentially involve more time and money to
adjust the legal strategy or remedy being pursued. If you choose to obtain the services of a
lawyer, the principle of lawyer-client privilege is an added assurance that
client information is treated with utmost confidentiality.
Most importantly, treat your legal advocate
and their office staff with honesty, respect and candor. Although you are a client and are paying for
the legal services provided, this does not give you the license to make
unreasonable demands or to use their services to unjustifiably make life
difficult for others. The law is not
meant to be an instrument for revenge or as a shield for wrongdoing. Negative stereotypes about the law and
lawyers may say otherwise. But it is
about time that this bad reputation (whether justified or not) is changed.
However, it is not only up to the legal
advocates themselves to effect this change.
We must all do our part in ensuring that unethical practices or any
other type of wrongdoing is discouraged if not totally thwarted. After all, upholding truth, equity and
justice is everyone’s responsibility.
The author is an immigration lawyer in
the GTA and may be reached at deanna@santoslaw.ca.
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