Getting Started
At Lyon Family Law, we assess both your particular legal issues, and your process options, so that we can help you achieve the most favourable outcome while taking the best path to get there.
We Provide Two Options to Set Up a Consultation
Option 1. Log-in and fill out all the information in our Separation Road Map
Not only does this help you feel more prepared to engage with a lawyer, but it will also give you an introduction to the sorts of issues we’ll be discussing with you directly.
The system will enable you to organize your thoughts and provide your background information, which in turn will enable us to hit the ground running with you when we meet, ultimately saving you time and allowing more time for your questions to be answered during the initial consult.
Option 2. Call and Book a Consultation
You are also free to call and book your initial consultation. When you call us, one of our very capable and knowledgeable assistants, Venassa, Tracy or Jaclyn, will take a brief background of your situation and schedule a convenient time for you to come in and meet with one of our lawyers.
We do not, as a rule, have much of a delay between the first call and the initial interview.
This first meeting with your lawyer is one of the most important. It will set the tone for and establish a healthy lawyer-client partnership which will be invaluable as your file progresses. This meeting usually lasts between 1-2 hours.
What You Should Consider Bringing
If you have received a letter from another lawyer, or if you have been served with court papers (“Application”, “Motion to Change” – as examples), then you should bring these documents with you. If you already have a Separation Agreement or a Court Order in place then you should bring those documents in as well. Otherwise, you do not need to bring anything with you aside from perhaps a list of questions you have.
You may also wish to bring with you a family member or friend. That is entirely up to you. Please note however that what you tell your lawyer must be kept in the strictest of confidence by the lawyer and is privileged so no one can find out what you have told your lawyer (unless you tell your lawyer that you are about to commit a crime). That same privilege does not apply to anyone who sits in on the meeting.
We will also need to see a piece of valid, government-issued identification, i.e., Driver’s Licence, Passport, Birth Certificate, etc. This is a requirement of the Law Society of Upper Canada.
Our Initial Consultation Policy
Your initial meeting with this firm is just that – an initial meeting. It does not mean that we have been hired to represent you with respect to your particular matter. The initial consultation is the starting ground to determine whether this firm is best suited to represent you based on the facts in your particular case.
As such, we offer a block fee at a discounted rate for the initial consultation. This will allow us to take a short history from you before we get into the specifics of your matter. When you call to book your appointment, Jaclyn or Tracy will gladly advise you of our various rates.
We require payment for the Initial Consultation at the time you come in for your appointment. We are happy to provide you with the following payment options:
a) Cash (we will provide a receipt to you);
b) VISA;
c) MasterCard;
d) Debit;
e) Bank Draft; or
f) Money Order.
Thanks for taking the time to review these materials and we look forward to meeting with you.
