Hire Criminal Lawyer in Ontario

Hiring the right criminal lawyer to work on your case is essential. Regardless of whether you’re looking to prove your innocence or have the best possible outcome for your sentencing, you need to work with a skilled lawyer who knows their way around criminal law. However, it can be difficult to estimate how much you’re required to pay for the services of a skilled lawyer if you have never needed to use a legal professional in this capacity before.

There are a number of variables to the way that criminal lawyers tend to bill for their time, and you might decide to prioritize looking for lawyers who can handle your case in a way that you can afford. Remember to consider that various factors can add to the expense of your case as it progresses – what can seem like an affordable option at first can escalate to one that you cannot afford over time.

Flat/Block Legal Fees Vs Hourly Legal Fees

Hourly fees for this kind of defence can vary greatly. The experience and seniority of the lawyer that you are working with will also influence their hourly fees. You will want to work with an experienced and skilled lawyer for this kind of case, but you might need to be realistic about how much you can afford to pay per hour of work on your case.

The Law Society of Ontario has set out a governing fee schedule that does not have to be followed by lawyers, but that is often used as a baseline for the fees that are charged per hour by these professionals. Using this schedule, a senior counsel can charge as much as $350 an hour. Meanwhile, you might pay less than $100 for a junior lawyer or someone who has recently opened up their practice in this space.

Block fees are a solution that many lawyers are turning to in the Ontario area to help clients cover the costs of the legal team that is supporting them through their trial and case processes. These structured fees provide a set base charge for certain kinds of cases and representation, with additional blocks that can be added if the need for specialty services crops up as the case progresses. This is a more transparent billing process for everyone involved, and it helps people seeking representation to be sure that they can afford the lawyer that is taking their case.

Factors That Influence the Costs of Your Block Fee Defence

Case complexity

Simple cases are much easier to defend than cases that involve violence or a very serious crime related to drugs and alcohol, or even murder. You should expect the complexity of your case to add to the chargeable hours that your lawyer needs to be compensated for. When there is a need to bring in expert witnesses, expert testimony, and to collect information from a protracted investigation, these charges can also be added to your tab.

As a rule of thumb, complex cases will almost always go to trial, and this can multiply the cost of your case exponentially. You will need to ask about the cost of your lawyer’s time working on a case that goes to court before you agree to work with the lawyer that you have been chatting with.

Jurisdiction

The jurisdiction that your case needs to be tried in can impact the block fees that you are charged. If you have to pay for travel outside of the office’s local area, this can add to your block fees. Mileage, travel, flights, and more can be covered in a block fee with ease, but they will add quite a bit of cost to your representation needs. You might want to ask your lawyer about this block fee add-on if you think that you will need representation that is going to require travel to be charged to your bill.

Mode of Trial

This is one of the key factors that can cause an increase in your block fees. Your lawyer can advise you about the different costs for trials that have to be heard by the Ontario Court of Justice versus those that will not require a jury or a superior court appearance. The amount of time and effort that goes into cases appearing before the highest court is significant, and the timeframes that can be required to finalize these trials can be quite lengthy as well. Longer trials will be more expensive, and your lawyer cannot promise you that they can predict the length of a trial for more serious charges.

The Seniority of the Lawyer You Hire

High-quality, experienced lawyers charge for their experience in their field. This means that you can expect to pay more for an experienced lawyer than you would for a new associate or someone that has just set up a practice. This factor still applies to block fees, so you will want to be sure that you look at the seniority of your attorney carefully from the standpoint of affordability. Experience is worth it if you have a complex case that involves serious charges, but you do have to be practical about the cost of this representation.

The Average Cost for Criminal Defence in Ontario

The average cost of a criminal lawyer in Ontario is anywhere from $1,500 to $10,000. Cases that must go to trial before a jury can cost twice this much or more. You will need to speak with your lawyer about their fees if you believe that you cannot afford them. It is critical that you find a lawyer that you can afford to have to represent your case.

Working with a skilled lawyer is critical, but being able to afford your lawyer is just as important. At Vilkhov Law, we can help you to understand the cost of your case and make a plan that will work for your budget and the nature of your legal needs. Contact us today for a consultation to see how we can help you with your criminal case.

By |2022-06-21T16:58:16+00:00June 30th, 2022|Criminal Defence|
Criminal Lawyers Association
Toronnto Lawyers Association
Law Society of Ontario
Criminal Lawyers Association
Toronnto Lawyers Association
Law Society of Ontario

TESTIMONIALS

Thanks Igor for all your help throughout my criminal process. I have never been charged before and I think Igor really helped ease my nerves through the entire process. When I was initially charged I called a couple of other firms but I ended up retaining Igor because when we spoke on the phone he spent a lot of time to explain what I was charged with and what it all means, I felt the most comfortable when talking to him. As my case progressed, he really took the time to explain my options and the probability of each one, so I really appreciated that and I felt less confused with all the various legal proceedings.
My son was charged with DUI and I hired Igor to represent his matter. Overall, my experience with Igor was great and my son felt really comfortable working with Igor as well. As a parent, I was really concerned about the entire process and even though my son is considered an adult, I was extremely involved the entire time. I really liked that Igor respected my concerns as a worried parent and always ensured any meetings or conversations were held with me present as much as possible, if I wasn’t available to attend a meeting and only him and my son were able to meet, Igor would reach out to update me. I would most definitely recommend Igor to others.
He is caring, honest, and highly knowledgeable in his field. I was charged with domestic assault a few months ago, I was initially with another lawyer but got fed up with the unresponsiveness (didn’t answer my calls or emails), I decided to look for someone else. Igor came highly recommended from a friend and I’m glad I went with him. He knows his stuff and fought hard for my case. Compared to other lawyers I’ve dealt with, day and night.
I cannot recommend Igor Vilkhov enough. I was charged with possession and trafficking, I was going through a tough time in my life at the time and I am glad I was able to find a lawyer who is genuinely passionate about what he does. I was kept consistently updated throughout the entire process and I couldn’t believe the positive outcome. While reviewing my case, he located a significant error on the part of the police. I can honestly say that his work is meticulous and his ability to negotiate is something else. If you are looking for a quality criminal defence lawyer, I can’t say enough good things about Igor.

TESTIMONIALS

Thanks Igor for all your help throughout my criminal process. I have never been charged before and I think Igor really helped ease my nerves through the entire process. When I was initially charged I called a couple of other firms but I ended up retaining Igor because when we spoke on the phone he spent a lot of time to explain what I was charged with and what it all means, I felt the most comfortable when talking to him. As my case progressed, he really took the time to explain my options and the probability of each one, so I really appreciated that and I felt less confused with all the various legal proceedings.
My son was charged with DUI and I hired Igor to represent his matter. Overall, my experience with Igor was great and my son felt really comfortable working with Igor as well. As a parent, I was really concerned about the entire process and even though my son is considered an adult, I was extremely involved the entire time. I really liked that Igor respected my concerns as a worried parent and always ensured any meetings or conversations were held with me present as much as possible, if I wasn’t available to attend a meeting and only him and my son were able to meet, Igor would reach out to update me. I would most definitely recommend Igor to others.
He is caring, honest, and highly knowledgeable in his field. I was charged with domestic assault a few months ago, I was initially with another lawyer but got fed up with the unresponsiveness (didn’t answer my calls or emails), I decided to look for someone else. Igor came highly recommended from a friend and I’m glad I went with him. He knows his stuff and fought hard for my case. Compared to other lawyers I’ve dealt with, day and night.
I cannot recommend Igor Vilkhov enough. I was charged with possession and trafficking, I was going through a tough time in my life at the time and I am glad I was able to find a lawyer who is genuinely passionate about what he does. I was kept consistently updated throughout the entire process and I couldn’t believe the positive outcome. While reviewing my case, he located a significant error on the part of the police. I can honestly say that his work is meticulous and his ability to negotiate is something else. If you are looking for a quality criminal defence lawyer, I can’t say enough good things about Igor.

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