We’re in the process of recruiting lawyers in various fields of law across the province, but we currently offer legal services in family law only.

A. Clients save a minimum of 25% on their lawyers’ fees when they retain a remote lawyer with The Law Portal and a minimum of 15% when they retain a local lawyer in their area. Additional discounts and payment plans may be available on a case-by-case basis, depending on your financial situation and legal needs.

Everyone knows that experienced lawyers charge high hourly rates, but many people don’t realize how expensive it is to be a lawyer. Lawyers who are self-employed tend to have high overhead expenses for their own office space, office equipment, and salaries for support staff – not to mention thousands of dollars each year for marketing, legal software, and accounting fees.

Lawyers who work at law firms are often required to provide 60% – 80% of their earnings to their firms. The partners of law firms generate huge profits, and a significant portion of those profits is used to pay for expensive office space, furniture and decor.

As a virtual law firm, we’re able to minimize our overhead expenses by eliminating unnecessary expenses and utilizing pay-per-use meeting rooms, boardrooms and other resources. Our lawyers can earn more while charging less, which enables our clients to save thousands of dollars in legal fees.

Our head office is located in downtown Vancouver, near the Robson Square Courthouse. We have support staff available on site who can receive mail or couriered documents and meet with clients. We also have access to boardrooms and meeting rooms in cities across British Columbia, including several locations in downtown Vancouver, Richmond, Surrey, Langley, Maple Ridge, Burnaby, Port Moody, Victoria, and Kelowna.

The courts have returned to in-person conferences, hearings, and trials, but lawyers and parties can still request to appear by telephone or Microsoft Teams. With the exception of trials, appearing by telephone for conferences and hearings was an option for parties and their lawyers long before COVID-19.

Most mediators still facilitate virtual mediation via Zoom, and many prefer it. It’s convenient and helpful for parties who live in different cities or don’t feel comfortable sitting in the same room together. Mediators can create “break out rooms” in the Zoom meeting, which allows both parties to privately talk with their lawyers while the mediator switches back and forth between the rooms. The legal industry has embraced remote work because it is convenient, increases access to justice, and saves time and money for everyone involved.

Our remote lawyers specialize in resolving files amicably, quickly, and cost-effectively. It is always preferable to avoid court in family law files because litigation tends to exponentially increase animosity and legal fees. However, there are times when your lawyer may recommend court because the other party is being difficult and unreasonable. If you’re embroiled in a high-conflict separation and you anticipate that court appearances are likely to be required, we will try our best to accommodate you with one of the following options:

OPTION 1: RETAIN A LOCAL LAWYER

We are in the process of recruiting lawyers across BC and we may have lawyers available in your area. Our remote lawyers offer a minimum discount of 25% and our local lawyers offer a minimum discount of 15%. If you would prefer to retain a lawyer near you, you can indicate your preference in your client intake form.

OPTION 2: PARTNERSHIP WITH A LOCAL LAWYER

This is the option we usually recommend to our clients because it enables you to maximize your cost savings potential with your remote lawyer’s 25%+ discount, and we can expand your legal team as required.

It’s common for various lawyers in law firms to work together on client files because each lawyer has his or her own particular skill sets and specializations.

Adding a co-counsel to your legal team provides you with the benefit of two lawyers: a litigator who you can count on to aggressively advocate for you in the courtroom; and a remote lawyer, who is generally more available and will support you at a significantly discounted rate.

We offer our lawyers the tools and resources they need to easily connect and work with each other on their files and we ensure that clients are never double billed.

OPTION 3: UNBUNDLED LEGAL SERVICES

When you retain a lawyer for unbundled legal services, your lawyer will assist you with some aspects of your case while you manage other aspects yourself. This is also referred to as a “limited scope retainer.” For example:

• Your remote lawyer may help you negotiate on your own behalf by reviewing the correspondence you receive and providing legal advice to you about what to say (and what not to say) when you respond. Although settlement offers are usually “without prejudice” and can’t be used against you in court, a bit of legal advice during negotiations can make a world of difference in your case.
• You can retain a remote lawyer to simply prepare or review documents, such as a separation agreement or court pleadings (i.e. applications, affidavits, and other court forms that are filed in the courts). Court procedure is often confusing and frustrating to laypeople, and we strongly recommend against preparing your own applications and affidavits without obtaining legal advice. Affidavits are sworn under oath under penalty of perjury, and can make or break your case. Our experienced lawyers can spot damaging or conflicting statements that could be misconstrued and used against you in court.
• Your remote lawyer can coach you through any aspect of your case, whether you’re representing yourself in a conference (such as a Family Management Conference or Judicial Case Conference), a Chambers hearing (a contested court application in which the parties rely on affidavits to present their case); mediation; arbitration; or a trial.

It may be challenging for your lawyer to fully prepare you to represent yourself in contested court applications or trials because we can’t always predict the questions that the judge will ask; what the other lawyer (or party) will argue; or what witnesses will say. This option is ideal for clients who are confident public speakers and feel capable of articulating their position. This option may be a financial necessity for clients who require legal guidance but cannot afford a lawyer, even after our discounts.

OPTION 4: REIMBURSEMENT OF TRAVEL EXPENSES

If you wish to receive your remote lawyer’s 25% discount but you also prefer for your remote lawyer to attend your court appearances or meetings in person, this may be a possibility if you are willing to compensate your lawyer for his or her reasonable travel and accommodation expenses. Your lawyer may have the option of staying with friends or family members at no cost to you, which would significantly reduce your lawyer’s reimbursable travel expenses.

You can also combine the three options above. For example, your remote lawyer could help you to attend a Judicial Case Conference on your own; then your lawyer could partner with a local lawyer to handle an interim application; and then he or she could travel to your jurisdiction to attend mediation, arbitration or trial.

OPTION 5: NO DISCOUNT

If we anticipate that court appearances and/or in-person meetings (such as mediation) will be required on your file and you aren’t happy with any of the options above, you may opt to pay your lawyer’s full hourly rate on your file. If your lawyer agrees to this arrangement, your lawyer will pay his or her own travel expenses, as required.

Please note that all of the above options are offered at the discretion of your lawyer. Please provide your preference in your client intake form and discuss these options with your lawyer so that we can ensure that you choose the most appropriate and financially advantageous option for you.

1. Legal fees add up quickly. A 25% discount can easily provide
   thousands of dollars in savings by the time your case is resolved.
2. One of the most common complaints from clients is that they feel
   like they’re in the dark about what’s happening with their case.
   The Law Portal provides access to a client portal, where you can
   easily communicate with your legal team, pay bills, schedule
   appointments, view your tasks, and understand your team’s next steps.
3. We ensure that clients receive prompt responses to their emails and phone calls. If you can’t get a hold of your lawyer for whatever reason, you can contact The Law Portal’s support team 24/7 at support@thelawportal.ca. You can also text us at 778-897-0813 or send us a message on WhatsApp at 250-812-5730.
4. Our remote lawyers are committed and motivated to resolving your file amicably and cost-effectively. Some lawyers enjoy battling in court and they encourage their clients to take unreasonable positions. Our lawyers care about our clients and understand how financially and emotionally draining it can be for our clients if they lose in court. In a family law trial, there are usually no winners. It’s common for both parties to feel dissatisfied with the result and the only people who benefit are the lawyers after their fees are paid. If your spouse is substantially successful in court, you may be required to pay a portion of your spouse’s legal fees in addition to your own. If you have children with your former spouse, a contentious hearing or trial may permanently damage your ability to amiably co-parent together. A good lawyer can help you win in court, but a great lawyer will help you achieve a fair result without ever stepping foot in a courtroom.
5. You won’t need to fight rush hour and search for parking when you meet with your remote lawyer. You can meet with your lawyer by phone or video conference from the comfort of your own home.
6. The Law Portal is selective about who we hire and work with. We have a stringent policies to ensure that all of our remote lawyers are skilled in their fields, reliable, diligent, compassionate, and in good standing with the Law Society of British Columbia.
7. We hold our members accountable for you. Upon your request, we’ll talk to your legal team about any complaints or concerns you may have. If we can’t resolve the issue, we’ll find a new legal team for you. Your file can easily be transferred to one of our other lawyers, and you won’t need to worry about your previous lawyer having access to your file.

Click on FORUM in the menu above to read answers to commonly asked questions and/or anonymously ask us your own questions. Our lawyers will provide you with helpful legal information , but please note that we are unable to provide legal advice through our Public Forum. Please ensure that you do not publicly share personal or confidential information about yourself or any third parties.

You may also wish to read the articles in our Blog page, which provide additional information about family law-related issues in British Columbia.

If you’d like to meet with one of our family lawyers, contact us whenever you’re ready to schedule a free 30-minute consultation.