This question comes up all the time, naturally. The truth is that it’s too early to say anything either way before we have a chance to go through a proper consultation. Every case is different, and the facts are different. Even two cases that are similar may have different outcomes depending on the circumstances.

What we can tell you is that once we are able to review your matter, and you have retained our services, we can always advise you of your options and your prospects for each of your choices. What you choose to do with that information is your decision; we are here to advocate and be your guide.

Our office only practices matters that remain outside of court. The truth is that even in litigation, most matters do not go to trial – roughly 99% of all cases settle before seeing the inside of a courtroom. We do not handle a lot of litigation, but are always happy to refer you to a colleague if that is necessary. Remember though that even if you do file a claim (start a lawsuit), negotiation will likely continue throughout the process, so court is rarely necessary.

The short answer is that we honestly don’t know. There are so many moving pieces in each area of law that while we can give you some ballparks based on your case, exact timelines are impossible to predict. However, we can promise you two things:

The first is that we won’t forget about you. We’ll stay in contact as much as you need, and you can always reach us for an update on your matter. The other promise is that you can be a tremendous help in making things move faster. Responding to emails quickly, sending documents over in a timely fashion, and coming to meetings prepared with questions is going to help make sure that we’re moving as quickly as possible to help resolve your matter.

Our primary office is located in Campbell River, and we have remote offices all across Vancouver Island. However, thanks to the magic of the internet, we are able to provide remote legal services all across the province.

Yes, we do! For Wills and Estate Planning, we will meet with you via phone or zoom to obtain your instructions. Once the documents are drafted we will set up another call to review them with you. Finally, once you are happy with the documents, we will set up a third appointment via zoom to take your signature. We can take your signature for your Power of Attorney and Representation Agreement remotely. Wills must be executed in person in front of two witnesses over the age of 19 who are not a beneficiary of your estate.

For other matters, we can meet with you via phone or zoom to obtain your instructions and communicate via email for any additional information that is needed. Most documents can be signed remotely, in person by two witnesses over the age of 19 or if they need to be notarized we will assist you in arranging a signing appointment with someone in your area and having the original signed document mailed to our office.

Unfortunately, we do not handle criminal matters, so this is outside of our scope of expertise. If you are an existing client and you have been charged with an offence, we would be happy to provide you with names of colleagues who may be able to assist.

Unfortunately, we are not able to offer free consultations at this time, as we simply cannot give proper legal advice without taking the time to learn more about your issue. When you contact our office, we will be glad to explain our consultation process and fee structure.

While every case is different, it is important that we have all of the relevant documentation available so that we can review everything. If you do not have key documents available for your initial consultation, we will tell you what is missing and what we would need to move ahead with your file.

Our initial consultation is approximately one hour. No, we do not solve your problems with a magic wand in that hour. We spend that hour listening, asking questions, and assessing the situation to get a better idea of how we can help. If you choose to hire us after that, we take you through a formal retainer process and then become your lawyers.

We take e-transfer, credit cards, cheques, or cash.

Katie Sutherland is the lead lawyer of KNS Law and handles the primary legal responsibilities. Her paralegal, Breanna Fear, is a licensed paralegal who may be assisting with portions of your matter as well. Should we need to bring in anyone additional, such as your accountant or another financial professional, we will have you sign an authorization that allows us to communicate and share information with them.