Firm: Cates Ford Soll & Epp
Profession: Lawyer
Phone: 250-372-1234
Website: https://cfselaw.ca
Email: swalter@cfselaw.ca
Address: #300 – 272 Victoria St., Kamloops BC V2C 2A2
Primary Practice Location: Kamloops
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Fee Arrangements:
· Flat fee
· Flat fee with conditions
· Hourly rate
Remote Services:
· Phone
Languages: English
Types of Unbundled Services Offered:
· Initial consultation
· Providing a legal opinion
· Drafting pleadings or other documents
· Reviewing/organizing/listing documents
· Drafting contracts / agreements
· Coaching
· Negotiating
· Providing legal advice before, during or after mediation
· Representing a client at mediation
· Providing independent legal advice on an agreement or MOU coming out of mediation
· Advising on courtroom procedures, behaviours
· Advising on rules of evidence
· Preparing exhibits
· Preparing submissions or briefs
· Making a one-time court appearance
· Collaborative law services
· Drafting agreement coming out of mediation
Approach to Providing Unbundled Legal Services:
The reality of Family Law practice in BC is that most cases do not go to trial; the parties ride out an initial period of high conflict and emotion, which stabilizes into an equilibrium where parties are willing to settle and move on with their lives. I provide unbundled legal services based on the reality that lawyers are likely most needed when parties want to settle - not when the parties are wanting to prepare for a trial that is unlikely to happen.
I provide services on retainer at my hourly rate, but can make myself available for email, telephone, or in-person consults on a monthly, flat-fee basis. I am happy to be available to parties with a:
1. Full or Limited Retainer in place, with my time spent only on what the client instructs;
2. A monthly payment plan, where the client is able to pay a monthly amount in their budget that covers the cost of some legal coaching and incidental ad-hoc legal advice by email, telephone, or in-person.
3. Block Fee Payments for discrete tasks, such as independent legal advice, Cohabitation/Marriage/Separation Agreement Drafting, preparing legal arguments, or case law research.
As a young lawyer, I am willing to customize the nature of my solicitor-client relationship to what clients most need and what they are able to pay for.
Mediation: I have taken family mediation training and I have conducted as a mediator 5 or fewer family mediations in the last five years. I have acted as counsel in more than 30 family mediations in the last five years.
Approach to Supporting Clients in Mediation:
Clients in mediation often require the assistance of counsel to manage the emotions that can surface when confronted with the opposing views of their former partner. As a lawyer, I always encourage clients to make use of free resources, like the Family Justice Center, to explore mediation options. I encourage this even when the parties are also moving through the court system. I believe that clients should be given the power to run their mediations with some lawyer support, as clients usually understand their own facts and circumstances better than a lawyer. For those wanting unbundled services, the cost of preparing a lawyer to know all the facts of your case and also attend the mediation can be as expensive as the court process, without the certainty of reaching a settlement. Where client's take on the role of knowledge, and lawyers attend to keep the peace and manage emotions, the parties have the benefit of independent legal advice in the negotiation room, with the reduced cost of having the lawyer play a secondary, collaborative, and supportive role.
Cultural Diversity Experience: