| Contingency fee is a fee for lawyer’s services that | | | | agreement and it will be definitely presented as |
| is paid only if there is a successful or favorable result | | | | evidence of your intentions about fees during the court |
| of the lawsuit. Usually contingency fees are taken as a | | | | procedures. During some cases the contingency fee |
| percentage of the client's recovery sum, mostly from | | | | will cost you more than a possible monthly fee, so be |
| 20% to 45%. In Canada contingency fees are legal | | | | sure to get some additional consultations before you |
| only in some provinces (Alberta, British Columbia | | | | choose the type of fees. And the final disadvantage is |
| (except for family law cases involving child custody or | | | | disbursements. These are the extra expenses |
| access), Ontario and Quebec among others). In other | | | | required in prosecuting a lawsuit, like obtaining copies of |
| provinces, an attorney may collect a percentage of | | | | doctors' records and hospital charts, obtaining expert |
| recovery if the case was successful, but still needs to | | | | witness fees, court filing fees and transcript costs for |
| charge an hourly fee. | | | | example. The side that will cover the disbursements is |
| Contingency fee agreement is usually depending upon | | | | specified in the initial agreement and very often though |
| various factors related to the case like the nature and | | | | no legal fees are paid, the client remains responsible to |
| complexity of the matter, risks involved in the case, the | | | | reimburse the lawyer for the disbursements incurred |
| cost in pursuing the matter, and the likelihood of a | | | | by the lawyer. |
| successful court verdict. This type of fee us very | | | | The agreement can be terminated from any of the |
| useful for situations when the client has little income or | | | | sides. In most of the provinces if the client terminates |
| no income at all, like in serious injury claims or wrongful | | | | the agreement the fees will be based on hourly rates |
| dismissal claims. It is a good solution for people who | | | | for all work done before the termination, but the fees |
| are sure that they will win the case, but don’t have | | | | will be payable only upon the successful conclusion of |
| enough money to fund the claim in court. Also cases | | | | the case. If the lawyer terminates the agreement |
| related to accidents and insurance usually have | | | | without any cause, he or she receives no fee. So as |
| lawyers working on a contingency fee basis. | | | | you see contingency fee is a useful thing for certain |
| While the contingency fee main advantage is that you | | | | types of cases, but before you hire a lawyer on a |
| don’t have to pay large monthly bills from your | | | | contingency fee basis you should check the rules in |
| lawyer during all the court procedures, there are a | | | | your province in this regard. And remember if a |
| number of disadvantages too. The first is the fact of | | | | professional lawyer agrees to work on your case on |
| signing itself. The court will be informed about this | | | | a contingency fee basis, it is the first sign of success. |