Access to justice
Having worked at student-run legal aid clinic while in law school and on countless Legal Aid files, Nadia is aware that Legal Aid Ontario’s eligibility requirements are vastly limiting to the general population of litigants who need legal representation. Meanwhile, the majority of private legal fees remain out-of-reach for hardworking Canadians.
As a free market advocate, Nadia values price transparency in all the industries she participates in. Her clients should always be offered a clear idea upfront regarding how much it will cost to hire her.
Retain Nadia
There are three ways to retain Nadia:
Nadia accepts most Legal Aid Ontario certificates in the GTA region. Legal aid-assisted clients can be rest assured that they will receive the same high quality of legal representation as all Nadia's other clients.
For those who are not eligible for assistance from Legal Aid Ontario and wish to retain Nadia privately, depending on the nature of your retainer, you can pay hourly fees or block fees.
Hourly rates are the only payment option available if you are looking to retain me for unconventional advocacy, where it will be difficult to predict from the outset the type of representation that will be required to achieve your legal objectives, the length of time it will take conduct the work, and the individualized legal strategies that will be needed to achieve the results you seek. Nadia offers accessible hourly rates for her new clients beginning at the rate of $200 per hour (plus HST).
Block fees are the available option for most retainers for representation in court on criminal charges. The amounts will be highly dependent on the type of retainer and what type of services are covered under each retainer agreement will need to be determined on a case-by-case basis.
As a passionate advocate who is determined to use the privilege of her law degree for advancing justice in society, Nadia will accept cases on a pro bono basis to indigent accused if she determines there is a public interest rationale for donating her time and expertise to the case. Examples of this can include:
- Cases that could contribute to progressive legal reform, such as those concerning important constitutional issues;
- Cases involving egregious state challenges to civil liberties (excessive use of force by police, free speech incursions, or other clear breaches of Charter rights);
- Cases involving vulnerable classes of accused such as those with disabilities or youth offenders in precarious living situations;
- Clients requiring assistance with their Rowbotham applications, or s. 684(1) applications for appeals at the Court of Appeal for cases with merit.
Unpacking the costs of your criminal proceedings
Every criminal case is unique because they are all made up of different facts and circumstances. The criminal process is comprised of a series of crucial stages that require clients to make informed decisions on how they would like to proceed at each stage, such as whether to resolve the case early or whether to proceed to trial. These decisions will depend highly on factors such as whether you have been released on bail, the quality of the evidence the Crown has obtained, the strength of your defences, what the Crown is offering you in exchange for an early plea, and the consequences of a conviction.
Examples of legal work that will increase the cost of your defence include the need for bail reviews, the factual and legal complexity involved in your case, the preparation, filing, and arguing of pretrial applications, such as Charter motions, the number of charges you are facing, the number of witnesses involved in your case, the volume and type of evidence involved in your case, the need for hiring experts, the preference for a jury trial, and the total number of court days required for your hearings and trial.
Nadia firmly believes that each client should be closely involved in his or her defence, and kept apprised of all case developments. She will make sure to work with you to quickly identify the legal issues that will impact your defence. Some cases may take years to complete. In order to keep costs low for her clients, Nadia will provide informed legal opinions early on to all her clients outlining their options and likelihood of success at trial.
Block Fees
Below are estimates of my block fees for proceedings in the Toronto region for a single, minor offence. If you are charged with multiple offences on multiple incidents, the costs of your defence will increase. Additionally, the more serious the offences you face, where the legal issues and potential penalties are more complex, the more your legal fees will be. Keep in mind that the rates listed below are only starting estimates in an effort to bring transparency to legal costs in this profession, and to help clients understand the costs of their legal representation. Each case will present unique considerations that will be discussed with you individually.
Note: Click arrows to see description of typical case and tasks required.
These cost estimates do not include expenses and disbursements like mileage, travel time, photocopying fees, transcript fees, retainers for expert witnesses, etc. For proceedings outside the Toronto region, additional charges for mileage, travel time and accommodations may be applicable.