Independent legal advice
Fast and effective ILA before you sign
A lawyer acting only for you reviews the agreement, explains what it really means, and issues the ILA certificate the other side is asking for.
Independent legal advice (ILA) is a meeting with a lawyer who reviews a document you have been asked to sign — a separation agreement, marriage contract, cohabitation agreement, private mortgage, guarantee or real estate document — to make sure your interests are protected before you commit.
Our ILA process
- A detailed read and analysis of the agreement
- An explanation of the legal effect of each key term
- A questions-and-concerns period — ask anything
- Suggested edits where the document works against you
- Correspondence with the other lawyers involved, if needed
- A final reading once changes are made
- Issuance of your ILA certificate
Documents we commonly review
- Separation agreements and minutes of settlement
- Marriage contracts and cohabitation agreements
- Private mortgages, loans and guarantees
- Gift letters and family loans used on real estate closings
- Releases, waivers and settlement documents
Remember: you and the party you are contracting with should never use the same lawyer. Each of you needs your own — that is what makes the advice independent, and what makes the agreement harder to challenge later.
Where we serve clients
One office in Mississauga, with Google Meet consultations across Ontario. Pick your city for local court and travel details.
ILA questions
Why am I being asked to get independent legal advice?+
Because the other side wants the agreement to hold up. Domestic contracts and many loan documents can be challenged later if a party signed without understanding them. An ILA certificate is evidence that a lawyer — acting only for you — explained the document and its consequences before you signed.
Can my spouse and I use the same lawyer?+
No. The whole point of ILA is independence: each party needs their own lawyer so the advice each of you receives is free of any conflict of interest.
How fast can I get an ILA certificate?+
Often the same week, and sometimes the same day for straightforward documents. Fast and effective service — send us the document in advance and we will tell you how quickly we can review it and meet.
What does ILA cost?+
It depends on the length and complexity of the document. We quote a flat fee up front after seeing the document, so you know the full cost before the meeting.
Need an ILA certificate this week?
Your first 15 minutes are a free intake call. Substantive advice is billed at $199 per half-hour (CAD), and we confirm the rate with you before billed time begins. Meet us by Google Meet video call or in person at 25 Watline Avenue, Unit GR21, Mississauga. Monday to Friday, 9:30 AM – 7:00 PM.