Choosing a Lawyer
From Search to Retainer: Deciding on Your Lawyer with Confidence
The four-stage journey from searching for a lawyer to signing a retainer in Ontario — shortlisting, consulting, comparing and retaining — with what to check at each stage.
Reviewed by Ayoun Haroon, Partner, Ayoun & Sabeeya LLP
Published April 26, 2025 · Updated August 31, 2026
Stage 1 — Shortlist (one evening)
Collect two to four candidates whose practices match your matter type. Verify each in the Law Society of Ontario directory. Note their consultation terms — offices that publish them, as we do, are telling you something about how they handle fees generally.
Stage 2 — Consult (the real test)
Bring the same one-page summary and documents to each consultation so comparisons are fair. Listen for the shape of the advice: options with costs and a next step, or vague reassurance. Ask who works the file and how communication runs.
Stage 3 — Compare and decide
Compare on strategy, cost trajectory and fit — not on who promised the most. A lawyer who told you something you did not want to hear at the consultation was auditioning honestly.
Stage 4 — Retain properly
Expect a written retainer agreement covering scope, rates, retainer amount and how it is replenished, and communication expectations. Read it; ask about anything unclear. Ours accompany every file — and the relationship starts with the same transparency as our consultations: first 15 minutes free, then $199 per half-hour.
The content of this website is legal information about Ontario and Canadian law, not legal advice. Reading it, or contacting us through it, does not create a lawyer-client relationship — that begins only after we confirm in writing that the firm is acting for you.