Choosing a Lawyer
Your Representation Options in an Ontario Legal Matter
Full retainer, limited-scope help, independent legal advice or self-representation — the four realistic ways to handle an Ontario legal matter and how to choose between them.
Reviewed by Sabeeya Akram, Managing Partner, Ayoun & Sabeeya LLP
Published April 26, 2025 · Updated August 31, 2026
Representation is a dial, not a switch
Most people think the choice is hire a lawyer or go it alone. In practice there are four settings, and choosing the right one is the single biggest cost decision you will make.
The four options
- Full retainer — the firm runs the whole matter. Right for high stakes, hard deadlines and contested files
- Limited-scope retainer — the lawyer handles defined pieces: drafting an agreement, one court appearance, reviewing disclosure. You do the rest
- Independent legal advice — a focused meeting on a specific document before you sign it, with a certificate
- Self-representation with consultations — you carry the file, buying advice at decision points. Workable for simple, low-conflict matters
How to choose your setting
Weigh three things: the stakes (what losing costs), the complexity (procedure, evidence, disclosure), and the other side (represented and aggressive, or cooperative). High on any axis pushes toward fuller representation. We will tell you our honest read at the consultation — first 15 minutes free — including when the cheaper setting is genuinely enough.
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.