Our Fees & Services
Please note that we limit our services to the areas of wills, estates, and probate and administration matters. We do not accept appointments for any other area of law. To find a lawyer who does practice in other areas, including estate litigation, please contact the Newfoundland and Labrador Public Legal Information Association.
To request an appointment, call us at 709 221 5511 or send us an email. Please note the voicemail system is not monitored.
Our regular hours are Monday to Thursday, 9 am to 5 pm. Appointments are available outside these hours by request. You can also book an appointment for a will package online. Our office is available by appointment only.
All prices are subject to HST.
Wills Packages
Individual - $750
Couple - $950
Book your appointment online here.
We'll help you plan how you want your assets to be distributed after you have passed away, and create a solid will for you. Our approach is to hold a frank, open discussion in which we'll encourage you to talk about your goals as well as your worries. We'll help you set up a plan in which your will works together with your life insurance designations, your joint property arrangements, your RRSPs, your second home, and even your blended family.
We'll also help you with Powers of Attorney and Health Care Directives, so you'll be covered if you ever lose your capacity. Each wills package includes a will, Enduring Power of Attorney, and Advance Healthcare Directive for each person.
Our planning discussions are interactive. We'll make suggestions, and give honest feedback on your ideas. Together, we'll come up with a plan that is tailored exactly for you.
*Couples price applies to both legally married and common-law couples.
Applications for Probate/Administration
1% of the value of the estate, minimum fee of $4000
+ court fee
+ levy
When someone has passed away, often Letters of Probate or Administration are required in order for the estate to be dealt with. This is one of the most common services we provide, and we can help you obtain either Letters of Probate or Administration.
This service includes meeting with the executor or applicant for administration, reviewing the estate, determining the value of the estate, obtaining all necessary consents and renunciations, completing the application to the court, executing and filing the application, and obtaining the completed Letters of Probate or Letters of Administration.
We will also review with you what the role of executor or administrator entails, and how to get started. If you require Letters of Administration, we will also discuss your options for being bonded as an Administrator.
Note: We will not apply to appoint Lynne Butler as the Administrator of an estate.
Consultation
$350/hour
*This fee is the pro-rated for consults less than one hour
Please not we do not offer free consultations.
One of the ways we are different from most law firms is that we encourage you to sit down with us for a discussion if you have a legal question or concern, without obligating you to hire us for any further work. We're happy to provide you with as much or as little help as you need. In the event that you choose to proceed with litigation for your matter, we will refer you to another firm.
If you have questions about an estate, will, or other related situation, we can book a one-time consult to answer all your questions. The fee includes a written summary of everything discussed.
These meetings sometimes lead to us being hired to do additional work, but our goal is to provide you with what you need - a place to ask a question with no pressure to pay for extra services.
Please note that any post-consult follow up is not included. Should you have any additional material you would like to cover we would be happy to schedule a second consult. Any follow up will be charged on an hourly rate, which we will discuss with you before completing any work.
Miscellaneous
TRAVEL
Whether or not we charge to travel to someone's home depends on if the person is mobile, and where they live. If you are mobile and have requested that we come to your home, we will charge our travel time at the usual hourly rate ($350 + HST), regardless of your location. If you are in long-term care or palliative care or are admitted to the hospital within the St. John's/Mount Pearl/Paradise/Conception Bay South area, there will not be any travel charges.
If you are not mobile and live within the St. John's/Mount Pearl/Paradise/Conception Bay South area, we will not charge a fee.
Price Quotes
We will always do our best to provide you with the most precise quote that we can. We reserve the right to charge an additional fee if the work is described to us at the beginning as being "basic" but turns out to be much more complex. We will always check with you before doing anything over and above what we discuss.
We accept Visa, MasterCard, American Express, bank drafts, debit, and e-transfers. For in-office purchases of books, guides, kits, and seminars we can accept cash. We can also accept cash for notarizing documents. Receipts will be provided for all transactions.
Disbursements
Any amounts that are paid out of pocket on your behalf, such as registration or filing fees, charges for serving documents, or registered mail, may be charged to you. We do not add charges for copies, printing, etc.
Levy
For some types of transactions, a levy charged by the Law Society of Newfoundland and Labrador may apply. Civil transactions, including applications for probate and administration, are subject to a $70 levy.
"It took me a really long time to get my mom to agree to go to a lawyer. She was really nervous because it was intimidating, but she felt really comfortable here." - R.P.
"I'm really glad we came back here to get [probate]. This was such a good idea." - C.M.
