Alistair Vigier is the CEO of ClearWay Law, a company that connects people with lawyers online. The website also manages a lawyer directory where people can leave reviews for lawyers in Canada.
Legal services in Canada are changing to better serve clientele. People want to know how much their legal issue will cost before starting the process. Many want to self-represent. Savvy law firms are responding with a menu of services showing costs up front. And some menus even include coaching for those going to court on their own.
I meet with over 100 lawyers every year to discuss referrals and business expansion opportunities. Most want to go it alone and start their own practice. The risks are inherent: leaving an established law firm, building your business reputation, finding referrals.
Some consternation about non-lawyer ownership of Canadian law firms is perfectly understandable. There's no question the current model works and lawyers are comfortable with it. Why then are alternative business models needed and, more to the point, so desirable?
