Rates · Calgary
Transparent Legal Rates
We understand that every client and every dispute is unique. While we generally bill on an hourly basis, we're open to flexible fee arrangements that meet your needs and will work with you to find the most suitable solution.
Meet & Greet
30 minutes — Free
Civil Lawyers
$300 – $475 / hour + GST
Articling Students
$225 / hour + GST
Paralegals
$200 / hour + GST
Legal Assistants
$185 / hour + GST
Individual rates
Jennifer M. Miller
Civil & Family Lawyer
$365.00 + GST / hour
Rylan Alston
Civil Lawyer
$275.00 + GST / hour
Kerri Drake
Office Manager, Senior Paralegal
$200.00 + GST / hour
Sharaya Johnson
Paralegal
$200.00 + GST / hour
Neri Bruze
Office Coordinator
$185.00 + GST / hour
Rates are subject to change. GST is charged in addition to the hourly rate. Disbursements (court filing fees, process server fees, etc.) are billed at cost.
How we bill
The hourly rates above are our standard fees for civil litigation work in Alberta. Time is recorded in tenth-of-an-hour increments for every task on your file — drafting correspondence, reviewing documents, attending court, preparing for examinations, and meetings with you. Detailed invoices are issued monthly so you always know what work has been done, who completed it, and where your retainer stands.
We delegate routine tasks to paralegals, articling students, and legal assistants wherever appropriate so that lawyer time is reserved for advocacy, strategy, and complex drafting. This keeps the overall cost of your matter as efficient as possible without sacrificing the quality of representation.
Retainers and disbursements
Most civil litigation files require an initial retainer deposited into our trust account before work begins. The size of the retainer depends on the complexity of the matter, the urgency, and the stage of the dispute. We will provide a written estimate during your consultation so you can plan accordingly.
Disbursements — court filing fees, process server charges, expert reports, transcript costs, and similar third-party expenses — are billed at cost in addition to our fees. For some matters, alternative fee arrangements such as flat fees for discrete tasks, capped fees, or partial deferred billing may be available; ask us during your consultation whether your matter is a fit.
Understanding the cost of civil litigation
The total cost of a civil matter depends far more on the conduct of the opposing party and the procedural path the dispute takes than on the hourly rate itself. A claim that resolves through a well-drafted demand letter or early mediation can cost a small fraction of one that proceeds through questioning, applications, and a multi-day trial. During your consultation we will outline the realistic range of outcomes for your file, the decision points along the way, and the ways we can control cost — including narrowing the issues in dispute, pursuing early settlement, and using summary procedures where the facts allow.
Successful parties in Alberta civil litigation are typically entitled to a partial recovery of their legal costs from the unsuccessful party under Schedule C of the Alberta Rules of Court. We will explain how costs awards work in your matter and the circumstances in which enhanced or solicitor-and-own-client costs may be available.