Losing your job shouldn’t mean losing access to justice. Legal fees can be a real barrier during a career transition – that’s why we offer contingency fee arrangements for most wrongful dismissal and employment litigation matters.

What is a Contingency Fee?

You do not pay legal fees as you go. Instead, our fee is a percentage of the total amount we recover for you through settlement or court award.

How it Works at Alinea

The Percentage

Our fee schedule is graduated and increases as your file progresses. Exact percentages depend on your case, but our lowest contingency fee, for a negotiated settlement before formal litigation begins, often starts at 22%.

We set your rate based on:

• The expected time to resolve your case

• The expected complexity of your case

• Your expected result

• The risk Alinea assumes

Our maximum contingency fee is 40%, charged only for cases appealed to the Ontario Court of Appeal.

Disbursements and HST

• Disbursements – Out-of-pocket costs paid to third parties to advance your case (court filing fees, process servers, medical records). Depending on our agreement, you may pay these as they arise or have them paid from your final settlement.

• Taxes – HST applies to all legal fees and most disbursements.

Our Process

To determine whether your case qualifies for a contingency fee retainer, and to determine your graduated fee schedule, we start with a termination assessment ($350 +HST). We review your employment agreement, termination package, and applicable law to give you our assessment of the likely outcome.

If your case qualifies, we’ll prepare a contingency fee agreement for you to review. You can also choose an hourly rate retainer instead, if you prefer, after reviewing the contingency fee option.

Note: Not all cases qualify for a contingency fee arrangement. During your consultation, we’ll assess your situation and discuss which billing model best serves your goals.

Resources & Transparency

In line with the Law Society of Ontario’s consumer protection guidelines, we encourage all potential clients to review the official LSO Consumer Guide.

Ready to start your next paragraph?

If you’ve been terminated or are facing a workplace transition, let’s discuss how we can advocate for you, without the burden of upfront hourly costs.