At Alinea Workplace Law, we believe that losing your job shouldn't mean losing your access to justice. We know that legal fees can be a significant barrier when you are in the middle of a career transition.

To ensure our advocacy is accessible to those who need it most, we offer contingency fee arrangements for select wrongful dismissal and employment litigation matters.

What is a Contingency Fee?

A contingency fee is an agreement where you do not pay legal fees upfront. Instead, our fee is calculated as a percentage of the total amount we recover for you through a settlement or court award.

How it Works at Alinea

The Percentage

Alinea uses a graduated fee schedule that gradually increases through the lifecycle of your file. While the exact percentages for your case will depend on various factors regarding your case, our lowest contingency fee for a negotiated settlement prior to the commencement of formal litigation is as low as 22%.

The factors Alinea will consider when setting your rates include:

• The expected time to resolve your case;

• The expected complexity of your case;

• Your expected result; and

• The risk assumed by Alinea.

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

Disbursements and HST

• Disbursements: These are out-of-pocket expenses we pay to third parties to advance your case (such as court filing fees, process servers, or medical records). Depending on our agreement, these may be paid by you as they arise or reimbursed to us out of your final settlement.

• Taxes: Harmonized Sales Tax (HST) is applicable to all legal fees and most disbursements.

Alinea’s Process

To determine whether your case is eligible for a contingency fee retainer, we first must complete a termination assessment ($350 + HST). We will review your employment agreement, termination package, and the applicable caselaw to provide you with our assessment of the likely outcome.

If your case is eligible for a contingency fee retainer, we will then prepare and send you our agreement to review. You also always have the option to retain Alinea under an hourly rate retainer if you prefer to do so after reviewing the contingency fee retainer.

Note: Not all cases qualify for a contingency fee arrangement. During your Free Consultation, we will assess the facts of your situation and discuss which billing model provides the most strategic advantage for your specific goals.

Resources & Transparency

As part of our commitment to the LSO’s consumer protection guidelines, we encourage all potential clients to review the official Law Society of Ontario 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.