A consultation at ME Law is a paid meeting with a civil litigation lawyer, typically lasting 60 to 90 minutes, designed to give you a clear and candid initial assessment of your legal position before you commit to any further engagement. Where relevant documents are provided in advance, the lawyer reviews them before the meeting so the consultation can focus on analysis, strategy, and your questions rather than basic fact-gathering.

Unlike a brief screening or intake call, a consultation is intended to be a substantive first legal assessment. The lawyer will discuss the facts of your dispute, identify the principal legal and procedural issues, and explain the options that may be available based on the information available at that stage.

If you want to understand how the meeting itself is structured, see What happens during a consultation?.

Depending on the nature and stage of the matter, the consultation may include an initial assessment of the relative strengths and weaknesses of your position, the evidence that is likely to matter, the procedural steps that could follow, and whether litigation, negotiation, mediation, or another form of dispute resolution may be appropriate.

Where the matter allows, the lawyer may also provide a preliminary high-level indication of the likely scope and cost of further legal work and discuss how the opposing party or opposing counsel may approach the dispute. In some matters, counsel may be able to identify relevant legal principles or authorities immediately; in others, additional factual investigation, document review, or legal research may be required before a firm opinion can responsibly be given.

A consultation with ME Law will typically cover:

• the facts and documents you have provided;
• an initial assessment of your legal position;
• the principal risks and issues requiring attention;
• the evidence that may be important to your claim or defence;
• the likely procedural path if the dispute proceeds;
• possible negotiation, mediation, arbitration, or litigation strategies;
• immediate deadlines or circumstances requiring urgent action;
• the appropriate scope of any further engagement with ME Law.

For an Ontario civil proceeding, that procedural discussion may include steps such as a Statement of Claim or Statement of Defence, documentary production, Examinations for Discovery, mediation, motions, a pre-trial conference, and potentially trial before the Ontario Superior Court of Justice.

A consultation is still an initial assessment. It is not a substitute for a complete review of a substantial litigation record, and it should not be treated as a guarantee of outcome or a final legal opinion on issues that require additional facts, documents, expert evidence, or research.

If your matter already involves hundreds or thousands of pages of pleadings, affidavits, productions, transcripts, correspondence, or expert reports, a single consultation may not provide enough time for responsible analysis. In that situation, ME Law may recommend a defined limited-scope retainer for a more detailed review before providing a fuller strategic opinion.

The same applies where the matter is technically complex or still developing. The purpose of the consultation is to distinguish between what can responsibly be assessed now and what requires further work — rather than speculate beyond what the available facts and evidence support.

A consultation also gives you the opportunity to meet the lawyer who may ultimately handle your matter, ask direct questions about the proposed strategy and engagement, and decide whether ME Law is the right fit for the dispute.

The consultation does not automatically mean that ME Law has been retained to conduct the entire proceeding. If you and the firm decide to proceed, the scope of the engagement is confirmed separately and may involve either a defined limited-scope retainer or broader ongoing representation, depending on the matter.

To make the meeting as useful as possible, see Do I need to prepare anything before an initial consultation?. If you are still deciding whether now is the right time to seek advice, see When should you consider booking a consultation?.

You can also review ME Law’s Civil Litigation practice for more information about the types of disputes the firm handles.

Contact ME Law to request a consultation.

You should book a consultation as soon as you are involved in — or can reasonably foresee — a civil, estate, real estate, or commercial dispute, rather than waiting until a deadline or urgent event forces the issue.

Litigation risk is often time-sensitive in ways that are not obvious at the beginning. Limitation periods may continue to run, evidence can become harder to preserve, assets may move, and the parties’ positions can become more difficult to change as a dispute develops. Early legal advice can help you understand those risks before making decisions that may affect your position later.

A consultation does not necessarily mean that litigation should begin immediately. As explained in What is a consultation at ME Law?, the purpose is to obtain an informed initial assessment of the dispute and determine what steps, if any, make sense based on the facts available.

You should consider booking a consultation where:

• you are involved in, or anticipate, a dispute over a contract, property, estate, or commercial relationship;
• a business relationship has deteriorated into a shareholder, partnership, or contractual dispute;
• you have received a demand letter, Statement of Claim, Notice of Application, or other legal document;
• another party is threatening proceedings or demanding immediate action;
• you believe you have suffered damages or that your legal rights have been affected;
• you are considering starting a claim and need to understand the available remedies and risks;
• an existing case is approaching Examinations for Discovery, mediation, a motion, pre-trial, or trial;
• money, property, confidential information, or other assets may require protection.

Timing is particularly important where urgent relief may be necessary. For example, an interlocutory injunction can sometimes be sought to preserve the status quo or protect property or other rights pending the resolution of a dispute. Whether such relief is available depends on the evidence and applicable legal test, which is why early assessment matters.

In other situations, the appropriate advice may be to preserve evidence, negotiate, mediate, or wait while protecting your position rather than starting proceedings immediately.

ME Law uses the consultation to help determine not simply whether litigation is possible, but when it makes sense to act and what course is proportionate to the dispute. If you want to understand what occurs once the meeting begins, see What happens during a consultation?.

You can also review ME Law’s Civil Litigation practice for the types of disputes the firm handles.

Contact ME Law to request a consultation.

After an appropriate conflict check, a consultation with ME Law centres on the documents and factual summary provided in advance, followed by a focused discussion with the lawyer about your legal position, strategy, risks, and possible next steps.

The quality of the consultation depends in part on preparation. Where counsel has the important facts and documents before the meeting, more of the consultation can be spent on analysis rather than reconstructing the basic history of the dispute.

If you have not already reviewed the purpose and scope of the meeting, see What is a consultation at ME Law?.

Before the consultation, you may be asked to provide:

• relevant contracts, agreements, wills, leases, mortgages, or other governing documents;
• a Statement of Claim, Statement of Defence, Notice of Application, affidavit, or other court material;
• important correspondence between the parties or their lawyers;
• demand letters;
• expert reports or financial records where relevant;
• a concise chronological summary identifying the parties, key dates, and important events.

During the meeting, the lawyer will normally clarify the material facts and identify the principal legal issues. Depending on the matter, the discussion may include the strength and weaknesses of the positions being advanced, evidentiary issues, settlement or mediation, procedural risks, and the stages that may follow if formal litigation continues.

For an Ontario Superior Court of Justice proceeding, that may include pleadings, documentary production, Examinations for Discovery, motions, mediation, settlement discussions, a pre-trial conference, and potentially trial.

Where the record allows, counsel may also identify immediate deadlines, additional evidence that should be obtained, or issues requiring further legal research.

The consultation is not designed to compress an entire litigation file into one meeting. If the matter already involves a very large documentary record, ME Law may recommend a limited-scope review before giving more developed strategic advice. This is especially important where thousands of pages of pleadings, productions, transcripts, expert reports, or correspondence are involved.

For guidance on preparing that material, see Do I need to prepare anything before an initial consultation?.

ME Law’s objective is to use the consultation for substantive analysis: identifying what can responsibly be assessed from the available record, what requires further work, and what next step best fits the dispute.

You can also review ME Law’s Civil Litigation practice for more information about the litigation process.

Contact ME Law to request a consultation.

Yes. The more prepared you are, the more of the consultation can be devoted to legal analysis, strategy, and risk rather than fact-gathering. If your matter involves a substantial documentary record or complex ongoing litigation, ME Law may recommend a limited-scope review rather than attempting to assess everything within a single meeting.

Before the consultation, prepare a clear written summary of the facts from your perspective. A chronological format is usually the most useful: identify the parties, explain their relationship, set out the important dates and events, and identify the issue that has brought you to counsel.

You should also provide the documents that are most relevant to the dispute. Depending on the matter, those may include contracts, correspondence, claims already filed, expert reports, financial records, or letters from other counsel.

For a more detailed explanation of how those materials are used during the meeting, see What happens during a consultation?.

The amount of preparation required will depend on the file.

For a relatively contained matter, a concise chronology and the principal documents may be sufficient for counsel to provide a meaningful initial assessment.

For document-heavy litigation, the position is different. If the file contains hundreds or thousands of pages of pleadings, affidavits, productions, Examination for Discovery transcripts, expert reports, or prior correspondence, tell ME Law before the consultation. A substantial record cannot responsibly be absorbed merely because it has been sent shortly before the meeting.

In that situation, ME Law may recommend a limited-scope retainer or defined document-review mandate so that the complete record can be reviewed before a fuller strategy discussion.

For urgent matters, identify the urgency when you first contact the firm. An imminent court date, threatened injunction, approaching deadline, pending real estate closing, or risk involving assets can affect how the matter needs to be assessed and what can realistically be accomplished at the consultation stage.

ME Law will not attempt to form a concluded legal opinion on a complex matter without an adequate review of the relevant record. Where the material supports an initial assessment, counsel will provide one. Where further document review, legal research, or expert input is required, that should be identified clearly rather than replaced with speculation.

For the broader purpose of the meeting, see What is a consultation at ME Law?. If you are still deciding whether to seek advice now, see When should you consider booking a consultation?.

Contact ME Law to request a consultation.

Yes. ME Law conducts consultations both remotely and in person, and either format is intended to provide the same substantive discussion and preparation. The choice is primarily about what is most practical for you and your matter.

For the first meeting, some clients prefer to attend in person because it gives them an opportunity to meet the lawyer and team directly. Others choose a remote consultation to reduce travel time or make scheduling easier.

Whichever format you choose, the preparation described in What happens during a consultation? still applies. ME Law will complete the appropriate conflict check before substantive advice is provided, and the relevant documents and factual summary should be provided in advance so that the meeting can focus on legal analysis rather than basic intake.

The available formats include:

• In person: meeting with counsel at ME Law’s office.
• Remote: consultation by phone or video, with relevant documents provided in advance.
• Ongoing remote communication: after the initial meeting, many day-to-day communications can be handled through phone calls, video meetings, and email.
• On-location meetings: where appropriate and arranged with the firm, counsel may be able to meet at another location.

The format of the consultation does not change its purpose. Whether you meet remotely or in person, the objective is the same: review the available information, identify the legal and procedural issues, discuss risk and strategy, and determine what further steps may be appropriate.

Where additional legal work is required after the consultation, the engagement may proceed through a defined limited-scope retainer or a broader litigation retainer, depending on the matter and the work required.

If the matter involves a large volume of documentation, the question is not whether the meeting is remote or in person. A separate or limited-scope review may still be needed before counsel can responsibly provide detailed advice. See Do I need to prepare anything before an initial consultation? for how ME Law approaches document-heavy matters.

You can also review What is a consultation at ME Law? for the scope of the initial assessment and When should you consider booking a consultation? if you are deciding whether now is the right time to seek advice.

Book a consultation and let ME Law know whether you prefer to meet remotely or in person.

A consultation is a general first assessment of your matter and the options available to you. Independent Legal Advice (ILA) is more specific: it is formal legal advice given for a defined purpose, typically where a lender, another party to a transaction, or a court requires confirmation that you received independent advice before signing a document or agreeing to a particular term.

The two serve different purposes and produce different outputs.

During a consultation, you and the lawyer discuss your situation, the legal issues that may arise, and the options for moving forward. The purpose is to help you understand whether and how to pursue or defend a matter. For more detail on that process, see What is a consultation at ME Law?.

ILA is narrower and document-specific. It may be required in connection with a guarantee, separation agreement, release, shareholder resolution, or another defined legal document or decision. The purpose is to confirm that you received independent legal advice about that specific matter and understood the consequences of what you were being asked to sign or agree to.

The distinction can be summarized this way:

• Consultation: a broad assessment of your situation, legal position, and available options. It is appropriate where you are deciding whether and how to pursue or defend a matter.
• Independent Legal Advice: focused advice concerning a specific document, transaction, obligation, or decision. It may result in a signed certificate or written confirmation that independent advice was provided and understood.
• Further legal engagement: if additional work is required after a consultation, the scope of that work is addressed separately rather than assumed to be part of the initial meeting.

If you are unsure which service applies, the key question is what you are being asked to sign, confirm, or decide. A consultation and ILA are not interchangeable, and using the wrong process can leave a document or decision open to later challenge.

Preparation also differs. A general consultation may involve a broader factual and documentary record. ILA requires a substantive review and discussion of the particular document or decision involved. ME Law will not issue an ILA certificate without that review and discussion; a “rubber-stamp” certificate would defeat the purpose of obtaining independent advice.

If you are preparing for a broader litigation consultation, see What happens during a consultation?. For guidance on documents and more complex matters, see Do I need to prepare anything before an initial consultation?.

Contact ME Law if you have been asked to obtain Independent Legal Advice and let us know the document or decision involved.

A conflict check confirms that ME Law does not already represent — or hold confidential information from — a party on the other side of your matter. It is required before the firm can act for you or discuss the substance of your case, and it protects both confidentiality and the lawyer’s ability to advise you independently.

Before a consultation proceeds, ME Law checks the names of the parties involved against its records. This helps determine whether the firm has a current or prior professional relationship, or confidential information, that could prevent it from acting for you.

The Law Society of Ontario requires lawyers to address conflicts before acting where divided loyalty or confidentiality may be an issue. A lawyer cannot provide meaningful, candid advice if there is uncertainty about professional obligations owed to another party.

The conflict check is therefore a preliminary professional safeguard, not the substantive legal assessment itself. Once it has been completed and no conflict prevents ME Law from proceeding, the matter can move toward the consultation described in What happens during a consultation?.

In practice:

• Party information: you will usually be asked to identify the relevant parties before the consultation is confirmed.
• Conflict review: ME Law checks those names against its records.
• Timing: a conflict check typically takes a few hours to one business day, depending on the number of parties involved and the complexity of the matter.
• If a conflict is identified: ME Law will tell you directly and, where possible, help point you toward alternative counsel. The firm will not proceed with a consultation where a conflict prevents it from acting.

This process protects the confidentiality of the information you provide and the integrity of the lawyer-client relationship. It also ensures that the lawyer who ultimately advises you can do so without divided loyalty.

If you want to understand the broader purpose of the substantive meeting once the conflict check is cleared, see What is a consultation at ME Law?.

Once the conflict check is completed, the next step is scheduling the consultation. See How quickly can you schedule an initial consultation? for how ME Law handles timing, lawyer availability, and urgent matters.

Contact ME Law with the names of the parties involved so the conflict-check process can begin.

Most consultations can be scheduled within 24 to 48 hours, depending on the availability of the lawyer best suited to your matter. Where a matter is urgent, ME Law can often begin the intake process sooner so that potentially time-sensitive issues are identified without unnecessary delay.

Scheduling is based on matching you with the right lawyer for the matter rather than simply assigning the next available appointment. ME Law uses a short intake questionnaire before booking to understand the nature of the dispute, assess urgency, and determine the appropriate level of lawyer involvement.

If you are still deciding whether your circumstances justify speaking with counsel now, see When should you consider booking a consultation?.

In practice, scheduling may differ depending on the matter:

• Standard matters: consultations are typically scheduled within 24–48 hours, subject to the relevant lawyer’s court and case commitments.
• Urgent matters: where immediate relief, such as an injunction, may be required, the matter can be flagged through the intake questionnaire. If the most appropriate senior lawyer is not immediately available, a junior lawyer may begin gathering the necessary information so that the matter can be escalated to senior counsel as soon as possible.
• Complex or document-heavy matters: scheduling may take slightly longer where it is important to match the matter with a lawyer already familiar with the relevant area rather than simply the first person available.

If your dispute involves a substantial documentary record, see Do I need to prepare anything before an initial consultation? for how ME Law approaches more complex files.

The purpose of the intake process is to ensure that urgency does not become dependent on a single lawyer’s calendar. Where immediate action may be required, the firm can begin gathering the necessary information before the primary lawyer is available to meet directly.

Once the consultation is scheduled, What happens during a consultation? explains how the meeting itself is structured and how the information you provide is used.

Book a consultation and complete the intake questionnaire so ME Law can confirm timing based on the urgency of your matter and the lawyer best suited to it.