Stikeman Elliott LLP

Before you call about business / corporate

General guidance for this kind of matter, not advice about your situation and not specific to this firm.

Questions worth asking

• Have you worked with businesses at my stage and size?
• Flat fee or hourly for this piece of work?
• What will you need from me to keep the cost down?
• Who handles it if this later turns into a dispute?

How this work is usually billed

Defined tasks, incorporation, a shareholder agreement, a lease review, are commonly flat-fee. Ongoing or transactional work is hourly. Some firms offer a monthly arrangement for steady advisory work.

What to have ready

Your incorporation documents if you have them, any agreement you are being asked to sign, and a plain description of what you are trying to achieve.