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Know Your Rights Before You Spend a Dollar.
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Toronto Wrongful Dismissal Lawyers Your Employer Likely Owes You More Than They Offered.
Our Toronto wrongful dismissal lawyers at 55 University Avenue review termination packages, calculate your true common law entitlement under the Bardal factors, advise on mitigation and the risks of signing, and, when necessary, pursue your claim through the Ontario courts. Do not sign anything until you have spoken with us.
Wrongful Dismissal TorontoCommon Law NoticeBardal FactorsTermination Package ReviewESA vs Common LawBook My 15-Minute Assessment
55 University Avenue, Toronto | Wrongful Dismissal | Common Law Notice | Termination Package Review | Initial Assessments
Toronto Wrongful Dismissal Lawyers, key facts
ESAminimum
The Employment Standards Act sets the floor, not the ceiling, for termination entitlement in Ontario
24months max
Common law reasonable notice can reach 24 months for long-service employees, far above the ESA minimum
Bardalfactors
Courts apply the Bardal factors: age, length of service, character of employment, and availability of similar employment
15min assessment
Do not sign your severance package before speaking with us, 15-minute initial assessment for all dismissed employees
Wrongful Dismissal Lawyer Toronto
Wrongful Dismissal in Toronto: What the Package Leaves Out
Wrongful dismissal in Ontario does not mean an unfair firing. An employer can end employment without cause for any lawful reason. What it cannot do is end it without proper notice, or pay in place of notice. A dismissal is wrongful when the notice or the pay falls short of what the law requires, and for most Toronto employees the package they are handed falls short by a wide margin.
There are two layers of entitlement. The Employment Standards Act sets the floor: one week per completed year of service to a maximum of eight, plus statutory severance of one week per year to a maximum of 26 where the employee has five or more years of service and the employer's Ontario payroll is $2.5 million or more. The common law sets the real figure: reasonable notice assessed on age, length of service, the character of the position and the availability of comparable work, which for a mid-career employee is often measured in many months and at the upper end approaches two years. Common law notice applies unless a valid contract excludes it, and since the Court of Appeal's 2020 decision in Waksdale v. Swegon North America a termination clause is unenforceable in its entirety if any part of it, including the for-cause language, falls below the Act. A large share of Toronto employment contracts fail that test.
The package also usually omits the value of benefits, bonus and commission that would have been earned during the notice period, and it is sometimes accompanied by conduct in the manner of dismissal that supports additional damages. We assess all of it before the release deadline, which is the reason the deadline exists.
When a claim has to be filed, Toronto's Small Claims Court at 47 Sheppard Avenue East hears claims of up to $50,000 since 1 October 2025, and the Superior Court at 361 University Avenue hears larger claims, with claims up to $200,000 under the Simplified Procedure. We work from offices at 55 University Avenue downtown and at 2 Sheppard Avenue East across the street from the Small Claims Court, and most wrongful dismissal claims we handle settle on a demand letter without either courthouse being needed.
Handed a package and a deadline?
Send us the letter and the contract. We will tell you what the package should have said, whether the termination clause is enforceable, and what your options are, in a complimentary 15-minute assessment, usually the same day.
Most claims settle on a demand letter. When one has to be filed, the court depends on the amount.
Small Claims Court, Toronto
47 Sheppard Ave East, 3rd Floor, Toronto, ON M2N 5N1
Across the street from our North York office
The single Small Claims Court for the whole City of Toronto. Since 1 October 2025 it hears claims of up to $50,000, exclusive of interest and costs. Settlement conference first, then trial.
Claims to $50,000Wrongful DismissalUnpaid WagesBonus and Commission
Ontario Superior Court of Justice, Toronto
361 University Ave, Toronto, ON M5G 1T3
Five minutes from our downtown office
Claims above $50,000. Claims up to $200,000 proceed under the Simplified Procedure. Constructive dismissal, human rights damages and executive severance claims are typically brought here.
Claims above $50,000Simplified Procedure to $200,000Constructive DismissalExecutive Severance
Ministry of Labour, Employment Standards Claim
Filed online, no courthouse
Province-wide
For Employment Standards Act minimums only. Two-year limit. Filing a Ministry claim bars a court claim for the same money.
ESA Minimums OnlyTwo-Year Limit
Your Legal Team
Lawyers licensed by the Law Society of Ontario
Wrongful dismissal, severance review and constructive dismissal
Your Legal Team
Lawyers licensed by the Law Society of Ontario
Wrongful dismissal, severance review and constructive dismissal
Our Practice
Wrongful Dismissal Services in Toronto
We represent Toronto employees who have been terminated, from termination package review on the day of dismissal through to trial and appeal.
Your Legal Team
Lawyers licensed by the Law Society of Ontario
Wrongful dismissal, severance review and constructive dismissal
Termination Package Review, Toronto
Severance Package Review, Toronto
If you have received a termination package, do not sign the release until a lawyer has reviewed it. Releases are permanent, once signed, you cannot come back for more. Our Toronto employment lawyers review your package, calculate your true common law entitlement, identify deficiencies, and advise on whether to accept, negotiate, or litigate. Most Toronto employees who have their packages reviewed by a lawyer receive more than what was initially offered.
Full termination letter review
ESA entitlement calculation
Common law notice calculation (Bardal factors)
Release and non-disparagement review
Negotiation strategy
Realistic litigation assessment
Your Legal Team
Lawyers licensed by the Law Society of Ontario
Wrongful dismissal, severance review and constructive dismissal
Common Law Notice Claims, Toronto
Wrongful Dismissal Claims, Toronto
When an employer refuses to pay fair common law notice, we bring a wrongful dismissal claim in Ontario Superior Court or Small Claims Court depending on the quantum. Most wrongful dismissal claims in Toronto are resolved before trial, either through negotiation or at a mediation. We prepare every file as if it will go to trial, which is the best way to achieve good settlements.
Statement of claim preparation
Production of financial records
Oral discovery
Mediation representation
Pre-trial conference
Trial representation
Your Legal Team
Lawyers licensed by the Law Society of Ontario
Wrongful dismissal, severance review and constructive dismissal
Mitigation Advice, Toronto
Mitigation Obligations, Ontario Employment Law
Dismissed employees in Ontario have a duty to mitigate, to make reasonable efforts to find comparable employment. A failure to mitigate can reduce the damages a court will award. But "reasonable efforts" does not mean accepting a lower-paying job or a role well below your level. We advise Toronto clients on their mitigation obligations, what employers will argue about mitigation, and how to document your job search to protect your claim.
Mitigation obligation analysis
Job search documentation advice
Comparable employment standard
Part-time and lesser work refusal advice
Mitigation credit arguments
Pre-trial mitigation assessment
Related reading
Before any negotiation about amount, the first question is whether the termination clause in the contract survives at all. Is your termination clause enforceable explains why so many fail and what happens when they do.
Where a regulated professional is dismissed after a complaint or a suspension, the employment claim and the regulatory matter run in parallel and what is said in one is usually usable in the other. Suspension and practice restrictions covers the regulatory side.
Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What is wrongful dismissal in Ontario?
Termination without the notice, or pay in place of notice, that the law requires. It does not require an unfair reason; an employer may dismiss without cause. The wrong is in the shortfall between what was paid and what was owed under the Employment Standards Act and, unless a valid contract excludes it, the common law.
How much notice or severance am I entitled to?
Two layers. The Employment Standards Act minimum is one week of notice or pay per completed year of service, to a maximum of eight weeks, after three months of employment, plus statutory severance pay of one week per year up to 26 weeks if you have five or more years of service and the employer's Ontario payroll is $2.5 million or more. The common law layer, which applies unless a valid contract excludes it, is reasonable notice based on your age, length of service, the character of your position and the availability of similar work, and it is often many months more than the statutory minimum. The package you were handed is usually the first layer only.
The letter says I have to sign by Friday. Do I?
No. Your ESA minimums are owed whether or not you sign anything, and a deadline in a termination letter is a negotiating position, not a legal one. A release signed in exchange for the statutory minimum alone gives up your common law claim for nothing. Have the package reviewed before the deadline; that is what the deadline is for.
My contract has a termination clause. Does that end the matter?
Not necessarily. Since the Court of Appeal's decision in Waksdale v. Swegon North America in 2020, if any part of the termination provisions, including the clause dealing with dismissal for cause, falls short of the Employment Standards Act, the entire termination clause is unenforceable and common law reasonable notice applies. A great many Ontario employment contracts fail that test. We read the clause before we tell you what you are owed.
How long do I have to bring a claim?
Two years from the termination for a claim in court under the Limitations Act, and two years for a claim to the Ministry of Labour under the Employment Standards Act. You cannot do both for the same money; a Ministry claim bars a court claim for the same entitlement, so the choice should be made deliberately.
What is constructive dismissal?
A change imposed by the employer to a fundamental term of employment, such as pay, hours, position or location, or a course of conduct that makes continued employment intolerable, which the employee treats as a dismissal. A temporary layoff not permitted by the contract is a common example. Timing matters: continuing to work under the new terms for too long can be treated as acceptance.
Can I be dismissed for cause?
Only for serious misconduct that the employer can prove, and the bar is high. Poor performance, a single mistake or a personality conflict rarely meet it. An employer that alleges cause and fails to prove it owes full common law notice, and a for-cause clause in a contract that falls below the Employment Standards Act voids the whole termination clause under Waksdale.
Where do Toronto wrongful dismissal claims go to court?
Claims of up to $50,000 go to the Toronto Small Claims Court at 47 Sheppard Avenue East. Larger claims go to the Superior Court of Justice at 361 University Avenue, with claims up to $200,000 under the Simplified Procedure. Most claims settle before filing.
What does it cost to have a package reviewed?
The initial assessment is complimentary. After it we quote a fixed fee for the demand letter and negotiation stage, and we tell you what litigation would cost if it came to that. Many wrongful dismissal claims are resolved at the demand letter stage.
Book My 15-Minute Assessment
Toronto Wrongful Dismissal Lawyers: Book My 15-Minute Assessment
Our Toronto employment lawyers offer 15-minute initial assessments for dismissed employees. Do not sign anything before speaking with us.
Lexaltico LLP
Downtown Toronto
55 University Ave, Suite 1100 Toronto, ON M5J 2H7
Mississauga
90 Matheson Blvd W, Suite 101, Mississauga, ON L5R 3R3
North York
2 Sheppard Ave East, Suite 303, Toronto, ON M2N 5Y7
Oakville
277 Lakeshore Rd E, Suite 408, Oakville, ON L6J 1H9
“I had the absolute pleasure of working separately with two lawyers from Lexaltico — Pooja Lassi and Matthew Ram — on different matters. The level of professionalism, expertise, and care demonstrated by each of them was consistently exceptional. They do not simply service your needs — they take the time to thoroughly understand your situation and proactively problem-solve.”
SJR
★★★★★
“I had the absolute pleasure of working separately with two lawyers from Lexaltico — Pooja Lassi and Matthew Ram — on different matters. The level of professionalism, expertise, and care demonstrated by each of them was consistently exceptional. They do not simply service your needs — they take the time to thoroughly understand your situation and proactively problem-solve.”
SJR
Free, 5 questions, no email required
Were you dismissed fairly?
Five questions. It will not tell you what your claim is worth, because nobody can do that from five answers. It will tell you which rules are engaged and what is running out.
This is general information about Ontario law, not legal advice, and it does not
create a solicitor client relationship. It gives no estimate of value. Lexaltico LLP is regulated by the
Law Society of Ontario.
This page is general information about Ontario law published by Lexaltico LLP. It is not legal advice, it does not account for the facts of any particular situation, and reading it does not create a solicitor-client relationship. Law changes, and how it applies depends on your circumstances. For advice on your own matter, speak with a lawyer.
Handed a termination letter or a package? Have it reviewed before you sign.
Contacting us does not create a solicitor-client relationship.
Please do not send confidential information until we have confirmed we can act for you.
We aim to reply within one business day. Sending this form does not meet any court deadline
or limitation period.
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Law Society of Ontario RegulatedON & AB
Legal Notices & Disclaimers
No Solicitor-Client Relationship
Use of this website does not establish a solicitor-client relationship between you and Lexaltico LLP. Such a relationship is only formed when Lexaltico LLP has expressly confirmed in writing that it has agreed to act on your behalf. Until that confirmation is provided, no obligation of confidentiality exists.
Not Legal Advice
Information on this website is provided for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Do not act on any information here without first consulting a qualified lawyer licensed in your jurisdiction. Lexaltico LLP disclaims all liability for actions taken or not taken based on this website's contents.
Confidentiality of Enquiries
Do not submit confidential information through this website or by email until a solicitor-client relationship has been confirmed in writing. Information submitted before that point will not be treated as confidential.
Law Society of Ontario Regulation
Lexaltico LLP is regulated by the Law Society of Ontario (LSO) under the Law Society Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. L.8. All lawyers are members in good standing. Alberta matters are handled by lawyers licensed with the Law Society of Alberta (LSA).
Law Society of Alberta
Our Alberta-licensed lawyers are members in good standing of the Law Society of Alberta (LSA).
Immigration Regulatory Body: CICC
Immigration consulting services are provided by Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultants (RCICs) in good standing with the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants (CICC) under the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants Act, S.C. 2019, c. 29, s. 292.
Estimator & Calculator Tools
The Severance Estimator and Estate Dispute Evaluator are for informational purposes only. Results are estimates and do not account for specific contractual terms, statutory provisions, or judicial discretion. These tools do not create a solicitor-client relationship. Always seek independent legal advice before making any legal decision.
Privacy: PIPEDA and CASL
Your personal information is protected in accordance with the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA), S.C. 2000, c. 5 and Canada's Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL). We do not sell your information. Withdraw consent at any time: hello@lexaltico.com.
Initial Assessment
The complimentary 15-minute initial assessment is a brief introductory conversation. It does not include a review of your documents and does not constitute legal advice. Lexaltico LLP charges a fee for substantive consultations, including civil litigation, criminal defence and immigration matters; the firm may waive that fee at its discretion. Any fee is disclosed in advance and credited in full toward your account if you retain the firm. Documents are reviewed and advice given only at a paid consultation or once the firm has been retained. No solicitor-client relationship arises, and no duty of confidentiality applies, until confirmed in writing.
Referral Fees: LexKonnect
All referral fee arrangements comply with Rule 3.6-6 of the LSO Rules of Professional Conduct. Fees are disclosed to and consented to by the client. No arrangement impairs independent professional judgment.
Limitation Periods
Failure to commence proceedings within applicable limitation periods may permanently bar your claim. In Ontario, the general limitation period is two (2) years from discovery under the Limitations Act, 2002, S.O. 2002, c. 24, Sched. B. Seek legal advice promptly.
If You Are in Danger
If you or a child are in immediate danger, call 911. This website is not an emergency service. Enquiries sent through this site are read during business hours and a reply may take up to one business day. Do not rely on this site, a form or an email if you need help now. The Assaulted Women’s Helpline (1-866-863-0511) and Talk4Healing (1-855-554-4325) operate around the clock.
Availability and Response Times
We aim to reply to enquiries within one business day. Contacting us does not guarantee a reply within any particular period, does not create any obligation on the firm to act, and does not stop, extend or satisfy any limitation period, filing date or court deadline that applies to your matter.
Our Telephone Line
Our line is answered 24 hours a day, every day of the year. Outside office hours calls are taken by our intake service, who record your details and pass them to the firm. A lawyer responds during the next business day, or sooner if the matter is urgent. Answering the telephone is not the same as giving legal advice: no advice is given on that call and no solicitor-client relationship arises from it. If you or a child are in immediate danger, call 911.
Reviews and Testimonials
Reviews shown on this site are written by third parties and published on platforms we do not control. Each describes one person’s experience of one matter. They are not a promise, a prediction or a guarantee about any other matter, and they should not be read as a statement about the quality of legal services generally. Every case turns on its own facts.
Links to Other Websites
This site links to regulators, courts, government sources, professional associations and social platforms. Those sites are operated by others. We do not control them, we are not responsible for their content or their accuracy, and a link is not an endorsement. Their privacy practices are their own, not ours.
Where Your Enquiry Information Goes
Information submitted through a form on this site is transmitted using third-party services in order to reach us by email, and may be processed or stored outside Canada, where it can be subject to the laws of that jurisdiction. By submitting a form you consent to that transfer. If you would rather not, telephone us on +1 416 333 6200 instead. We do not sell your information.
Accessibility
We aim to meet the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act and WCAG 2.1 Level AA. If any part of this site prevents you from reaching us, telephone +1 416 333 6200 or email hello@lexaltico.com and we will provide the information in another format. Tell us what would work for you and we will arrange it at no charge.
Lawyers, Paralegals and Consultants
Not everyone at the firm is a lawyer. Licensed paralegals in Ontario may act only within the scope permitted by the Law Society of Ontario, which does not include most family, estate or criminal matters. Immigration consulting may be provided by Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultants, who are not lawyers. Each page and each biography states which applies. Ask us at the outset who will handle your matter and under which licence.
Languages
We serve clients in a number of languages. Every page of this site is written and published in English. Where a document, a summary or a conversation is provided in another language, the English version governs in the event of any difference. If you need an interpreter, tell us when you book and we will arrange one.
Lexaltico LLP
Legal Notices
How Lexaltico LLP handles personal information, under PIPEDA and Ontario law.
What we collect
What you give us
When you use a form on this site, email us or telephone us, we collect what you choose to send:
your name, email address, telephone number and a description of the situation. Nothing on this
site requires you to give more than that.
What is collected automatically
We collect non identifying technical information when you browse: IP address, browser type, pages
viewed and time spent. It is used to understand how the site is used and to improve it. It is not
used to identify you.
What we do not collect here
We do not collect sensitive personal information through this website. Detailed personal and legal
information is collected only after a solicitor client relationship exists, through the channels
set up for that purpose.
How we use it
Purpose
What you send is used to reply to you, to run a conflict check, to assess whether the firm can
assist, and, if a retainer follows, to carry out the work.
Marketing
We do not use your personal information for marketing without your express consent, and we
do not sell, rent or trade it. If you consent to receive anything from us, every message
carries a way to stop, as required by Canada’s Anti Spam Legislation.
Sharing and disclosure
Privilege
Information given to us in the course of a legal matter is protected by solicitor client
privilege. We do not disclose privileged information without your consent, except where the law or
a court order requires it.
Service providers
Non privileged contact information may be shared with the providers who help us run the firm and
this website, and with people engaged on your matter such as translators, agents and court
reporters. All of them are under confidentiality obligations.
Processing outside Canada
Information submitted through a form travels through third party services in order to reach us by
email, and may be processed or stored outside Canada, where it can be subject to
the laws of that place. Submitting a form is your consent to that transfer. If you would rather
not, telephone us instead.
Cookies and measurement
What is set, and when
This site uses cookies to understand how it is used. Advertising cookies are set only if you press
Accept. If you press Decline, measurement is switched off for you entirely, nothing further
is sent, and anything already stored on your device is cleared. The site works either
way.
You can change your answer at any time by clearing this site’s cookies in your browser, which
brings the question back.
Your rights, and how long we keep things
Your rights under PIPEDA
Under the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act,
S.C. 2000, c. 5 you may ask what personal information we hold about you, ask us to correct
anything inaccurate, and withdraw consent to our use of it, subject to legal and contractual
limits. We reply within thirty days or explain why we need longer.
Retention
Client files are kept for the period the law and the Law Society require, ordinarily
seven years after a matter closes, which reflects limitation periods and the
possibility of later proceedings. After that they are securely destroyed or anonymised. You may
ask for earlier deletion, subject to those obligations.
Enquiries that do not become files
If you contact us and no retainer follows, what you sent is retained only as long as our conflict
records require, then destroyed.
If you are not satisfied with our answer you may complain to the Office of the Privacy
Commissioner of Canada.
Short, and written to be read rather than scrolled past.
The four things that matter most
Nothing on this site is legal advice, however specific it looks.
Using the site or sending a form does not make us your lawyers.
Do not send confidential information before a retainer is signed.
Past results depend on their own facts and do not predict yours.
What this site is
Information, not advice
This site publishes several hundred pages about Ontario law. They are written carefully, they cite
statutes and cases by name, and they are reviewed. None of that makes them advice about your
matter. Law is applied to facts, and we do not know yours.
The difference is practical rather than technical. A page explaining that spousal support is
usually indefinite after a twenty year marriage is accurate as a general statement and may be
wrong about you, because of a domestic contract you signed, a period of separation you have
forgotten, or an income that is not what a tax return says it is.
Law also changes. Pages carry a review date where one is relevant. A page reviewed last year may
not reflect an amendment made since, and a page about a subject currently before an appellate
court may be overtaken between your reading it and your acting on it.
When we become your lawyers
Three things must happen first
A conflict check must be completed. We act for a great many people and
businesses, and we cannot act against a current client or use what we learned from a former one.
That check happens before anything else and occasionally means we have to decline.
We must confirm in writing that we are prepared to act. Not every matter is one we
can take, and saying so early is better than taking a file we cannot properly serve.
A retainer agreement must be signed. It sets out what we are doing, what we are
not doing, who is responsible for what, and how fees work. Until it is signed no relationship
exists, whatever has been discussed.
Confidentiality before a retainer
Why you should not send us documents yet
Information sent through a form, or by email, before a retainer is signed is not covered by
solicitor client privilege. That is not a policy we chose. It follows from there being no
solicitor client relationship for the privilege to attach to.
It can also create a problem for you. If you send us detailed information about a dispute and we
are later approached by the other side, what you sent may affect whether we can act for either of
you.
So tell us the shape of the problem and leave out the detail: the area of law, roughly when it
arose, and whether anything is urgent. That is enough for us to say whether we can help. The
documents come after the retainer.
Results, testimonials and reviews
What they do and do not tell you
Case results described anywhere on this site are real and are described accurately, and they are
specific to their own facts. A settlement at three times the original offer happened because of
that employer, that contract and that person’s history. It says nothing about what your
matter is worth.
Client reviews are the views of the people who wrote them. We do not offer anything in return for
a review, we do not write them, and we do not ask only the clients we expect to be positive.
Calculators on this site produce estimates from the figures you enter. They apply published
formulas and they cannot know about the facts that most often change the answer.
Copyright, links and governing law
Copyright
The content of this site belongs to Lexaltico LLP or its licensors. You are welcome to read it,
print it and quote it with attribution. You may not republish it as your own.
Links
We link to statutes, regulations, court decisions and government pages because a reader should be
able to check us. We do not control those sites and are not responsible for them, and a link is
not an endorsement.
Limitation of liability
To the fullest extent the law permits, Lexaltico LLP is not liable for any loss arising from your
use of, or reliance on, anything published on this website.
Governing law
These terms are governed by the law of Ontario and the federal law of Canada that applies in
Ontario. Lawyers and licensed professionals at the firm are regulated by the Law Society of
Ontario, and marketing on this site is intended to comply with the
Rules of Professional Conduct.
Every limit on what this website tells you, and every thing it does not do, in one
place rather than in small print at the bottom of each page.
Before you rely on anything here
Four limits, and they matter in this order.
Not legal advice
Everything published on this website is general information. It is not legal
advice, it does not take account of the facts of any particular situation, and reading it does not
create a solicitor client relationship. Do not act, or decide not to act, on anything here without
speaking to a lawyer licensed in your jurisdiction about your own circumstances.
Jurisdiction
These pages describe the law of Ontario, and of Alberta only
where a page says so expressly. They do not describe the law of any other province, territory or
country. Law that looks similar across jurisdictions frequently is not.
Currency of the law
Each page states the law as at the review date shown on it. Legislation is amended and case law
develops. A page accurate when written may no longer be.
Generality
These pages describe how a rule usually works. That is not the same as how it applies to your
facts. The exceptions are where most real matters live, and a page written for a general reader
cannot tell you whether you are inside a rule or inside its exception.
If you contact us
If you are in danger
If you or a child are in immediate danger, call 911.
This website is not an emergency service. Enquiries sent through a form here are read during
business hours and a reply may take up to one business day.
Using this website, submitting a form, sending an email or speaking to us on the telephone does
not make us your lawyers. That relationship arises only when the firm has
confirmed in writing that it has agreed to act, a conflict search has been completed, and a
retainer has been signed.
Confidentiality of enquiries
Do not send confidential or sensitive information through this website or by email until we have
confirmed in writing that we can act for you. Information sent before that point is
not treated as confidential and may prevent us from acting for you, or for
someone else, in a connected matter.
Response times
We aim to reply within one business day. Contacting us does not guarantee a reply within any
particular period, does not oblige the firm to act, and does not stop, extend or satisfy
any limitation period, filing date or court deadline.
Our telephone line
Our line is answered 24 hours a day, every day of the year. Outside office hours calls are taken
by our intake service, who record your details and pass them to the firm. A lawyer responds during
the next business day, or sooner if the matter is urgent. Answering the telephone is not the same
as giving legal advice, and no relationship arises from that call.
Who we are and how we are regulated
Law Society of Ontario
Lexaltico LLP is regulated by the Law Society of Ontario under the
Law Society Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. L.8. All lawyers practising in
Ontario through the firm are members in good standing.
Law Society of Alberta
Alberta matters are handled by lawyers licensed with, and in good standing with, the
Law Society of Alberta. A lawyer licensed in Ontario is not thereby licensed in
Alberta, and the reverse is also true.
Immigration regulation
Immigration consulting is provided by Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultants
in good standing with the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants under the
College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants Act, S.C. 2019, c. 29,
s. 292.
Lawyers, paralegals and consultants
Not everyone at the firm is a lawyer.
Licensed paralegals in Ontario may act only within the scope the Law Society
permits, which does not include most family, estate or criminal matters.
Immigration consultants are regulated by the College, not by a law society,
and are not lawyers.
Law clerks and managers support files but do not give legal advice.
Each page and biography states which applies. Ask at the outset who will handle your matter and
under which licence.
Languages
We serve clients in thirteen languages. Every page of this website is written and published in
English. Where anything is provided in another language, the English
version governs in the event of a difference. If you need an interpreter, tell us when
you book and we will arrange one.
Fees
The initial assessment
The complimentary 15 minute initial assessment is a brief introductory
conversation. It does not include a review of your documents and does not constitute
legal advice.
The firm charges a fee for substantive consultations, including in civil litigation,
criminal defence and immigration matters. The firm may waive that fee at its discretion.
Any fee is disclosed in advance and credited in full toward your account if you retain the
firm.
Referral fees
All referral fee arrangements, including through LexKonnect, comply with
Rule 3.6-6 of the Law Society of Ontario’s
Rules of Professional Conduct. Fees are disclosed to and consented
to by the client, and no arrangement impairs the independent professional judgment of any lawyer
at the firm.
What is published on this site
Calculators and estimators
They produce estimates from what you type and cannot know the rest. They do not
account for the terms of your contract, statutory exceptions, or the discretion a court will
apply. Do not make a decision on a number produced by a calculator.
Past results
Any outcome described happened on its own facts, before its own decision maker,
under the law as it stood at the time. Past results do not predict or guarantee the result of any
other case.
Reviews and testimonials
Reviews shown here are written by third parties and published on platforms we do not control. Each
describes one person’s experience of one matter. They are not a promise, a
prediction or a guarantee about any other matter.
Links to other websites
This site links to regulators, courts, government sources, professional associations and social
platforms, all operated by others. We do not control them, we are not responsible for
their content or accuracy, and a link is not an endorsement.
Other notices
Limitation periods
Failure to start a proceeding within the applicable limitation period may permanently bar
your claim. In Ontario the general period is two years from discovery
under the Limitations Act, 2002, S.O. 2002, c. 24, Sched. B.
Shorter periods apply to many claims. Seek advice promptly. Nothing on this website extends a
limitation period.
Accessibility
We aim to meet the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act
and WCAG 2.1 Level AA. If any part of this site prevents you from reaching us, telephone
+1 416 333 6200 or write to
hello@lexaltico.com and we will provide the information
in another format, at no charge.