Consultation
When I went through the Family Law Group, I was validated on the things that were of core importance to me.
Note: Voices were altered to protect client privacy.
They told me not what I wanted to hear but what I needed to hear. Because there were some legal firms where I walked out of the lawyer's office, just thinking very highly of everything. I've learned never to make a decision in an emotional state, even if it's a good one. So I always let the emotion wear off and realize that I just talked to maybe a yes man, and everything I said was great. But when I went through the Family Law Group, I was validated on the things that were of core importance to me. But then there were things where maybe it was more of an "I want to hear a certain thing than I need." But they were very clear about, "No, you need to understand that these are some limitations. These are some precedents, and these are some realities." So they told me what I wanted to hear, but also what I needed to.
It was a direct referral. I didn't start with Caitlin. I started, I think, with one of their more senior lawyers. For the initial consult, I didn't mind paying the extra bucks. I wanted the best 10,000-foot view looking down. I went with the direct referral of my stepmother. "This is the law group I highly recommend. This is the lawyer specifically that you should talk to." I called them up and said, "Someone referred me, and this is the lawyer I would like to speak to specifically for my one-hour initial consult." This is the first time I've ever spoken with lawyers. So, I only have the three or four law offices I spoke to. But you could tell she had a lot of experience, and it showed.
I just wanted to try and make sure that I kept a level head. It's easy to let your emotions run away with you and lose the point and get a little too emotional. I was just trying to emotionally check myself and make sure that I mentioned the important facts that I wanted to. Like, I had some notes with me again, just so I didn't run myself off the track. It was a matter of just, "Take a breath. Don't talk too fast. Stick to the facts and take the information that's given."
When you've never gone through a legal system before, you've always just thought what you did was right. There's always that thought when you have to address it for someone, "Have I done the right thing, and am I approaching this the right way?" Now I'm going to be under the microscope for all these things, and have I really been on the right path? And just to hear the validation of, "Nope, you have the right mindset. You've done the right things. As long as we put things down as they were and as you put them, then everything should be fine."
So it was a huge weight off to realize I had done the right thing. But also get that constructive criticism of these are the things you need to adhere to. Right, wrong, or indifferent. This is how the system works, and this is what you have to make sure that you're taking into consideration. Those few things that I wouldn't have known about. Like, "This may be what you want, but this is what we're going to need." It was really quite an impressive balance, and they did it very well.
Their level of honesty and feedback was... It was just one of those things that, again, told me I was at the right spot. Because they had an incredibly deep knowledge of the family legal system. And knew exactly what could be done. But were also very clear on possible results and one judge versus another judge and interpretation. Their constructive criticism and absolute level of honesty were some of the best things.
I told myself to wait a week. Let all the emotions settle down. But really, my opinion didn't change during that. I would say they were very clearly the firm I wanted to go with from the start. Once I had gone to all four, and that fourth meeting was done and slept on it for a day, it was like, okay, "The Family Law Group is where it's at, but just mull it over for a couple of days."
It was a direct referral. I didn't start with Caitlin. I started, I think, with one of their more senior lawyers. For the initial consult, I didn't mind paying the extra bucks. I wanted the best 10,000-foot view looking down. I went with the direct referral of my stepmother. "This is the law group I highly recommend. This is the lawyer specifically that you should talk to." I called them up and said, "Someone referred me, and this is the lawyer I would like to speak to specifically for my one-hour initial consult." This is the first time I've ever spoken with lawyers. So, I only have the three or four law offices I spoke to. But you could tell she had a lot of experience, and it showed.
I just wanted to try and make sure that I kept a level head. It's easy to let your emotions run away with you and lose the point and get a little too emotional. I was just trying to emotionally check myself and make sure that I mentioned the important facts that I wanted to. Like, I had some notes with me again, just so I didn't run myself off the track. It was a matter of just, "Take a breath. Don't talk too fast. Stick to the facts and take the information that's given."
When you've never gone through a legal system before, you've always just thought what you did was right. There's always that thought when you have to address it for someone, "Have I done the right thing, and am I approaching this the right way?" Now I'm going to be under the microscope for all these things, and have I really been on the right path? And just to hear the validation of, "Nope, you have the right mindset. You've done the right things. As long as we put things down as they were and as you put them, then everything should be fine."
So it was a huge weight off to realize I had done the right thing. But also get that constructive criticism of these are the things you need to adhere to. Right, wrong, or indifferent. This is how the system works, and this is what you have to make sure that you're taking into consideration. Those few things that I wouldn't have known about. Like, "This may be what you want, but this is what we're going to need." It was really quite an impressive balance, and they did it very well.
Their level of honesty and feedback was... It was just one of those things that, again, told me I was at the right spot. Because they had an incredibly deep knowledge of the family legal system. And knew exactly what could be done. But were also very clear on possible results and one judge versus another judge and interpretation. Their constructive criticism and absolute level of honesty were some of the best things.
I told myself to wait a week. Let all the emotions settle down. But really, my opinion didn't change during that. I would say they were very clearly the firm I wanted to go with from the start. Once I had gone to all four, and that fourth meeting was done and slept on it for a day, it was like, okay, "The Family Law Group is where it's at, but just mull it over for a couple of days."
Contact Details
Family Law Group
1579, Hyde Park Road
London, ON, N6H 5L4
Phone: (519) 672-5953