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Difference between revisions of "Lawyers & The Law Society"
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Boiling all this down a bit, your lawyer performs two key roles. First, your lawyer is like a plumber: if you tell your plumber to install your sink, he or she installs your sink. On the other hand, if you tell your plumber to hook the hot water pipe up to the ice-making machine intake, you'd expect your plumber to give you some common sense advice about why that might be a bad idea. Second, your lawyer is like a champion: your lawyer is your sword and shield, protecting you from some of the more unpleasant and adversarial aspects of litigation while boldly pursuing your claim. | Boiling all this down a bit, your lawyer performs two key roles. First, your lawyer is like a plumber: if you tell your plumber to install your sink, he or she installs your sink. On the other hand, if you tell your plumber to hook the hot water pipe up to the ice-making machine intake, you'd expect your plumber to give you some common sense advice about why that might be a bad idea. Second, your lawyer is like a champion: your lawyer is your sword and shield, protecting you from some of the more unpleasant and adversarial aspects of litigation while boldly pursuing your claim. | ||
Both of these analogies are totally cheesy but apt. You should expect your lawyer to take the heat for you and fearlessly advance your claim. While you should expect your lawyer to do just what you tell him or her to do, you should also expect your lawyer to give you good advice if your instructions are not in your best interests, and perhaps even refuse to accept your instructions. You should especially expect your lawyer to tell you if what you want to do <span class="noglossary">will</span> be harmful to your case. | Both of these analogies are totally cheesy but apt. You should expect your lawyer to take the heat for you and fearlessly <span class="noglossary">advance</span> your claim. While you should expect your lawyer to do just what you tell him or her to do, you should also expect your lawyer to give you good advice if your instructions are not in your best interests, and perhaps even refuse to accept your instructions. You should especially expect your lawyer to tell you if what you want to do <span class="noglossary">will</span> be harmful to your case. | ||
Some lawyers are also mediators, arbitrators and parenting coordinators. Lawyers who act in these roles are not serving as advocates in a traditional lawyer-client relationship; their jobs are much different. | Some lawyers are also mediators, arbitrators and parenting coordinators. Lawyers who <span class="noglossary">act</span> in these roles are not serving as advocates in a traditional lawyer-client relationship; their jobs are much different. | ||
Lawyers who are family law mediators have special, additional training in mediation. Family law mediators do not represent you or your spouse; they are providing mediation services to the both of you, rather than advocacy services for just one of you. Lawyers who act as mediators are neither party's advocate. | Lawyers who are family law mediators have special, additional training in mediation. Family law mediators do not represent you or your spouse; they are providing mediation services to the both of you, rather than advocacy services for just one of you. Lawyers who act as mediators are neither party's advocate. | ||
Lawyers who are family law arbitrators have special, additional training in arbitration and have to meet other requirements imposed by the Law Society and the [http://canlii.ca/t/8rdx Family Law Act Regulation]. Family law arbitrators are like private judges; their job is to hear the evidence and arguments necessary to decide a problem and then decide the problem by making a decision. Lawyers who act as arbitrators are neither party's advocate, they are neutral decision makers. | Lawyers who are family law arbitrators have special, additional training in arbitration and have to meet other requirements imposed by the Law Society and the [http://canlii.ca/t/8rdx Family Law Act Regulation]. Family law arbitrators are like private judges; their job is to hear the evidence and arguments necessary to decide a problem and then decide the problem by making a decision. Lawyers who <span class="noglossary">act</span> as arbitrators are neither party's advocate, they are neutral decision makers. | ||
Lawyers who are parenting coordinators are trained as mediators and arbitrators, and have a great deal of training on top of that. The sort of services parenting coordinators provide are a blend of mediation and arbitration, with a bit of counselling thrown in. Parenting coordinators help parents deal with parenting disputes when they arise and, if an agreement cannot be reached through a process that's a lot like mediation, then the parenting coordinator will make a decision resolving the issue through a process that's a lot like arbitration. Lawyers who act as parenting coordinators are neither party's advocate. If they're anyone's advocate, they're the children's advocate. | Lawyers who are parenting coordinators are trained as mediators and arbitrators, and have a great deal of training on top of that. The sort of services parenting coordinators provide are a blend of mediation and arbitration, with a bit of counselling thrown in. Parenting coordinators help parents deal with parenting disputes when they arise and, if an agreement cannot be reached through a process that's a lot like mediation, then the parenting coordinator will make a decision resolving the issue through a process that's a lot like arbitration. Lawyers who act as parenting coordinators are neither party's advocate. If they're anyone's advocate, they're the children's advocate. | ||
