The traditional lawyer-client model in family law, where clients retain a lawyer or law firm to handle every aspect of their case (and charge accordingly) is pivoting now with more people representing themselves in negotiations and court proceedings to save money and/or have more control over their process.

For people who represent themselves, the legal coaching model may prove very valuable.

Legal coaching is a service where a lawyer-coach offers “behind-the-scenes guidance on both the hard and soft skills of lawyering…to provide clients with the strategies and tools needed to present their own case as effectively as possible in the absence of counsel – Nikki Gershbain, FLO Research Fellow.

In a legal coaching model the client does the work (this is different from a Limited Scope Retainer where the lawyer is hired to do certain hands-on jobs) and the lawyer-coach’s goal is that of empowering the client to navigate their family law issue from beginning to end.

Coaches assist with strategic planning and assessing legal options.  Legal coaches are lawyers (at least at our firm) and they do provide legal advice to clients.  It is a client-led process and very dependent on the client’s stated goals.

If you have questions about the legal coaching model please reach out to us by contacting Fiona Bryan at fbryan@gagefamilylaw.ca.