The Edmonton Family Network is a paralegal owned and operated referral service that connects people to independent paralegal service providers, family law lawyers and community support services in the Edmonton area.
Bailey Curtis is the founder of the Edmonton Family Network.
Bailey is a family law paralegal with 10+ years experience and she is a devoted mother to five (5) teenagers (two by birth and three by marriage).
Bailey started her family at a young age, and she has had to overcome many obstacles to finish school and to pursue a career in law. Some of those obstacles included family violence, a deceased co-parent, a loco parentis co-parent that quit after eight years, and the difficulty navigating those issues without any money. Bailey learned how to utilize support services as she pursued a career in law, then as an established paralegal, Bailey found herself in a messy breakup that left her with nothing more than the clothes on her back. Despite knowing many legal professionals, Bailey discovered that most of them had very little knowledge about the options beyond their own sales pitch and she could not afford their fees. This experience influenced Bailey to create the Edmonton Family Network so that others experiencing difficult family situations could discover traditional and non-traditional options when they need it.
When you contact the Edmonton Family Network, we endeavour to reply to your email within two business days. If your email is an inquiry for legal information, we will reply with some resources or contact information to third party professionals who may be able to assist you. We do not receive any compensation from you or anyone that we may recommend to you.
We do not accept phone calls without an appointment. Prior to booking an appointment, we will require both parties first and last names to for a conflict of interest search. If we are unable to speak with you, we will provide you with information for another professional to contact.
If you have a legal problem and you want advice on which steps you should take, you must receive that opinion from a lawyer. Only lawyers are qualified to assess the facts of your situation and to provide you with advice on which steps you should take and the possible outcomes.
The Law Society of Alberta created an online lawyer directory that can be used to search for a lawyer based on criteria such as location, gender, languages spoken and practicing areas. If you are looking for a lawyer, we recommend checking out the Law Society Directory.
If you are looking for a personalized recommendation for a lawyer based on your unique circumstances and goals, the Edmonton Family Network can recommend great lawyers who may be able to assist you.
The cost to hire a lawyer can vary. The average hourly rate for a lawyer is in the range of $350.00 to $500.00, with an upfront retainer deposit requested somewhere in the range of $1,500.00 to $10,000.00. The amount of money needed usually depends on various factors such as the complexity of your legal issues, and the anticipated steps that the lawyer will need to take to assist you with your legal matter.
If you have a little bit of money that you could use to hire a lawyer, it is possible to hire a lawyer to only assist you with bits and pieces of your legal matter. It’s possible to hire a lawyer to only provide you with some support and legal advice while you represent yourself. Many lawyers offer these unbundled legal services as a solution to help keep legal services affordable for people that may not otherwise be able to afford the traditional full representation usually provided by lawyers.
If you can’t afford to hire a lawyer part-time or on a limited scope retainer, you may still have options if you want advice from a lawyer on your legal matter. If you are low income and if your legal matter meets the criteria, it may be possible to have a lawyer appointed to you by Legal Aid Alberta. If you qualify, Legal Aid would pay for your lawyer for you then you would need to repay Legal Aid at a reduced rate (ie, $50.00 per month) until the balance is paid in full. If you do not qualify for Legal Aid, the Edmonton Community Legal Centre or the Student Legal Services of Edmonton may be able to assist you if you meet their program requirements.
It can feel intimidating to find out that the other party has hired a lawyer, especially if you can’t afford to do the same. The good news is that having a lawyer on the other side does not automatically put you at a disadvantage.
The court system was designed to be accessible to self-represented people, and judges are aware that not everyone can afford legal representation. You are still entitled to be heard, to present your position, and to have the process explained to you.
That said, it is important to be prepared. A paralegal can help you understand the process, organize your documents, and make sure you’re not missing any important steps, even if they can’t give you legal advice like a lawyer can. If there are specific times during your matter where legal advice would make a real difference, it is possible to hire a lawyer part-time or on the side. If you are unsure where to start, reach out to us and we can point you in the right direction.
A paralegal is a “non-lawyer” legal professional with a basic understanding of the law, experience drafting documents and basic knowledge of the court procedures. Paralegals usually gain their experience working in law firms and taking instructions from lawyers. Paralegals play an important support role to lawyers and law firms and many paralegals eventually go on to provide legal services independently.
If you have a legal problem and you have a goal in mind, a paralegal can help you with navigating the procedural steps towards it. A paralegal can give you general information on options that may be available to you, but it’s entirely up to you to decide which steps you want to take. A paralegal is not able to give you advice on what you should do, and a paralegal can’t predict the outcome or any possible consequences you may face based on the facts of your case. Only a lawyer can give you that information because it is legal advice.
If you are comfortable calling the shots and living with any consequences that you may face (good or bad), paralegals are a great budget friendly option for people that cannot afford to hire a lawyer for their legal matter.
If you are looking for a professional, whether it’s a lawyer, paralegal, support worker, therapist, etc. we encourage you to pick the best option for you. Interview several different professionals and select the one that has experience in handling situations similar to yours, that you would be comfortable sharing personal information with regarding “the good, the bad and the ugly” of your matter, and that you could afford without experiencing financial hardship from their help. If you want some guidance on how to interview potential service providers, connect with our team.
If you are looking for a paralegal in Alberta for a family law matter, the Edmonton Family Network can connect you with a paralegal.
The cost to hire a paralegal can vary. The average rate for a paralegal is in the range of $100.00 to $200.00 per hour but flat fees are often offered to eliminate any surprises.
Lawyers and paralegals will each provide you with different experience if you chose to hire one over the other. If you chose to hire a lawyer, you are paying your lawyer to make your legal problem their legal problem. Your lawyer will listen to you, take instructions from you and act based on your instructions. Your lawyer will give you legal advice when it’s appropriate and your lawyer will try to shield you from stressful situations.
If you hire a paralegal, you are paying for your paralegal to help you with your legal problem. Your legal problem remains your legal problem at all times. Your paralegal will listen to you, help you define your goals and find the steps that you could take to achieve them. A paralegal can empower you and teach you how to handle your legal problem independently and how to navigate the process confidently as a self-represented person.
Paralegals are not yet regulated in Alberta. This means that anyone can identify as a “paralegal” without first demonstrating that they have the education, knowledge, skills or abilities to perform paralegal work.
Participation in the Alberta Association of Professional Paralegals (“AAPP”) is voluntary and having an AAPP membership is not necessarily an accurate reflection of the skills and abilities of their members or non-members. The AAPP does not have the power or abilities to oversee the profession like the Law Society of Alberta governs lawyers in Alberta.
