Independent Legal Advice • Ontario
Need a Certificate of Independent Legal Advice in Ontario? Shaikh Law Firm provides independent legal advice for separation agreements, marriage contracts, cohabitation agreements, guarantees and other legal documents. Our Ontario lawyers review your agreement, explain your legal rights and obligations, and may issue an ILA certificate where appropriate.
Standard ILA Certificate: $699 + HST
Flat fee for a standard, straightforward ILA matter, including document review, a lawyer consultation and a certificate where appropriate. Complex matters, revisions and negotiations are excluded.
Understanding Independent Legal Advice
Independent legal advice helps you understand the legal consequences of an agreement before making an important decision.
(ILA) stands for Independent Legal Advice. In Ontario, it is legal advice provided by a lawyer who acts solely in your interests and independently of the other party to an agreement or transaction. Your ILA lawyer reviews the agreement, explains its legal consequences, identifies important rights, risks and obligations, and answers your questions before you decide whether to sign.
Your lawyer examines the agreement and considers its legal effect.
Important rights, liabilities, restrictions and obligations are explained.
You receive advice focused on your interests and have an opportunity to ask questions.
Where appropriate, your lawyer may issue a Certificate of Independent Legal Advice.
Important: A Certificate of Independent Legal Advice confirms that independent advice was provided. It does not guarantee that an agreement is fair, enforceable or free from legal risks.
When ILA May Be Required
Independent Legal Advice in Ontario is commonly obtained before signing agreements that affect important legal or financial rights. You may need an ILA lawyer when signing a separation agreement, marriage contract, cohabitation agreement, personal guarantee or mortgage document, particularly where another party or financial institution requires a Certificate of Independent Legal Advice.
Before signing a separation agreement, each spouse may obtain independent legal advice about matters such as property division, support, parenting provisions, releases and other legal consequences of the agreement.
Separation Agreement ILA →A lawyer can explain the rights being preserved, changed or waived under a marriage contract or prenuptial agreement before you sign the document.
Marriage Contract ILA →Parties entering into a cohabitation agreement may seek an ILA lawyer to review the agreement and explain its effect on property, support and other rights or obligations.
Cohabitation Agreement ILA →If you are being asked to guarantee another person's or corporation's debt, independent advice can help you understand your potential personal liability and financial exposure before signing.
Independent legal advice may also be appropriate for shareholder, commercial and other agreements where the parties have different legal or financial interests.
A mortgage lender may require a spouse, borrower or guarantor to obtain Independent Legal Advice before signing mortgage documents. Our Ontario lawyers provide mortgage-specific ILA, including advice on relevant obligations, liabilities and lender requirements.
Mortgage ILA Lawyer →
Certificate of Independent Legal Advice
A Certificate of Independent Legal Advice (ILA) is a document signed by an independent lawyer confirming that legal advice was provided regarding a particular agreement or transaction. In Ontario, ILA certificates are commonly requested for separation agreements, marriage contracts, cohabitation agreements, mortgage transactions and personal guarantees.
An ILA certificate confirms that a person received independent legal advice about the legal rights, obligations and potential risks associated with an agreement. Before issuing the certificate, the lawyer reviews the relevant documents, explains their legal consequences and gives the client an opportunity to ask questions. A Certificate of Independent Legal Advice is not merely a witnessed signature. It records that independent legal advice was provided and does not, by itself, establish that the agreement is fair or legally enforceable.
The lawyer advises you independently of the other party to the agreement.
The lawyer reviews the agreement and its relevant legal provisions.
Relevant rights, risks, liabilities and obligations are explained.
You can ask questions and discuss concerns before deciding whether to sign.
Where appropriate, the lawyer may sign the Certificate of Independent Legal Advice.
The lawyer must be satisfied that issuing the certificate is appropriate after providing independent legal advice. If concerns arise, additional review, advice or amendments may be necessary. Issuance is not guaranteed, and the certificate does not establish that the agreement is fair or free from legal risks.
Clear Flat-Fee Pricing
The cost of Independent Legal Advice in Ontario depends on the agreement and the complexity of the advice required. Shaikh Law Firm offers a flat fee for a standard ILA matter so you know the legal fee before getting started.
Standard Independent Legal Advice
$699 + HST
Our standard ILA fee applies to one client requiring independent legal advice on one substantially completed, straightforward agreement. The fee includes document review, one lawyer consultation and a Certificate of Independent Legal Advice where appropriate.
QUOTEThe $699 + HST flat fee applies to one client, one substantially completed, straightforward agreement and one lawyer consultation.
Drafting or amending agreements, negotiating terms, reviewing revised versions, extensive financial disclosure analysis, additional consultations and unusually complex documents are not included in the standard fee. Additional legal work will be quoted separately before proceeding.
The fee covers professional legal services rendered. Issuance of an ILA certificate is subject to the lawyer's professional assessment and is not guaranteed.
The cost of a Certificate of Independent Legal Advice in Ontario depends on the type of agreement, the complexity of the legal advice required and the amount of work involved.
For a standard, straightforward ILA matter, Shaikh Law Firm charges $699 + HST. This flat fee includes reviewing one substantially completed agreement, providing independent legal advice during a lawyer consultation and issuing an ILA certificate where appropriate.
More complex agreements, extensive financial disclosure reviews, drafting, negotiations or additional consultations may increase the overall cost. Such services fall outside our standard flat-fee package and are quoted separately.
Simple & Straightforward
Obtaining Independent Legal Advice (ILA) in Ontario generally involves submitting your agreement, having it reviewed by an independent lawyer, attending a private consultation and, where appropriate, receiving a Certificate of Independent Legal Advice.
Provide the agreement or legal document for which you require Independent Legal Advice, together with any relevant supporting documents.
Your ILA lawyer reviews the document and identifies the important rights, obligations, risks and legal consequences that should be discussed.
You meet privately with your lawyer to review the agreement, receive independent advice and ask questions before deciding whether to sign.
Following your consultation, you may decide whether to sign the agreement. Where appropriate, your lawyer may complete and sign the Certificate of Independent Legal Advice.
Send us the agreement and basic details of your matter. Our team can confirm the scope, fee and next steps before you proceed.
Family Law Agreements
Independent Legal Advice (ILA) for family law agreements in Ontario helps individuals understand their legal rights and obligations before signing a separation agreement, marriage contract or cohabitation agreement. An independent family lawyer can review the proposed terms, explain their potential consequences and identify legal or financial risks that may require further consideration.
Review terms dealing with property, support, parenting arrangements, releases and other rights before signing a separation agreement.
Learn More 02 /Understand how a marriage contract or prenuptial agreement may affect property, support and other financial rights.
Learn More 03 /Obtain independent advice about a cohabitation agreement governing property, financial obligations and support between common-law partners.
Learn MoreIndependent Legal Advice should be provided by a lawyer who represents your interests independently of the other party. A lawyer acting for your spouse or partner in the same agreement cannot also provide you with independent legal advice about that agreement. Obtaining separate legal advice helps ensure that you understand the rights and obligations you are agreeing to before signing.
Beyond Family Law
An ILA lawyer in Ontario may be required or recommended in many situations beyond family law. Independent Legal Advice is particularly important where you are assuming significant financial obligations, guaranteeing another person's debt or signing an agreement where the other party is separately represented.
A lender may require a guarantor to obtain Independent Legal Advice before signing a guarantee. Your lawyer can explain the extent of your potential personal liability, the obligations being assumed and the risks if the borrower does not meet the debt obligations.
Independent advice may be appropriate where shareholders, business partners or other contracting parties have different interests. An independent lawyer can review the document from your perspective before you decide whether to sign.
ILA may also be requested for releases, waivers, acknowledgements and other legal documents where it is important to demonstrate that a person received their own legal advice before agreeing to significant legal or financial consequences.
Mortgage lenders sometimes require a spouse, guarantor, borrower or other party to obtain separate Independent Legal Advice for a mortgage. Because mortgage ILA involves lender-specific documents and obligations, we provide a separate resource explaining the process, requirements and fees in greater detail.
Learn what documents are reviewed, when lenders require ILA and how the mortgage ILA process works.
Mortgage ILA LawyerIndependent Legal Advice FAQs
Answers to common questions about Independent Legal Advice in Ontario, ILA certificate costs, legal requirements, virtual appointments and obtaining a Certificate of Independent Legal Advice.
At Shaikh Law Firm, the cost of a Certificate of Independent Legal Advice is $699 + HST for a standard, straightforward ILA matter.
This flat fee covers a review of one substantially completed agreement, one consultation with an independent Ontario lawyer and completion of an ILA certificate where professionally appropriate.
Complex agreements, additional consultations, negotiations or document revisions are outside the standard scope and may require a separate fee.
Independent Legal Advice fees in Ontario vary according to the agreement, its complexity and the work required. Lawyers may charge a flat fee for straightforward ILA matters or bill hourly for more extensive legal work.
Shaikh Law Firm charges $699 + HST for its standard ILA service. Drafting, negotiating, revising agreements or reviewing extensive financial disclosure may attract additional fees.
The standard $699 + HST fee includes reviewing one substantially completed agreement, one lawyer consultation, an explanation of the material legal rights and obligations, and an opportunity to ask questions.
Where appropriate, the fee also includes completing and signing one standard Certificate of Independent Legal Advice. Drafting, negotiations, revisions and additional consultations are not included.
Yes, fees may remain payable for professional legal services performed, including document review and legal advice, even if an ILA certificate is not issued.
Issuing a certificate is not automatic. The lawyer must first assess the agreement, provide independent advice and determine whether the certificate can properly be completed. The applicable fee arrangements will be confirmed in the retainer.
A Certificate of Independent Legal Advice (ILA) is a document signed by an independent lawyer recording that legal advice was provided concerning a particular agreement or transaction.
The lawyer reviews the relevant documents, explains their legal consequences and gives the client an opportunity to ask questions. The certificate is not merely a witnessed signature and does not guarantee that the agreement is fair or enforceable.
To obtain an ILA certificate in Ontario, contact an independent lawyer and provide the agreement requiring legal advice, together with relevant supporting documents.
The lawyer reviews the material, explains the legal consequences during a private consultation and answers your questions. If appropriate, the lawyer may then complete and sign the Certificate of Independent Legal Advice.
Independent Legal Advice is not automatically mandatory for every agreement in Ontario. Whether ILA is legally required, contractually required or advisable depends on the document and surrounding circumstances.
For example, a mortgage lender may require a guarantor or spouse to obtain ILA before completing a transaction. Independent advice may also be particularly important for separation agreements, marriage contracts and cohabitation agreements.
Independent Legal Advice is not an automatic statutory requirement for every separation agreement in Ontario. However, obtaining separate advice is strongly advisable because the agreement may affect important property, support and financial rights.
Under section 56(4) of Ontario's Family Law Act, a court may set aside a domestic contract in specified circumstances, including significant nondisclosure or a party's failure to understand the nature or consequences of the agreement. An ILA certificate does not make an agreement immune from challenge.
Each person requiring independent advice should have a lawyer who can advise independently and without a conflict of interest.
A lawyer representing your spouse, business partner or another party in the same agreement cannot ordinarily provide you with independent legal advice concerning that agreement.
Yes. Shaikh Law Firm offers virtual Independent Legal Advice consultations across Ontario where appropriate.
Whether the agreement and ILA certificate can be completed remotely depends on the nature of the documents, identity verification, signing requirements and any instructions from a lender or other institution.
You should generally provide the complete agreement requiring Independent Legal Advice, relevant supporting documents, any prescribed ILA certificate form and acceptable identification.
Depending on the matter, the lawyer may also require financial disclosure, mortgage instructions, schedules or other documents before providing advice.
The time required depends on the length and complexity of the agreement, availability of supporting documents, lawyer appointment scheduling and any signing requirements.
Straightforward matters may be completed more efficiently when the substantially completed agreement and all relevant documents are provided in advance. Additional review or amendments may delay completion.
Yes. An independent lawyer may decline to issue an ILA certificate if the circumstances do not permit the lawyer to certify the matters required.
For example, concerns about inadequate disclosure, a conflict of interest, undue influence or a client's understanding of the agreement may require further investigation, additional advice or a decision not to certify.
No. Receiving Independent Legal Advice does not oblige you to sign the agreement. The purpose of ILA is to help you understand the legal consequences and make an informed decision.
You may decide to proceed, request changes through the appropriate parties, or decline to sign. Any additional drafting or negotiation would fall outside the standard ILA service.
Send us your agreement and basic details. Our team can review the nature of the request and confirm the fee and next steps.
Shaikh Law Firm
Our head office is located in Mississauga. Shaikh Law Firm provides Independent Legal Advice to clients across Ontario, with virtual appointments available where appropriate.
Start With Clear Pricing
Tell us about the agreement or document you need reviewed. Request a written quote for your Independent Legal Advice matter.
Prefer to speak with our team? Call (905) 795-7757