Former Prosecutor turned
Criminal Defense Lawyer
Jonathan J. Israels is a Vancouver
Criminal Defense Lawyer (and former Crown prosecutor at both Provincial and Supreme Court), who represents individuals being investigated and/or charged with all types of criminal offences.
Free Consultation
The initial in-person consultation to discuss your legal matter is FREE. The consultation is a personal meeting with Mr. Israels, and not an associate. Mr. Israels will take the time to carefully review your legal matter with you in a non-rushed atmosphere. If possible, he will take the time to review your Police report in order to explain to you the charges that you are facing and the possible defences that exist. Mr. Israels will also outline for you the cost of his retainer. Once you make a determination that you wish to retain Mr. Israels' services, legal fees are also discussed. The fees vary from case to case, and will depend upon the complexity and nature of the investigation and/or criminal charge(s) that you are faced with, or the nature of the problem (such as the return of seized money or property).
Criminal Defense Lawyers do not usually charge on a per hour schedule; rather, legal fees are determined on a fixed fee or block fee basis. That said, Mr. Israels' fees are outlined in a Contract called a "Retainer / Fixed Fee Agreement". All costs involved in your defence are clearly outlined in said Agreement which is signed by both the Client and Mr. Israels. From a Client's perspective, such a written Agreement provides confidence and security in knowing exactly what the total fee will be and not a penny more; there are no hidden costs or additional expenses / bills. It is also important to note that your legal fees cover all aspects of Mr. Israels' involvement in your file, including: Court appearances, the use of the Articled Student, legal research, preparation, photocopying, letters, parking, gas, mileage, phone calls, emails, and personal meetings to discuss your case or legal issue.
If you are not in a financial position to pay the fees at the outset, there is an option of entering into a payment plan schedule - this is determined in consultation with the Client in order to ensure that the Client is comfortable in making monthly payments of the agreed upon amount. For your convenience, Mr. Israels' office accepts: Visa, Mastercard, direct debit (Interac), certified cheque, bank draft, or cash.