Our Commitments

Without our clients, we’re really just a bunch of people who like to talk. You make us what we are, and it is for you that we started Spark LLP. We are committed to ensuring that you, our clients, remain the focal point for everything we do. This commitment means:

• Competence: You are entitled to the best legal advice possible, and we work hard to stay at the top of our game to ensure that you get it. We won’t bore you with the details, but what this really means is that we spend a lot of time reading, researching, going to courses, and generally sifting through a lot of information to ensure that we don’t miss that one nugget of information that will help you with your case.
  
  
• Discretion: Your business is your own. We are obligated to maintain privilege, of course. That means that all of our discussions about your matter and our advice to you cannot be disclosed by us to anyone else under almost any circumstances. The reason for this is that, without knowing everything, lawyers cannot provide the best possible advice. But our obligation to maintain your confidences goes beyond even what is protected by privilege. What it comes down to is this: we can and do keep your secrets. We won’t even tell your wife about that new videogame you bought with your last expense cheque.
  
  
• Transparency: You need to know what is happening with your legal matter. We want you to understand what we are doing and why, and what you can do to help your matter along. You are welcome to ask us any questions you want about what we are doing, how we are doing it, and how much we are charging you for it. Your understanding is important to your satisfaction with our services. And that, for us, is our most important objective.
  
  
• Respect: You deserve to be treated with respect. What this means to us beyond the obvious is that to us, you are not just clients. We always keep in mind that you are real people with real problems and you have come to us for help. We will not—like some lawyers—explain in a condescending voice that we’ll take care of things. We will involve you in what we do, and will ensure that you understand every step we take.
  
  
• Value: You should get the best possible value for your legal services dollar, and you should understand exactly what that value is. We work hard with you to ensure that we bill you in a way that makes the most sense to you and for your particular matter. We try to stay away from the billable hour, but even when we do bill by the hour we make sure you understand the value that you are getting.

At Spark LLP, we believe strongly in supporting the communities in which we live and practise. We value our connection to our communities, and this is why we encourage all members of the firm to involve themselves in community activities, pro bono legal services, other volunteer work, and charitable fundraising. As a firm, we focus our support on organisations which improve access to justice.

• Pro Bono: As lawyers, we feel strongly that our professional obligations extend to helping those who cannot afford legal services. We have been involved in education rights and human rights cases, and have assisted individuals and small family-run businesses in all manner of cases.
  
  
• Community Service: The communities in which we live and practice are important to us. We involve ourselves in community organisations and volunteer at community events both in our home and our work communities.
  
  
• Charitable Donations: We support organizations which promote and support access to justice, such as Justice for Children and Youth and Pro Bono Law Ontario, among others.

At Spark LLP we don’t take ourselves too seriously. But we are serious about our work. We are serious about providing top-quality, practical, and cost-effective legal advice to our clients. And we are serious about our profession.

We actively participate in the governance of the profession. Jacqueline was first elected as a bencher of the Law Society of Upper Canada in 2011 (Benchers are members of “Convocation” which is the governing body of the Law Society). At the time, Jacqueline was the youngest bencher ever elected. She was elected to a second term in 2015, and continues to work to improve the profession.

We are also involved in the Ontario Bar Association, and we are members of the Advocates’ Society, and many other professional organizations. We mentor young lawyers, teach continuing legal education courses and law school courses, and we are members of boards of directors of legal organizations.

Most importantly, we strive to be examples to our peers in the way we practice law. We strongly believe that fearless and zealous advocacy is not incompatible with  professional courtesy and civility—and not just in litigation, but in all practice areas.