Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is a freelance lawyer?
A freelance lawyer assists other lawyers, law firms, and in-house legal departments on an hourly, project, contract, or part-time basis. They act as independent contractors and in an “on-demand” capacity. Freelance lawyers only work with other lawyers and do not take on end-clients directly.
2. Why do some lawyers want to work this way?
While each freelance lawyer has his or her own reasons for choosing this career path, all of our lawyers appreciate the flexibility that freelance lawyering provides while still being able to engage in challenging and interesting legal work.
3. Are you a law firm?
No, Flex Legal Network is not a law firm. Flex is a legal staffing company (but was founded and is run by a lawyer, so she gets it!) Flex helps lawyers, law firms and in-house legal departments outsource their overflow legal work to a network of freelance lawyers who are independent practitioners. Flex's lawyer and law firm clients enjoy the benefits of the network as a 'one-stop' shop to find freelance lawyers to meet their business needs. Our Flex lawyers are independent and do not constitute a law firm among themselves.
4. How do you assist sole practitioners, firms, and in-house legal departments?
Our freelance lawyers provide a cost-effective solution to cover overflow work or provide lawyer assistance with a particular expertise, but only when needed, and with no overhead costs. Our freelance lawyers assist on an hourly, part-time, contract, or project basis. As our lawyers have diverse legal experiences and backgrounds, they can assist in a variety of ways from contract review and due diligence, to legal research and court attendances, as well as with legal project and knowledge management. A full list of our services and the work you can outsource can be found here.
5. What are the benefits to using a freelance lawyer?
Our freelance lawyers are all pre-screened (see Question 12 below), highly qualified, and experienced (5-10+ years) lawyers available to work on a flexible basis, without the overhead costs of a full-time associate. Flex lawyers are a resource for law firms and lawyers who are being pressured to re-evaluate their costs and fees charged to end-clients. Outsourcing to a Flex lawyer also allows our clients to temporarily expand their practice when there is a surge of work and contract their practice when the work is done.
6. What are your rates & how do I bill out the cost of freelance lawyers to my clients?
Each Flex lawyer sets his or her own fees or rates depending on the nature and the scope of the work requested. However, Flex lawyers competitively price their services below market rates so you can protect your margins. Our Flex lawyers have reasonable hourly rates (from $125 - $300/hr) or offer fixed, flat, and per word rates (for blog & conference papers).
There are several options on how to recoup and even mark-up a freelance lawyer's fees when billing them out to your client. For the short answer see our blog post "The Ethics of Freelance Lawyering: Marking-up Fees". For the long answer (with research & analysis) please see our "How To Guide: Billing Out & Marking-Up Flex Freelance Lawyers' Fees to Clients"
7. What is the relationship between the freelance lawyer and the lawyer or firm that hires them?
Flex lawyers are engaged directly with the sole practitioner, law firm, or in-house legal department as independent contractors in their individual capacity. In other words, you do not retain Flex Legal. Flex Legal is a legal staffing company that facilitates the introduction. For more information see our Terms & Conditions.
8. Do I, as the hiring lawyer, remain on record?
Yes. The client and the file remains with you as the supervising lawyer and solicitor of record.
9. What about conflicts and confidentiality?
To avoid the potential for conflicts of interest to arise with your file, Flex Legal does not hold or have access to any confidential information or documentation relating to the matters worked on by our Flex lawyers. Just as you as the hiring lawyer must run conflicts checks, our Flex lawyers individually run checks and monitor any potential conflicts which may arise as a result of work which they have previously carried out.
Flex has a confidentiality agreement with our freelance lawyers within our Membership Terms of Use which applies alongside their usual professional obligations, and as lawyers licensed and insured in Canada they are bound by their duty of confidentiality.
10. Do I have to tell my clients that I am outsourcing work to a freelance lawyer?
Yes. You cannot share your client's information without their consent. However, this is a great opportunity to explain to your client the benefits and cost-savings when engaging a freelance lawyer. Hiring a freelance lawyer will let you outsource some of the work out at a lower rate and free up your time to focus on certain aspects of your client's file that require your attention. Clients appreciate that hiring a freelance lawyer helps you effectively and efficiently handle their case. We have sample wording for your retainer and a sample letter you can send to your clients seeking their consent in our guide to billing out and marking up freelance lawyers' fees.
11. Are your lawyers insured?
Yes. All Flex lawyers are insured as sole practitioners through LawPro (or their applicable professional insurer) and are in good standing with the Law Society of Ontario (or other applicable law society if located in another Canadian province).
12. What is your process for vetting the lawyers?
In general we require our freelance lawyers to be at a minimum 5-10 years post call and have experience at a reputable law firm and/or as in-house counsel. Prior to accepting a freelance lawyer into our network, each lawyer has an in-depth interview with two members of our team, including Flex's Founder & President, Erin Cowling, to ensure that they have the requisite experience, but as importantly, that they are a fit in personality and align with our Flex values and Flex client expectations. In addition to interviewing our Flex lawyer candidates, we also require one or two references and a writing sample.
13. Where are your lawyers located?
Currently we have lawyers located in Toronto, Oakville, Belleville, Ottawa, Saskatoon, and Vancouver. However, our freelance lawyers also take on work from lawyers and law firms outside of these cities given that we most often work virtually. We are always looking to expand our network throughout Canada.
14. I am a lawyer and I want to hire a freelance lawyer to assist with my overflow work, what do I do?
Great! Head to our Hire Us page and let's get started!
15. I am a lawyer and I want to become a Flex freelance lawyer, what do I do?
Great! Head to our Join Us page for how to join our network.
A freelance lawyer assists other lawyers, law firms, and in-house legal departments on an hourly, project, contract, or part-time basis. They act as independent contractors and in an “on-demand” capacity. Freelance lawyers only work with other lawyers and do not take on end-clients directly.
2. Why do some lawyers want to work this way?
While each freelance lawyer has his or her own reasons for choosing this career path, all of our lawyers appreciate the flexibility that freelance lawyering provides while still being able to engage in challenging and interesting legal work.
3. Are you a law firm?
No, Flex Legal Network is not a law firm. Flex is a legal staffing company (but was founded and is run by a lawyer, so she gets it!) Flex helps lawyers, law firms and in-house legal departments outsource their overflow legal work to a network of freelance lawyers who are independent practitioners. Flex's lawyer and law firm clients enjoy the benefits of the network as a 'one-stop' shop to find freelance lawyers to meet their business needs. Our Flex lawyers are independent and do not constitute a law firm among themselves.
4. How do you assist sole practitioners, firms, and in-house legal departments?
Our freelance lawyers provide a cost-effective solution to cover overflow work or provide lawyer assistance with a particular expertise, but only when needed, and with no overhead costs. Our freelance lawyers assist on an hourly, part-time, contract, or project basis. As our lawyers have diverse legal experiences and backgrounds, they can assist in a variety of ways from contract review and due diligence, to legal research and court attendances, as well as with legal project and knowledge management. A full list of our services and the work you can outsource can be found here.
5. What are the benefits to using a freelance lawyer?
Our freelance lawyers are all pre-screened (see Question 12 below), highly qualified, and experienced (5-10+ years) lawyers available to work on a flexible basis, without the overhead costs of a full-time associate. Flex lawyers are a resource for law firms and lawyers who are being pressured to re-evaluate their costs and fees charged to end-clients. Outsourcing to a Flex lawyer also allows our clients to temporarily expand their practice when there is a surge of work and contract their practice when the work is done.
6. What are your rates & how do I bill out the cost of freelance lawyers to my clients?
Each Flex lawyer sets his or her own fees or rates depending on the nature and the scope of the work requested. However, Flex lawyers competitively price their services below market rates so you can protect your margins. Our Flex lawyers have reasonable hourly rates (from $125 - $300/hr) or offer fixed, flat, and per word rates (for blog & conference papers).
There are several options on how to recoup and even mark-up a freelance lawyer's fees when billing them out to your client. For the short answer see our blog post "The Ethics of Freelance Lawyering: Marking-up Fees". For the long answer (with research & analysis) please see our "How To Guide: Billing Out & Marking-Up Flex Freelance Lawyers' Fees to Clients"
7. What is the relationship between the freelance lawyer and the lawyer or firm that hires them?
Flex lawyers are engaged directly with the sole practitioner, law firm, or in-house legal department as independent contractors in their individual capacity. In other words, you do not retain Flex Legal. Flex Legal is a legal staffing company that facilitates the introduction. For more information see our Terms & Conditions.
8. Do I, as the hiring lawyer, remain on record?
Yes. The client and the file remains with you as the supervising lawyer and solicitor of record.
9. What about conflicts and confidentiality?
To avoid the potential for conflicts of interest to arise with your file, Flex Legal does not hold or have access to any confidential information or documentation relating to the matters worked on by our Flex lawyers. Just as you as the hiring lawyer must run conflicts checks, our Flex lawyers individually run checks and monitor any potential conflicts which may arise as a result of work which they have previously carried out.
Flex has a confidentiality agreement with our freelance lawyers within our Membership Terms of Use which applies alongside their usual professional obligations, and as lawyers licensed and insured in Canada they are bound by their duty of confidentiality.
10. Do I have to tell my clients that I am outsourcing work to a freelance lawyer?
Yes. You cannot share your client's information without their consent. However, this is a great opportunity to explain to your client the benefits and cost-savings when engaging a freelance lawyer. Hiring a freelance lawyer will let you outsource some of the work out at a lower rate and free up your time to focus on certain aspects of your client's file that require your attention. Clients appreciate that hiring a freelance lawyer helps you effectively and efficiently handle their case. We have sample wording for your retainer and a sample letter you can send to your clients seeking their consent in our guide to billing out and marking up freelance lawyers' fees.
11. Are your lawyers insured?
Yes. All Flex lawyers are insured as sole practitioners through LawPro (or their applicable professional insurer) and are in good standing with the Law Society of Ontario (or other applicable law society if located in another Canadian province).
12. What is your process for vetting the lawyers?
In general we require our freelance lawyers to be at a minimum 5-10 years post call and have experience at a reputable law firm and/or as in-house counsel. Prior to accepting a freelance lawyer into our network, each lawyer has an in-depth interview with two members of our team, including Flex's Founder & President, Erin Cowling, to ensure that they have the requisite experience, but as importantly, that they are a fit in personality and align with our Flex values and Flex client expectations. In addition to interviewing our Flex lawyer candidates, we also require one or two references and a writing sample.
13. Where are your lawyers located?
Currently we have lawyers located in Toronto, Oakville, Belleville, Ottawa, Saskatoon, and Vancouver. However, our freelance lawyers also take on work from lawyers and law firms outside of these cities given that we most often work virtually. We are always looking to expand our network throughout Canada.
14. I am a lawyer and I want to hire a freelance lawyer to assist with my overflow work, what do I do?
Great! Head to our Hire Us page and let's get started!
15. I am a lawyer and I want to become a Flex freelance lawyer, what do I do?
Great! Head to our Join Us page for how to join our network.
