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BY KIRSTEN MCMAHON Canadian Lawyer's 2008 legal fees survey gives THE GOING RATE A fter a few years' hiatus, the annual Canadian Lawyer a cross-section of who's charging what for their services across the country. Legal Fees Survey is back and bigger than ever. More than 300 lawyers and firms responded to our online survey, in which we asked about the going rate for 26 different legal matters. Followers of our previ- ous surveys will also note that this year we've added immigra- tion and intellectual property matters to our list of usual sus- pects. Despite low response rates over the last couple of years, we realize the importance of this information — especially for those in small firms and are pleased to be able to once again provide it to readers. "It is very important for sole and small-firm practitioners to get this information as I seldom know what the going rate is," 38 JULY 2008 www. C ANADIAN Law ye rmag.com says one respondent from a small firm in Ontario. "Lawyers do not seem to discuss what they charge." Good news then that 314 respondents answered a host of questions about the legal fees they charge. Those who filled out our easy, online survey could provide us with an average fee, a minimum fee, or a maximum fee — in most cases respondents provided all three. The fees listed in each chart represent average amounts. For example, the minimum fee of a bail hearing is the average minimum fee charged by respondents and doesn't necessarily represent the lowest amount recorded. As well, while the survey pool had 314 responses, not all respondents indicated the prov- ince or the size of firm in which they practise. Those responses were included in our national fee ranges chart, but weren't in- cluded in the regional breakout charts. Following in the tradition of previous surveys, almost 70 per cent of responses came from sole practitioners or small- firm lawyers. Lawyers in shops of five to 25 made up 27 per cent, while those in firms of 26-plus lawyers made up just five per cent.