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She acknowledges that it is impossible to gauge all costs accurately, especially if the case lands in court, but Ridgedale believes those costs that can be extrapo- lated for a client should be made known and discussed. "Large companies want to know the cost as they have budgets and people to answer to." Ridgedale, who graduated from Quebec's Concor- dia University, studied and practised criminal law in the U.S. as a public defender before coming to Canada to practise commercial law. She points to businesses with in-house lawyers that are now setting rates and the amount of dollars they are willing to commit to hiring outside legal services in order to stay within budgets. Fewer corporations, in the future, will continue on the path of simply having law firms on a retainer and paying the bills without question. Ridgedale, who has worked for the B.C. Securities Commission and McMillan LLP, says her clients like the Most lawyers aren't positioned to help business families. But we can tip the scales in your favor. Be certified with a program designed for experienced advisors working with family enterprise. The Family Enterprise Advisor Program augments your technical skills with a deeper understanding around business families and their unique challenges. Our multi-disciplinary approach will grow your skills—delivering better solutions to your existing clients while creating a niche for yourself in a marketplace with growing demand. Graduates of the program are well on their way to earning the Family Enterprise Advising (FEA) accreditation—the only designation of its kind. Programs begin January 2012 in Vancouver and Toronto. Register today. www.FamilyEnterpriseAdvisor.com business approach, which sets out alter- natives. This road map also serves as a reference, so that when the client re-appears with a decision on which option to pursue, Ridgedale can eas- ily review the file with the intended goal. "My experience has been that as cases go on, the issues become more complex," she says, so having a tool to go back to reference can also guide the process. The road map can also lay out the various payment options that can be used to hire a lawyer whether it's an hourly fee, a contingency, pro bono, or a success fee, where Ridgedale bills below her usual rate but recoups in the settlement or award package. "They are not available in all cases," she said, but clients should also know those options. — JS VISIT US AT to keep up with your colleagues' comings and goings. E-MAIL YOUR MOVES AND SHAKES TO Moves & Shakes UBC_CL_Sept11.indd 1 www.CANADIAN Lawyermag.com N O VEMBER / D ECEMBER 2011 17 11-08-17 5:17 AM is online c anadianla wy erma I g.c CLB.MO VES@THOMSONREUTERS.COM om/mo v t's updat ed daily es-and-shak es.html