Frequently Asked Questions

All of our research lawyers are experienced litigators who have chosen to focus on legal research and writing as an alternative to the practice of law. They are adept in researching a wide range of legal issues and in expressing their analyses clearly and, where appropriate, persuasively. Most of our researchers honed their research skills as law clerks at various levels of court across Canada.

All of our research lawyers are practicing lawyers and they carry practice insurance.

While we encourage lawyers to provide us with as much notice as possible to ensure that we are able to complete the job to the required specifications, we do the best we can to accommodate even last-minute requests. Please note that a 'rush' rate will be applied to requests that require completion within 48 hours.

Please refer to "our services" for a description of the services that we provide. If you do not find the service that you require, please contact us. We will do the best we can to accommodate your request.

The research can be provided in whatever form you request. We can:

• email or courier cases to you, with or without summaries or analysis;
• provide a brief summary of an initial look at an area of law;
• complete a basic or complex quantum assessment;
• prepare a thorough memorandum on one or more challenging legal issues;
• draft facta or any other form of legal argument that you require;
• You decide what you need and we will adjust the product accordingly.

You have many options as to how you can submit your research request:

In British Columbia:

• Phone us at (604) 879-4280 or toll-free at 1-866-344-OPLR (6757)
• Email us at info@oplr.com
• Fax us at 604-648-8930
• Submit a Research Request Form
• Write to us at 171-2906 West Broadway, Vancouver, BC V6K 2G8

In Alberta:

• Phone us at (403) 266-7569 or toll-free at 1-866-344-OPLR (6757)
• Email us at info@oplr.com
• Fax us at (403) 313-9243
• Submit a Research Request Form
• Write to us at 100-111 5th Ave SW, Calgary, Alberta T2P 3Y6

After our managing project lawyer receives a brief explanation of the research request, your project will be referred to the research lawyer with the most experience in that area of law.

That lawyer will contact you directly to discuss the project and to ensure that it will be completed to your specifications within the stipulated time frame.

To ensure that the parameters of the project are accurate, the research lawyer will then prepare a research agreement that you will have the opportunity to review, alter if necessary, and endorse before the research is commenced.

We will work with you during the initial consultation to reach a reasonable estimate of the time requirements of the project. Should the research lawyer require more time than estimated, he or she will contact you to receive your authorization to spend additional time completing the research.

OnPoint encourages our research lawyers to accept rush, evening and weekend projects by offering them higher pay for this work. In addition, we have determined that implementing a rush-rate structure helps our clients prioritize the time sensitivity of their assignments to OnPoint which greatly helps us manage our workflow and produce the best possible work product.

OnPoint follows standard business practice. We expect payment within 30 days of invoice. Payment of our invoice is due regardless of whether our clients have received payment from their own clients.

Absolutely. Many of our clients are located outside of Vancouver and Calgary. Often we are able to complete the entire transaction via telephone, email and fax. Where necessary, using couriers solves the problem of transporting larger quantities of documents.

Whether you are located in Toronto or Nova Scotia, we will most likely be able to handle your legal research needs. We can research virtually any legal issue, whether or not it originates in British Columbia or Alberta. While our research lawyers are members of the Bar of British Columbia or Alberta, they are well versed in researching law across Canada. Call us toll-free at 1-866-344-OPLR (6769) and we will be pleased to discuss the details of your research request

We have computerized systems in place to alert us to conflicts. At the outset of a research request, we ask to be provided with the complete style of cause and the names of opposing counsel. If there appears to be a potential conflict, we will contact you immediately to discuss the matter. We will not accept assignments if one of our lawyers is assisting another party acting on the file.