Clear Legal - Surrey, British Columbia

Jessica

I was in crisis and had to find the very best lawyer. Chance brought me to Clear Legal and I am very thankful. Clear Legal might not be a downtown fancy law firm but it gives the results of one. I heard the court reporter say "Chris is here get ready for some magic". He saved my child's life. Chris Carta is great at what he does partly because he seems committed to the law, he is ethical, and he is incredibly smart and no nonsense. He is 10 steps ahead of everyone else. The lawyers and entire team at the firm work very collaboratively providing additional insights and support.

Daylene S.

Mr.Harding's level of expertise goes above and beyond. I'am extremely grateful he handled my case with top notch professionalism and achieved an outstanding result. Mr.Harding's hard work ethics, timely matter & sincerity are commendable. I'am very thankful for his exceptional legal service. He is a skilled negotiator and a staunch advocate for his clients. Mr.Harding is absolutely exceptional if you need a lawyer he is your guy. Thank you!

Sabrina L.

Thomas is tenacious, compassionate, extremely knowledgeable, and highly responsive. His quick wit and sense of humor bring ease to even the toughest situations. He is fearless in tackling my exceedingly complex, high-conflict file and handles every aspect with skill and confidence.

If you need a lawyer who is honourable, insightful, and willing to do what is necessary to fight for your rights and protect your family, you need Thomas in your corner.

The entire team at Clear Legal is amazing. Their understanding, support, and client-centred approach has helped throughout this challenging, high conflict litigation.

Paula B.

It has been financially and emotionally difficult being blindsided by large bills without proper, informed consent. I have been billed for time/ alleged work I did not know about, nor agreed to. This has created quite the financial hardship for me.
Clear Legal could work on better informed consent and transparency with their clients.

After being blindsided with the large, unexpected bills I asked for a basic estimate of cost in order to avoid indefinite surprising bills (as the 2 lawyers converse), yet I was denied any sort of informed consent or understanding of what I can continue to expect.

I am now left with an unfinished document after 2 years' worth of supposed work and large bills.

It addition to all this, the callous manner in which Chris addressed the situations should be known; I hope my experience serves as a cautionary tale for other vulnerable clients who are looking for clarity.

Brenda P.

Thomas Harding is an incredible lawyer, with exceptional knowledge of the law. When an unknown comes up he looks to solve by connecting with other lawyers and legal experts to provide the best information for his clients. No question was ever not answered and there was never a dumb question. His respect and sympathy for clients is over the top. Thomas’ staff are amazing and are also very knowledgeable and concise, but also very friendly and always remember clients names. My overall experience has been amazing and I would strongly recommend Thomas Harding and his team to anyone who needs a great team to get them through their situation.
As my personal lawyer for just over 9.5 years Thomas and his team have treated me with great respect and always been there when I needed them

Alex Y.

IF I COULD LEAVE 0 stars or minus 10 stars

I’m going through a difficult time as I navigate my divorce. On July 5th, I was served divorce papers, and the following Monday, I visited Clear Legal Divorce Office to meet with my lawyer, Chris Carta. His slogan is "Clear advice. Clear guidance. Clear options," and during our meeting, he seemed convincing and knowledgeable.

We agreed that I would transfer $1,500 plus an additional $10,000 retainer to start the process. With 30 days to respond to the served documents, I felt reassured initially. After two days of email negotiations, I transferred the money.

However, things took a turn for the worse. His office stopped answering my calls, and his paralegal would only say he would call back, which never happened. Over two weeks, I sent around 20 emails, all ignored. When I finally got through, his paralegal informed me that he was in court and didn’t have time to talk to me. This was extremely unprofessional, especially given the time-sensitive nature of my situation.

I decided to fire his firm and requested an immediate refund to retain another lawyer. It took me three weeks to get out of this firm, leaving me with only six days to respond to my divorce papers. My new lawyer received the funds just today, putting me in a very difficult position.

Do not go to Clear Legal Divorce Office. They couldn’t care less about you or your case.

JUST A REMINDER THAT YOU GUYS LAWYERS

a lawyer is required to maintain a communication channel with their client. Effective communication is a fundamental duty of a lawyer and is essential to providing competent and ethical legal representation. Here are the key points regarding this obligation:

### Communication Obligations of a Lawyer:

1. **Keeping the Client Informed**:
- Lawyers must keep their clients reasonably informed about the status of their matter.
- They must promptly inform clients of any significant developments or changes in their case.

2. **Responding to Client Communications**:
- Lawyers should respond promptly to client inquiries.
- Regular and timely communication helps ensure that clients are aware of the progress of their case and can make informed decisions.

3. **Explaining Matters Clearly**:
- Lawyers must explain legal matters in a way that the client can understand.
- This includes explaining legal options, potential outcomes, and any risks involved in different courses of action.

4. **Consulting with the Client**:
- Lawyers should consult with their clients about any major decisions or steps in the case.
- They should seek the client’s consent before taking significant actions.

5. **Providing Regular Updates**:
- Regular updates on the case's progress are essential, especially in lengthy or complex matters.
- This includes providing copies of important documents, such as court orders and correspondence related to the case.

### Professional Standards and Guidelines:

In British Columbia, the Law Society of British Columbia sets out these communication requirements in its Code of Professional Conduct:

- **Rule 3.2-1**: "A lawyer must provide courteous, thorough, and prompt service to clients."
- **Rule 3.2-2**: "A lawyer must make all reasonable efforts to ensure that client understands the nature of the legal services being provided and any legal issues or uncertainties that arise in the course of the retainer."
- **Rule 3.2-6**: "A lawyer must keep a client reasonably informed about the status of a matter and must promptly comply with reasonable requests for information."

Maintaining a communication channel is not only a professional and ethical requirement for lawyers but also a crucial aspect of effective legal representation. If a lawyer fails to communicate adequately, clients have the right to address these concerns, seek a new lawyer, or file a complaint with the appropriate regulatory body.

Ken

None of the jokes we hear about lawyers apply to this company which is a breath of fresh air and amazing to work with. Arsh Sakaria is incredible and really did everything to make the process easier. He advice and guidance, priceless. Thank you to the Clear legal team.

Dickens C.

Chris Carta, Arsh Sarkaria, Kimi Cheong, Louise Tait, and the rest of the Clear Legal team are absolutely professional, candid, and CLEAR about what your options are when faced with legal action. It has been an absolute blessing to work with them and they go above and beyond to help you minimize the legal fees that you have to pay by spreading work out to team members with lower hourly rates when appropriate. I spent about $7,000 with another lawyer and basically got nothing done. You will probably get more than three times the value with Clear Legal than you would at another law firm, and the thing is, they give you TOP NOTCH service. They are truly a breath of fresh air in the legal profession! Chris, keep doing the great work that you are all doing and I will be sure to refer clients to you because I know that they will be well taken care of!