Family law legal cost calculator

Use this as a broad national budgeting model only. It estimates a cost range from the assumptions shown on this page; it is not a fee quote, national fee survey, court-cost schedule, or province-specific litigation model.

Last reviewed · Sep. 15, 2026

National planning modelNot legal advice

Process track

Lawyer hourly rate (CAD)

BC planning benchmark: $350/hour. This is not an official provincial average. The Law Society of BC says lawyer fees are not fixed and hourly rates vary with factors such as experience. Adjust this to the rate you were actually quoted.

Case conferences / court conferences

Applications / contested steps

Complexity level

Is the other side represented?

Likely expert / report cost?

Illustrative planning model

$16,230

Midpoint of the pre-tax modelled range from the assumptions entered.

Lower modelled cost (before tax)$13,634

Upper modelled cost (before tax)$18,826

Modelled lawyer time37–52 hours

Illustrative disbursement allowance$550–$688

This is a budgeting model, not a legal-fee quote. Its hour and disbursement assumptions are planning assumptions, not a national average. The displayed range does not add GST/PST. Province, court, urgency, disclosure, experts, filing fees and the way a lawyer staffs a file can change actual cost substantially.

How the model works

The calculator uses a scenario model so you can see how hourly rate, process track, court activity and complexity change the estimate. The assumptions are published below so you can see exactly what is driving the result.

Planning assumptions used in this calculator

Base lawyer hours: negotiation 14; mediation 18; contested 34; trial-style scenario 65.
Each entered conference adds 2.5 model hours.
Each entered application/contested step adds 5.5 model hours.
Complexity adds 7, 14, or 21 model hours.
Where the other side is represented, the model adds an 18% communication/preparation factor.
Illustrative non-expert disbursement allowances: $550, $900, $1,800, or $4,200 depending on process track.
If selected, the expert/report option adds a $3,500 planning allowance.

These figures are not court rules or Canadian averages. They are planning assumptions. A province- or court-specific calculator needs its own procedure, filing rules and source material.

BC rate context: there is no official “average family-law rate” in British Columbia. The Law Society of BC says fees are not fixed and hourly rates generally reflect experience. The $350 default is only a planning starting point — replace it with your actual quoted rate.

Best use: use the result to identify the assumptions that matter, then ask a lawyer which assumptions are realistic for your province, court, and facts.