Alexander Holburn Beaudin + Lang LLP

As a small business we encounter issues that require legal assistance from time to time but because we are a small business we are mindful of all costs- no matter how large or small. During the past 13 years we have engaged Alexander Holburn we have found them to be fair, accommodating and reliable. When the chips are down, I know I can call them and obtain not only good legal advice but also practical advice on how to tackle the problems we face. This is good value for me and my firm. Thank you.

For over the past year I have been working weekly and often daily with Ryan Howe (and the AHBL team) for both personal and corporate matters. As a growing small business Ryan and AHBL have helped us in a wide variety of matters, everything from basic business guidance, complex corporate partnerships to real estate transactions. Our expectations have always been exceeded. I have had a variety of mixed experiences with legal professionals in the past but I can say confidently that we have found a long-term partner in Ryan and the support of AHBL. Thanks for helping us grow our business confidently. Keep up the great work.

Ingrid Tsui recently prepared a will and Power of Attorney for my husband and me. She was thorough, informative, knowledgable and most importantly, had a warm demeanour. I felt like she really listened to our concerns and she gave us options on how to address those concerns. She explained the implications of the different scenarios and how it would play out for our executors and beneficiaries after we were gone. It was money well spent and I now have peace of mind that our affairs are in order for our family should anything happen to either of us. I highly recommend her.

I have had the privilege of working with the amazing team at AHBL for the past 4 years. I love the friendliness and professional atmosphere every time I visit the office as well the health and safety guidelines that they have in place to keep their staff and clients safe during this health crisis.Erich

As the Council President of a large strata on Vancouver Island, I am directly involved in Civil Resolution Tribunal cases brought against the strata corporation. Andrea Fammartino provided legal services to the strata on our most recent case and I was very impressed with her. She did an excellent job of assessing and presenting our case. She ensured our procedural rights were observed throughout the process and I really appreciated her practise of being prepared in advance. While Andrea was always professional, she was also very personable and a real pleasure to work with.

Ryan Howe at AHBL has helped myself and a number of my clients with their various needs from litigation and corporate commercial to wills and estates. He has put myself and my clients in touch with various practitioners in different areas of the firm all of whom have been knowledgeable and delivered on their commitments. I would have no hesitation in recommending them to anyone who has legal needs.

They are an incredible team. Have helped me with various issues with positive results. My friend who recommended them has used them for over 40 years.The people here really care about their clients first, and they are always honest (even if it’s news you don’t want to hear) they are honest. For me that’s what makes them so good.

I have dealt with AHBL on a couple of occasions. Firstly in regards to a home insurance issue, I found Mr. Hirst to be very knowledgeable and helpful. His genuine concern for our issues made me feel valued. As such, I also used their Wills and Estates practice to draft our will. Ms. Tsui and her team provided excellent advice to our unique situation of having a blended family and our assets. They explained the expectations of the law in this regard while also ensuring that my family will be taken care of when drawing up our will. Thank you AHBL!!!!Fernando

I had a very bad experience with this law firm. A couple of things I wish I had known:1. They were very quick to get back to me, this is the only good thing about my experience with them. If you are in a place were you need a lawyer take your time to do your due diligence. I was very quick to retain their services since I felt desperate. I was charged a $1,500 retainer. Later, when other law firms got back to me, two of them charged $450 retainer for the kind of help I needed. I wasn't too concerned since they explained in the end they would return what was left of the money but perhaps a red flag that they charge 3 times what other law firms do for a retainer.2. I retained their services before Covid19. This is probably even more important now. At the time, I asked to have a phone consultation since I have a toddler and it is hard to go to downtown to their offices. I emailed the lawyer's assistant and told her I wanted to share my dropbox folder with pertinent files so I could make reference to the documents during my initial consultation. Later, when I was told I was $1,000 over my retainer and I asked them to give me a detailed breakdown of the charges (which took them around 2 weeks to get back to me) I realized that they had charged me .9 hours to prepare for the initial consultation. I never authorized the charges and had requested their first available appointment. It appears to me that the lawyer handling my case had a cancellation and decided to charge me for her time without my knowledge. When we talked on the phone for the initial consultation, it was evident she had no understanding of what was going on, which is fine since that is what an initial consultation is for so the client can explain the situation and what they need. So pretty much I was charged for wasted time.3. I ended up being charged in excess of $2,500 for a couple of emails, a phone consultation, drafting a letter, and a process server (which was never explained to me and did not make a difference in this matter).4. I would advice you clearly and in writing tell them you won't be paying for an initial consultation preparation (unless you do feel it is needed and you are aware of this charge). I would advice that you request in writing that they let you know when your retainer is running out and before any charges above what you have already paid are made. I never thought I would end up paying more than the $1,500. I thought the $1,500 was already too much and never thought it would go beyond this. If you have any questions, request to have a conversation in person or the phone instead of email. This way you can know how much time you are being charged for. It is very hard to prove later on how much time they are charging you for replying to your emails.It is very frustrating to need a lawyer and then have a lawyer that you need to second guess every step of the way. I ended up resolving my situation without their help and this only caused me more stress and more money lost.

I have referred multiple clients to several lawyers at AHBL and I’m always impressed with the speed and quality of service delivery (particularly in tax and estate planning and commercial law transactions). All of my clients have had positive feedback. I will continue to refer.