REGULAR office hours
The office is open as follows:
Monday 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Tuesday 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Wednesday 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Thursday 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Friday 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
HOLIDAY OFFICE HOURS
The office recognizes the following holidays and is closed as follows:
New Year’s Day - January 1st
Please note that our office is closed during the Christmas school break. The office re-opens on the Monday that school resumes. Please check our Facebook and Instagram pages for updates.
Family Day - Monday, February 20, 2023 (the third Monday of February)
Good Friday - April 7, 2023
Easter Monday - April 10, 2023
Victoria Day - Monday, May 22, 2023
Canada Day - Monday, July 3, 2023
Please note that the office will also be closed on Friday, June 30, 2023 to allow staff an extended weekend.
Civic Holiday - Monday, August 7, 2023
Labour Day - Monday, September 4, 2023
Truth and Reconciiation Day - Saturday, September 30, 2023
Note: Whether or not Truth and Reconciliation Day is recognized as a Statutory Holiday, where it falls during the week, Amanda will close the office to recognize the tragic legacy of the residential schools, to honour the families left behind and in remembrance of all of the missing children who shall not be forgotten.
Thanksgiving - Monday, October 9, 2023
Christmas - December 21st, 2023 at 12:00 p.m. until Monday, January 8, 2024
TELEPHONE CALLS
Amanda is a “get someone on the phone” kind of person. She understands how frustrating it can be to have to leave a message - especially when you have a question that seems as though it would be relatively quick to answer.
And in order to make the most of staff availabilty and hours, please know that while Amanda is restructuring her office we are adopting the following telephone answering policy:
Telephones will be answered from 11:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. Monday to Thursday. We attempt to answer calls on Friday mornings and sometimes we may be unable to do so.
We will attempt to have all phone calls returned the following day between 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Sometimes it may be up to 48 hours before we can answer your initial phone query. Please know that we triage our client’s issues and return calls on a prioritized basis, as necessary.
This does not mean that your call or inquiry is not important to us - it simply means if someone’s children are being withheld - we would address that call first over returning a call to confirm an upcoming appointment or answer a procedural query that a client may have.
Please remember that Amanda’s staff cannot provide clients or prospective clients with legal advice. The Law Society of Ontario only permits lawyers to answer legal questions. Staff can provide general information on procedure, completion of forms and advise you of general case updates. In some cases, staff may want to discuss your question with Amanda and where appropriate, she may ask staff to call you back with your answer, so you are not waiting for her schedule to permit her to call you directly.
Tips for leaving messages:
Speak clearly and state your full name, the date and time you are calling;
Please slowly state the telephone number where we can reach you;
If there are times you may be unable to take our call, please set those times out clearly so we can accommodate your schedule;
Please state the reason for your call in a direct fashion - examples may be:
I am calling to schedule an appointment to discuss “issue”;
I am calling to confirm an appointment or Court date;
I have a general question about my case regarding child support or parenting time or spousal support; OR
I am having difficulty completing my Financial Statement or “X” and wanted some assistance.
ATTENDANCES AT AGFL OFFICE
Some procedures that were initiated during the pandemic are still in use while we restructure the practice.
We no longer have an “open door” policy. Our main door remains locked and we respectfully request that our clients not “drop-in” without appointment or notice.
Following the established public health protocols at the relevant times - we were unable to see clients in person and therefore “drop ins” stopped. It was astounding to Amanda and staff how these small, unanticipated meetings impacted the processing time of documents and file work and actually hindered our ability to complete tasks.
While we strive to be a client oriented office, it became apparent that adopting this practice post pandemic has made a significant difference with the result being that staff are able to complete their tasks much quicker - which includes preparing your paper work, scheduling Court attendances and answering emails and telephone calls.
As such and with the utmost of respect, we kindly request that you do not attend the office without an appointment or without notice.
We have a mail slot for you to deliver hard copies of documents - however, email copies are preferred. Unless a staff member has asked you to review the requested documents with them, please slide your materials through the mail slot.
Appointments
Amanda offers in person appointments, video conference appointments and for existing clients - telephone appointments.
If you have scheduled an “in person” appointment and are feeling unwell, we kindly ask that you contact us to arrange for the appointment to proceed via video conference or telephone.
Our primary method of communication is email. It is imperative that you have a secure email address that you regularly check.
As well, for some of your standard queries, you will likely receive a response by email much more quickly than a telephone call.
Again, Amanda appreciates that a telephone call is more personal and wherever possible we will try to accommodate your preference.