Status (Oct 30, 2026): CONFIRMED: the 48-hour turnaround starts once we have both the signed retainer and the complete document.
Legal information only, not legal advice. Every contract and business is different; speak with a lawyer about your own situation.
Short answer: Many Ontario business lawyers now review contracts for a fixed fee agreed in writing before work starts, rather than by the hour. What you pay usually depends on the type of document, its length, and whether you want the lawyer to negotiate with the other side. At Astor Nobel Law, the fixed fees are $395 for an NDA, $750 for a standard business contract (for example a service agreement, independent contractor agreement, or employment offer), and $1,250 for a commercial lease or shareholder agreement, plus HST, each with a 48-hour turnaround.
The questions people actually ask
"Why not just pay by the hour?"
Hourly billing can be fine, but it makes the final cost hard to predict. A fixed fee tells you the price before you send the document, so you can decide whether a review is worth it for this deal. Ask any lawyer you speak with exactly what the fixed fee covers and what would fall outside it.
"What should a fixed-fee review include?"
At a minimum, look for: a written list of the clauses that matter to you, suggested wording changes (a redline), a plain-English summary of the risks, and a chance to ask questions. If a lawyer's fee does not include a call or written changes, you may be paying for a reading rather than a review.
"What makes a review cost more?"
- Length and schedules. A 40-page agreement with a data schedule takes longer than a 3-page NDA.
- Negotiation. Reviewing a contract is different from negotiating it with the other side's lawyer. Negotiation is usually quoted separately.
- Drafting from scratch. If no one has sent you a document yet, you need drafting, not review.
- Urgency. Some lawyers charge more for same-day work.
"Is there a government fee?"
No. Reviewing a contract involves no government filing, so there are no government disbursements.
"Which contracts are worth paying to review?"
A practical rule: have a lawyer look at anything that commits your business to payments over several months, includes a personal guarantee, limits who you can work with afterward (non-competes and non-solicits), transfers ownership of your work or ideas, or is hard to get out of. Commercial leases and shareholder agreements are at the top of that list, because mistakes in them can last for years.
A simple way to decide
| Document | Astor Nobel Law fixed fee (+ HST) |
|---|---|
| Mutual or one-way NDA | $395 |
| Service agreement, independent contractor agreement, vendor agreement, or employment offer | $750 |
| Commercial lease, offer to lease, or shareholder agreement | $1,250 |
Every review includes an issue-spotted redline, a plain-English risk summary, and a 20-minute call with me, delivered within 48 hours of receiving the signed retainer and the complete document. The work is done under a written limited-scope retainer that sets out exactly what is and isn't included, as permitted by Rule 3.2-1A of the Law Society of Ontario's Rules of Professional Conduct.
What to send so the review goes quickly
- The full document, including every schedule and anything "incorporated by reference."
- A short note on the deal: who the other side is, the dollar value, and the deadline to sign.
- The two or three things you care about most (price, getting out early, protecting your ideas, and so on).
How Astor Nobel Law can help
See the fixed fees, what's included, and how to start here: Fixed-Fee Incorporation & Contract Review
David J. Rose, Barrister & Solicitor, Astor Nobel Law, Toronto. Over 25 years in practice. 416-519-2543 · david.rose@roselawfirm.ca
Legal information only, not legal advice. Reading this page does not create a lawyer-client relationship. Fees shown are current as of October 2026 and are confirmed in a written retainer before any work begins.