Brynn Doctor, JD'17
Nov. 2, 2018
Meet our Alumni: Brynn Doctor, JD'17
Brynn has built her own practice, changing the face of family law in Calgary.
Brynn Doctor, JD’17, was near the end of her articles when she made the decision she would build her own practice, Doctor Law. “I went out on my own because no one was practicing law the way I wanted to practice it” she explained. Having watched her partner go through a tumultuous custody dispute that left them exhausted and financially depleted at the end of the two-year ordeal, Brynn believed there had to be a better way.
“One of the most difficult things about being involved in a legal dispute is that you don’t know what the legal fees are going to cost, or what the final bill is going to be at the end of the day.” As a result, Brynn came up with a flat fee structure that allows her to contribute to solving access to justice issues in the family field, while also supporting her family.
Paramount to her practice is a client-centered approach that allows the client to decide how they would like to be represented. At any stage the client can determine if they would like more legal assistance or less, and the non-refundable flat fee structure allows Brynn to give tactical advice tailored to the client’s needs without requiring a retainer.
“By operating with a flat fee structure, the client and I start out trusting each other, putting us on the same team from day one. I find my clients are more willing to accept my advice and guidance because our fee structure is so transparent,” Brynn explains. Her goal is to make her clients as comfortable as possible, often making house calls: “I don’t want them to be intimidated by a big office, or a power suit.”
Brynn incorporates Clio, a cloud computing software, to maximize efficiency and ensure her practice is nearly paperless, just one way she could cut down her costs and pass on the savings to her clients. Clio also allows Brynn to offer a payment plan structure to her clients.
With Doctor Law Brynn is spearheading a new and innovative approach to family law that will surely make an impact on the access to justice issues these families face.