Ask A Lawyer
We Help Good People Through Bad Situations
What is Ask A Lawyer?
Miller Boileau Family Law Group is an association of independent family law lawyers in Edmonton. Ask A Lawyer was developed to provide answers to some of the most common questions that our clients have concerning family law.
Our chief aim is to educate people on the options that are available to them in the event of marital or relationship breakdown, or when considering conjugal relationship agreements such as marriage or common law arrangements.
Why did you start publishing the Ask A Lawyer videos?
At Miller Boileau we are extremely passionate about helping our clients maintain control over the decisions made in separation or divorce. However, many are not initially aware of Mediation and Collaboration choices available in family law.
We understand that life is busy and most people prefer to watch a video on a topic they are interested in learning about, rather than reading. Our simple and informative videos are a tool for us to educate our potential clients and the interested public at large.
Who are these videos meant for?
These videos are for anyone who wants to learn about the different options available to those going through a separation or divorce. This includes clients, prospective clients, or concerned friends and family. Miller Boileau Family Law Group is deeply committed to avoiding litigious divorces as they are costly, time consuming, and emotionally difficult for all involved. At the same time we have highly skilled litigation lawyers prepared to represent you in all court matters from Provincial Court to Queen’s Bench to The Court of Appeal.
Why would you give away information?
We have no “secrets” to keep from clients or competitors. The information being offered on the Ask A Lawyer VLOG is available on the internet, if anyone was willing to search for it. Not all lawyers practice family law exclusively.
Our family law lawyers practice family law exclusively. We have practiced together as Miller Boileau Family Law Group for close to 35 years. We are one of the few law offices that offers Mediation, Collaboration, Arbitration, Mediation-Arbitration and Litigation, as well as Negotiation. By educating people on what we do, we are providing a public service that can help allay the fear of engaging the services of a family law lawyer.
Being very busy, what is the most efficient way to consume the information?
Obviously our videos are not highly produced works of art, nor are they meant to be. The intention is to educate and inform. As we all have the same 168 hours in a week, the most time efficient way to consume the information is to listen to the audio while doing other tasks like eating lunch, driving or in other pockets of your day when it is appropriate. We don’t use a lot of legal jargon that would require you to have a law degree to understand what we are discussing. Each video highlights one topic which makes choosing what you want to hear much easier. The videos are all approximately 10 minutes in length, so you do not have to commit a lot of time to gather information.
Why are your videos not polished and professional looking?
When we made the decision to begin creating video content for YouTube and our website, we chose to create videos for information, not to win awards for outstanding video production. The costs associated with professionally scripted, shot and produced videos are astronomical. Truth be told, we would rather have hired professional spokespeople because being on camera is very uncomfortable. Also, we did not want to increase our fees to offset the cost of video production and marketing. We offer our services at fair rates and are committed to maintaining that into the future.
Who are the people in your videos?
Marla Miller and Pierre Boileau are the family law lawyers featured in the videos. The interviewer is Trevor Samons from Inspired Method Marketing & Coaching. He is a local Edmonton business coach who has helped us launch this website and convinced us to create this channel. No paid actors or professional broadcasters are involved in making our videos. This is quite evident. We wanted to allow our clients and future clients to know that we are real people and not some nameless, faceless law firm. We also did not want the videos to come off as disingenuous or be seen as a marketing ploy. Miller Boileau Family Law Group is comprised of real people who really care.
I have a question that I would like answered on a video.
We would be more than happy to answer your family law questions on our YouTube channel. The best way to bring a topic to our attention is to subscribe to our channel and leave a comment on one of our videos. You can also reach out to us by phone and speak with one of our lawyers for any urgent needs.
Will the information in these videos allow me to handle my own legal issues?
We strongly recommend that you hire an experienced family law lawyer. By so doing, you will have someone who knows and understands family law in Alberta who can answer any questions that you may have concerning your unique situation. Should you choose Mediation we strongly recommend that you hire an experienced family law lawyer to act as your mediator. That professional will be an impartial third party who will provide a safe and informal place for parties to have a frank discussion to decide on mutually agreeable solutions. Our videos are not intended to be used as legal advice or counsel. These videos are solely for entertainment and informal education only.
If I am a client, why is it helpful for me to watch these videos?
We discuss a lot during client meetings. It is not always easy to remember all of the details, especially where emotions may be heightened. You can use the videos to refresh your memory as well as to aid you in coming up with questions for upcoming meetings with your lawyer. Some clients find it useful to write down any questions they have as it is quite common to forget during the meetings. Being well prepared for your client meetings is one way to save on legal fees too. It’s best to have all your questions answered when you meet with your lawyer, rather than have to phone or email later for clarification or further information.