Risk
What can go wrong if the decision moves too fast. Sorted by money, ownership, timing, and the other party. Each item says whether you can do something about it.
05
The written brief
Every DRG Law file ends in five short lines: the risk in the file, the cost of the work, the dates that matter, the decision the owner has to make, and the next step that follows. The written brief is what the owner reads and acts on.
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The written brief
Every DRG Law file ends in five lines the owner can read in under two minutes: risk, cost, timeline, decision, next step. Reading the written brief is what triggers the owner's action.
Legal work that ends in a long memo nobody reads is not work the owner can act on. DRG Law's written brief is the opposite of the memo: five short lines that name the risk, the cost, the dates, the decision, and the next step. The brief is what the owner reads, shares with the accountant, and acts on.
The decision
What does the DRG Law written brief contain?
The five lines below repeat on every file DRG Law opens. The substance changes; the shape does not.
Price
A short note that names the cost, what is in scope, what is not, and where another lawyer is the right call. No file starts before the owner sees the cost in writing.
Timeline
A dated list of the deadlines that matter, and the events that can move each date forward or back. The timeline is what the owner uses to plan the rest of the move around the legal work.
Decision
A two-column note showing the trade-offs of each option, written in business terms, not legal terms. The decision belongs to the owner; the writing makes it clearer.
Next step
A short letter that names what the owner needs to do, what DRG Law will do, and the date each step is due. The next step is what closes the loop on every file.
How DRG Law writes it
Why the brief looks the same on every file
Consistency is what makes the brief readable. The owner reading a corporate file should recognise the shape on a real estate file or a succession file. The shape is constant; the content fits the file.
Same shape across practices
Corporate, real estate, succession, contract review, every DRG Law file ends in the same five-line brief. The owner who reads one file recognises the next.
Written before the work moves
Risk and cost are written before the substantive legal work starts. The owner knows what is in scope and what it costs before any clock runs.
Updated when the file changes
If the timeline shifts, the next step changes, or the cost moves, DRG Law sends an updated brief. The brief is a living document, not a one-time write-up.
Common questions
What owners ask about this decision
What does an Ontario business lawyer write before a deal closes?
DRG Law writes five short lines before any deal closes: the risk in the file, the cost of the work, the dates that matter, the decision the owner has to make, and the next step that follows. The owner reads the brief and acts on it before money or signatures move.
What does the brief look like on a contract review?
Risk: the clauses that carry the most cost if left as written. Price: the fixed fee for the review, in writing. Timeline: when the marked-up contract comes back. Decision: the changes worth asking for and the ones worth accepting. Next step: the note the owner sends to the other side, or the call to walk through it together.
Does the owner get the brief in plain English?
Yes. The brief is written in business terms, not legal terms. Where a formal document name is needed, the formal name appears with a one-line gloss in everyday English. The owner reads the brief without a translator.
What happens if the file changes after the brief is sent?
An updated brief goes out. New risk, new price, new timeline, new decision, or new next step, whichever changed. The owner is not left guessing why the file moved.
Next step
Send the matter and see the brief on your file
The brief is the product. Send the matter, corporate, real estate, succession, contract review, and the first thing back is the five-line brief on the file.