Independent Legal Advice (ILA) means meeting privately with your own lawyer, one who doesn’t represent the other party, to review a document before you sign it.
When ILA is common
- Separation agreements and marriage or cohabitation contracts
- Guaranteeing or co-signing someone else’s mortgage or loan
- Transferring property to a family member
- Signing documents under a power of attorney
What happens at an ILA appointment
Your lawyer explains what the document means, your rights and obligations, and the risks of signing. They make sure you’re signing freely and with full understanding, then sign a certificate confirming you received the advice.
ILA protects you, and it also helps protect the agreement from being challenged later.