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January 9th, 2024
If you have never needed legal services before, consulting with a lawyer can be a lot to handle. Whether the issue that brought you to a lawyer was a car crash, a dispute over a contract, a problem with an insurance company, or any of the other myriad issues that require legal services, the stress of that situation can be heightened by having to go through an unfamiliar process. A few simple tips can help reduce the stress and make an initial consultation with a lawyer more productive.
First, when you contact a lawyer, make sure to be clear about what your issue is. It’s always possible that something unexpected may come up and that doesn’t prevent a lawyer from helping, but the more information the lawyer has up front, the better he or she can prepare to evaluate your circumstances and determine the best course of action. It may be possible that the lawyer can’t advise or represent you with your issue, but if that becomes the case, he or she may be able to save you time and effort by pointing you toward another lawyer or other helpful resources.
When you have a chance to meet with a lawyer, it helps to have thought ahead about how you want to describe your issue, so that you don’t have to think as much on the spot and risk forgetting an important piece of information. If you have documents that are important to your situation, bring them to your consultation and be sure to let your lawyer know if they are originals that you need back. If you are able, providing a timeline of important events can be very helpful. When in doubt, err on the side of providing more information rather than less.
Finally, you’ll almost certainly have some questions. Have them ready, and if more come to mind be sure to ask. If you are able to give your lawyer a clear idea of what goals you want to achieve, he or she will be better able to help you achieve them. Always remember that while you are looking for your lawyer’s legal expertise and advice and that the answer you receive may not be the one you expect or would like, your lawyer works for you.
