Client Tips for Preparing for an Initial Meeting/Consultation with an Attorney
As an attorney, I often meet with potential clients regarding a variety of issues. Regardless of what the issue may be, a potential client can do a number of things in preparation for a successful first meeting and/or consultation with an attorney. The purpose of the meeting/consultation is to summarize and explain your issue to the attorney so they can determine if it is something they can assist with or not. Some other purposes of the meeting/consultation are finding out about the attorney’s qualifications, what legal resources are available in your situation, and how the attorney will charge for their services. To make the best use of your time and the attorney’s time, the following are some tips to best prepare for the meeting/consultation:
1. Arrive on time;
2. Answer any questionnaires and fill out all paperwork provided by the attorney prior to the meeting/consultation to save valuable time;
3. Organize, review, and bring all relevant documents to the meeting, as this can be helpful to you when recalling specific facts and can be helpful to the attorney if he or she wants to look at them;
4. Although the attorney may have specific questions for you, it is equally important for you, as the client, to prepare written questions for the attorney, such as their qualifications, how they charge for their services, etc….
5. Bring a notebook to take notes or write down the attorney’s answers to questions you may have;
6. Come prepared to discuss with the attorney what your issues are and what you would like to accomplish;
7. Be honest and disclose details to the attorney, as it will be confidential and can be important to the attorney when determining what legal action may be available or appropriate in your situation;
8. Understand that this is an initial meeting/consultation, and until a contract or agreement of representation is entered, the attorney will not be able to provide legal advice;
9. Make sure to determine what the next step is by confirming whether the attorney is able to represent you and when you can expect to hear from them; and
10. Remember you are not obligated to hire an attorney merely because you met with them. You can meet with other attorneys prior to deciding who to hire.
Hopefully, if you follow these tips, it will help make your initial meeting/consultation with an attorney a success!
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