Prepare for a First Meeting with Your Lawyer

The first time you meet with your lawyer will probably be for a consultation. The purpose of the consultation is to summarize your situation for the attorney and to find out about his or her qualifications and fees. To prepare, you should begin by gathering all relevant documents. Then write up a list of questions. Remember not to be late to your consultation. Lawyers are very busy people and you may have to reschedule if you are late.

Steps

Gathering Helpful Information

1. Ask the attorney what to bring. When you call to schedule a consultation, you should ask what you need to bring. Write down what the attorney tells you. Some attorneys want to see a lot of paperwork to understand the background of the case, whereas others don't need to see anything initially.
2. Fill out a questionnaire from the attorney. Depending on your case, the attorney may send you a questionnaire to fill out. The purpose of the form is to provide the attorney with the information he or she needs to properly analyze your case. You should receive the form in the mail or as an attachment to an email.
   • Remember to fill out your form neatly and to keep a copy for your records. Take the original with you to the attorney consultation.
3. Get copies of medical records. If you have a personal injury lawsuit, then you will probably need to show the lawyer the extent of your injuries. The best way to do this is to gather copies of your medical records. You should get records from the following:
   • any hospital that treated you
   • any doctor you met with
   • any therapist or psychologist
4. Find receipts for relevant expenses. You may be suing because someone injured you. In that situation, you can get “compensatory damages.” This is a sum of money that reimburses you for money spent treating your injury. You may have to bring copies of the following:
   • Receipts for money spent treating a physical injury. Get copies of medical bills, receipts for prescription drugs, etc.
   • Receipts to fix a problem. You could sue someone for doing shoddy construction on your home. If you hired someone else to fix the problem, then you can be compensated for the money spent. Get itemized receipts.
5. Obtain a police report. A police report might have been filed in your case. For example, you could have been in a car accident, or you got into a fight and want to sue the person who attacked you. If a police report was filed, then get a copy.
   • See Obtain a Police Report for more information.
6. Write down your memories of the incident. Sometimes the best evidence is your memory of what happened. In this case, take some time to sit down and get your thoughts into order. You should try to remember all of the details that you can. When writing your first draft, don't worry if you write in fragment sentences of if your memories are scattered.
   • After writing the first draft, you should set it aside for a little bit. When you return to it, try to organize the information in a way that is easy for a reader to follow.
   • For example, put events in chronological order, starting with the oldest and moving forward to the most recent.
7. Gather financial documents. You might need to show the attorney financial documents, depending on the case. For example, you should bring copies of the following financial documents in a divorce or child support case:
   • recent tax returns
   • paystubs
   • bank statements
   • information on retirement accounts
   • other financial records
8. Make copies of court documents. You might have been sued. In that situation, you will have received a copy of a “complaint” or “petition.” You also probably received a summons. You should make a copy of these documents to take with you.
9. Look for correspondence with an insurer. You might be corresponding with either your insurer or another person's insurance agency. You should make copies of all correspondence to show to your attorney.
10. Put your documents in order. Although you should bring copies of relevant documents to your first meeting, the lawyer probably will not have the time to comb through each document. For this reason, you should put them in a binder. If a question comes up, you can flip through and find the right document. Arrange your documents in the following order:
    • Court documents—for example, a copy of the complaint.
    • Police report.
    • Your written memories.
    • Medical records.
    • Medical or other receipts.
    • Correspondence with insurers.

Compiling Questions

1. Look at the attorney's website. Some important information is on the attorney's website. You should look at it before your consultation so that you don't ask questions you could easily find the answers to on the website. For example, the following should be on the website:
   • Where the attorney went to law school.
   • When he or she graduated from law school.
   • Any specialist's certification granted by the state.
2. Obtain more details about the lawyer's experience. The lawyer's website should contain general information about their experience. At the consultation, you can drill down and get more details. For example, you should ask the following:
   • How long has the attorney been practicing (if this information isn't apparent from the website)?
   • Has the attorney worked on a case like yours? You might have a complicated child adoption issue. You should find out if the attorney has handled your precise issue before.
   • What other training or expertise does the attorney have apart from a law degree? For example, an attorney might also be a certified accountant. This could be helpful in a child support or alimony case.
3. Ask about fees. Fees are very important. You might not be able to hire an attorney if he or she charges too much, so you should be prepared to ask about the attorney's fee rate. Also ask about the following:
   • Does the attorney offer alternatives to the hourly fee? For example, can you get a fixed-fee rate? Does the attorney work “on contingency,” i.e., refuse a fee but take a percentage of any court verdict or settlement?
   • Are there costs for copying, mailing, etc.?
   • Does the attorney think you'll need expert witnesses or court reporters? How much do they generally charge?
   • Do paralegals and assistants work on cases? If so, what will they charge?
4. Discuss the strengths and weaknesses of your case. You probably have all kinds of questions related to how strong your case is. You may know that someone has wronged you but not really understand if you can sue because of it. Make sure to ask the attorney to explain the strengths and weaknesses of your case.
   • Have the lawyer tell you if you are missing anything. For example, you might want to sue for emotional distress but you haven't seen a therapist or psychiatrist yet.
   • Also ask about the typical outcome of cases like yours. Do they settle early or go to trial?
5. Ask how the attorney communicates. Proper communication is central to any attorney-client relationship. Negative communication could inhibit your attorney's ability to effectively represent you. Accordingly, you should ask about the attorney's communication style before hiring them. Try to find out the following:
   • Does the attorney prefer the telephone or email?
   • How responsive is the attorney? Does he or she wait two days to respond to a call?
   • Who will call you? Will it be the attorney or an assistant?

Attending Your Consultation

1. Assemble everything you need. Before heading out the door, do a double-check to see that you have everything you will need for your consultation. Check to make sure you have brought the following:
   • your binder full of relevant documents
   • check to pay for the consultation
   • notepad and pen so that you can write down the answers to questions
   • any questionnaire the attorney sent you
2. Dress nicely. You don't have to put on a suit. However, you should dress like you are going to an interview for a nice office job. Remember that the attorney is judging your professionalism just as much as you are judging theirs. You want to show that you are serious.
   • Men and women can dress in “business casual.” Wear dress pants and a nice shirt or top. Men should wear shirts with a collar. Women may also wear conservative skirts or dresses, but they must not be too tight or revealing.
3. Arrive on time. Lawyers are very busy and you should try your best to get to their office on time. If you've never been to that part of town before, then give yourself adequate time to find parking. In some cities, there might not be parking right next-door.
   • Be sure to call the attorney if you are running late. He or she might have time to wait for you, or you might need to reschedule.
4. Check in with the secretary. Most attorneys have a receptionist or secretary who will greet you when you arrive. He or she may also ask to see the form you filled out. You should give it to the secretary and explain anything on the form that isn't clear.
   • Always pay attention to how the attorney's staff treats you. This is a good gauge for judging how professional the attorney is. An attorney with unprofessional staff probably isn't too professional him or herself.
5. Meet with the lawyer. The lawyer should come out to greet you and then invite you into his or her office so that you can talk privately. You shouldn't be interrupted during your consultation.
   • Let the lawyer guide the consultation. He or she knows what information is most important, so answer the lawyer's questions. If you need to refer to a document, pull out your binder and find the document.
   • Remember to be honest with the lawyer. Your conversation is confidential, even if you don't hire the lawyer. He or she can't help you if you don't provide accurate information, so always be honest.
6. Ask for recommendations. After you meet with the attorney, you may decide they are not a good fit for your case. In other circumstances, the attorney may be too busy to take your case. If, for whatever reason, the lawyer you meet with cannot take your case, you will want to ask them for recommendations about other attorneys in the area. A lot of attorneys rely on referrals for business, and attorneys will often know of people who might be able to take your case. These referrals can be a great way to find a great attorney.
   • When you hear that an attorney will not be able to take your case, simply ask them if they have any ideas of who might be able to help. If they give you some recommendations, make sure you write down the attorney's name and contact information. When you call the recommended attorney, mention that you wee referred by someone.
7. Write down your impressions of the attorney. If you are meeting with more than one attorney, then you should write down your impressions of the attorney after the consultation. You will want to compare all of the attorneys before choosing one to represent you. Pay attention to the following:
   • How comfortable did you feel talking to the attorney? Did you feel like you could ask questions?
   • Did the attorney explain the case in a way that was understandable?
   • Was the office organized or were papers spilling out all over the place?
8. Call to hire the lawyer. Once you have selected a lawyer, you should call and tell them that you want to hire them. They will tell you what next steps to take. For example, you may need to get additional documents for the lawyer.
   • The lawyer will also send you a “fee agreement” or “engagement letter.” This document should explain what the lawyer will do for you and how much he or she charges. You should read this document carefully.
   • If you don't agree with something in the engagement letter, call up the lawyer and explain why. You shouldn't sign the agreement until you agree with everything in it.

References

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