Meeting an attorney can be rather intimidating, especially if you have never worked with attorneys and lawyers. However, this first appointment is the first step toward the resolution of your legal problem, and knowing what to anticipate can reduce fear that you may have. First of all, let me explain what process is traditionally followed by your initial appointment with an attorney, and what you have to do to prepare for this meeting.
Introduction and Background Discussion
It is usually at this point that you will be introduced, this will give both the meeting clerk and the attorney an opportunity to familiarise with you. The attorney will also request that you summarise your case to him or her briefly. You can use this to state why you need a lawyer and what you would like the lawyer to do for you.
Do not pretend to be something that you are not and keep nothing a secret.
Offer all the information a client may need as much as possible.
You should have with you any sort of paperwork that could be in some way associated with your case for instance: contracts, letters, court papers etc.
Understanding Your Legal Issue
Following that, the attorney will take his seat and inquire more information about your case from you. This will ensure that they can know the legal consequences and therefore draw the conclusion on what to do.
This makes it possible for the attorney to ask about dates, the names of the involved persons and other details.
They might visit different angles of the situation with the aim of finding out whether there is any legal liabilities or not.
Give detailed answers to questions.
If there is anything that you do not clearly understand, do not hesitate to seek clarification from anybody around you.
Discussion of Legal Options
After the attorney understands your case, he or she will brief you on your legal rights. This may contain information on the sort of plan that may be taken, chance of its achievement and consequences. They might also explain the legal process, and what might happen, the steps that would be taken and how long it was going to take.
The attorney should provide you with a number of things that could be done and warn about the advantages and disadvantages of each.
They may also deliberate if it is right to take a legal course of action or if there are other better strategies like going to court or opting for a third party intervention like mediation and the likes.
Pay attention to what is being said and the recommendations which are being made.
If there are some legal terms or processes, do not hesitate to ask to explain it more.
Fees and Costs
Perhaps the most sensitive issue that you and your intended attorney will be likely to discuss during your first discussion is on fees. The attorney needs to discuss how much they take for their services, depending on the type of the case it may be per hour, per project or contingency. They will also explain to you whether you will be required to spend more on such as cost of court, or cost of expert witness.
The attorney will inform the client about the overall cost that he or she is expected to charge and how he or she shall bill the client.
Depending on your case, they may request you to enter into a fee agreement with them in case you hire them for your case.
To buy the product from the company, you should also be clear with the fee structure and the possibility of other charges.
It is appropriate to mention your financial capacity or to inquire if there are any flexible payment option.
Next Steps and Follow-Up
The last thing that should be expected from the attorney at the end of the meeting is the plan of the subsequent actions if you decide to continue with the case. This may comprise of obtaining more information, submission of relevant documents and or requesting for an additional meeting at a later date. They may also provide you with assignments to perform, for example, they may require you to get particular papers/documents or data.
A clear plan of action in the future.
A guide on the course of action that the intended recipient of the message has to take.
It is advisable to take notes during this segment of the meeting so that in case of any need to review some facts, one can religiously rely on notes.
Request for a schedule of what follows.
Confidentiality Assurance
It is important to keep in mind that any information, which is being shared during the meeting, is strictly confidential. Lawyers are always under professional conduct rules to protect your information and as such you do not have to be careful when you are being interviewed because your details will not be disclosed to any party without your consent.
An affirmation from the attorney that whatever you will discuss, cannot be disclosed to any other party due to the privilege you enjoyed as the client.
Be transparent and bear in mind that your identity is unanswered.
Conclusion
Coming to know a lawyer for the first time need not be a stressful event. In this way, you will know exactly what to look forward to and this way make the most out of your consultation. This first consultative session is important for resolving your legal matters; hiring a lawyer that suits you could well improve the chances of a favourable outcome of your case.