There comes a time in almost every person’s life when they will have to get a lawyer consultation and work with a lawyer. While most people think of working with a lawyer as something that only happens when a crime is committed, the truth is that the reasons you might work with an attorney range from adopting a child to starting a new business. Every working relationship begins with a consultation, though, and understanding what will happen during that consultation is an excellent way to prepare yourself to get the most you can out of that meeting.
An Initial Consultation with an Attorney
First and foremost, your initial consultation with an attorney is the time when you first meet that person face to face. While you can do an awful lot of research about a lawyer online, nothing is as important as the meeting you’ll have with them for the first time. You will get not only a chance to learn a bit about the attorney, but you’ll also be able to get a feeling as to whether or not this is a person with whom you would like to work in the future.
Laying Out the Basics in a Lawyer Consultation
Your consultation is also a time for you to lay out the basics of what you need from the lawyer. If you are discussing setting up a business, for example, you’ll talk about the type of business you are setting up, any history you have in that field, and what you’re looking for from an attorney. If you are consulting a criminal lawyer, though, you’ll almost certainly need to discuss the charges against you as well as your side of the story. This doesn’t mean that you’ll discuss everything during the lawyer consultation, but you’ll provide enough information to allow the lawyer to determine what steps should be taken next.
A Frank Assessment of What Happens Next
One of the most important things you’ll get during a consultation is a frank assessment of what should happen next. In some cases, the consultation will be the time when a lawyer will tell you that your needs are outside of their area of expertise and when they might refer you to someone else. In other cases, though, the lawyer will give a brief but frank explanation of what they think about your plan or case and what they can do for you. From here, you’ll discuss attorneys’ fees, payment arrangements, and what needs to happen to solidify your working arrangement.
Try to think of your lawyer consultation as a combination of an interview and an informational session. Your potential lawyer will use this time to determine if they can help you, so you should use the time to consider whether or not that attorney is the right fit for your needs. If you can go into the process understanding what’s going to happen, you will have a much better chance of getting everything you need out of your consultation.