how to prepare to speak with an attorney

• Always be as honest and candid as possible about the facts of your case. The more your attorney knows, the more he or she can help you.
• Ask questions if you don't understand something that your attorney mentions or explains to you.
• Approach an attorney about your case as soon as you think you may need one. Not acting quickly may limit your legal rights and options.
• Be proactive in finding out how your attorney expects to be compensated. Attorneys' fees and payment options vary. Make sure you understand what your fee agreement contains.
• Be careful when bringing a third party to your legal counseling sessions. ...
Bring any and all documents, letters, copies of e-mails, and other information related to your case to your first counseling session.
Check your prospective attorney's credentials and State Bar history. In California, check with the State Bar to ensure that your attorney is in good standing. ...
Consider all the options your attorney presents. Not all may seem desirable at first, but take ample time to consider all of the choices and legal consequences your attorney presents.
Call ahead for an appointment. Attorneys seldom (if ever) see walk-in clients. ...

Full Answer

How do I prepare for a meeting with my lawyer?

Preparing to Meet With a Lawyer Your Contact Information. Regardless of the type of legal matter, your lawyer will want to know who you are and how to... Key Facts About Your Case. Your lawyer will surely ask you to describe the key facts leading up …

How do I communicate with my lawyer?

Mar 06, 2017 · Give your attorney feedback and try to prepare for each meeting or phone conversation with the evidence, information, and descriptions your attorney needs to build a strong case. Ideally, your relationship with your attorney should put you at ease and not make you feel more stressed out about medical costs, time away from work, or the status of the case.

What do you need to know before hiring a lawyer?

Make a set of copies of everything that you plan to share with the lawyer. Give the lawyer the copies at the beginning of the initial consultation. Prudent attorneys do not accept original documents, and you do not want to waste precious time or money waiting while the attorney makes copies. So fax the documents to the law office before the meeting.

How can I Make my Lawyer’s job easier?

Mar 11, 2022 · If it's not clearly spelled out in your representation agreement, ask the lawyer how they'd prefer to communicate with you (email, telephone, or some other method), and then keep in contact regularly. The lawyer might give you advice on how to proceed. This could be especially important when time is short.

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May 02, 2022 · An important question to ask a lawyer is what the strategy for your case will be and the outcome the lawyer expects. You’ll want to get details on what kind of procedures to expect. Ask how long it will take for the entire case to be resolved. Discuss the legal strategies that will be used.

How do you prepare to talk to a lawyer?

What you should know before you talk to a lawyer?

What should you not say to an attorney?

How do you address an attorney when speaking?

What do you say when you first call a lawyer?

What's the difference between attorney and lawyer?

How do I know if my lawyer is good?

Can a lawyer snitch on you?

How do you answer a lawyer question?

What does Esquire mean?

How do you start a letter to an attorney?

What does Esq mean behind someone's name?

How to communicate with a lawyer?

1. Ask your lawyer how he or she communicates. Each lawyer is different. Some might prefer to communicate by email. Others may communicate by telephone. At your first meeting with the lawyer, you should discuss how you will communicate. Try not to demand that the lawyer use your preferred method of communication.

Is a lawyer a therapist?

Your lawyer certainly understands that you have feelings and that this is a stressful time for you. At the same time, however, your lawyer is not a therapist and is not trained to handle emotional breakdowns or excessive venting. These types of outbursts hinder effective communication.

What to do if communication has broken down?

If you feel communication has broken down, address your own shortcomings. For example, you might not get requested information to your lawyer until right before a deadline. This makes it very difficult for a lawyer to represent you. Think about why you are struggling to communicate with your lawyer.

What is the purpose of 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.

What is the purpose of a questionnaire?

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.

What is compensatory damages?

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.

What is the first meeting between a lawyer and a prospective client?

All attorneys meet with prospective clients in what is called an initial consultation. This is a first meeting between you and the lawyer to help you both decide whether you want to work together in an attorney-client relationship. At this point, you are both checking each other out, and getting information and advice that can help you with your case regardless of whether you hire that lawyer or any other one.

What is an initial consultation?

All attorneys meet with prospective clients in what is called an initial consultation. This is a first meeting between you and the lawyer to help you both decide whether you want to work together in an attorney-client relationship. At this point, you are both checking each other out, and getting information and advice that can help you ...

What questions should I ask my attorney?

Questions for Your Attorney 1 How long have you practiced in this area of law? 2 How many cases have you handled that are like mine? 3 What was the outcome in those cases? 4 How long does it typically take to resolve cases like mine? 5 What sort of budget should I anticipate for this sort of case, from beginning to end? 6 Do you require a retainer? If so, how much? 7 What additional information, documents, or data do you need from me in order to begin work?

What to bring to a lawyer meeting?

What Should I Bring? 1 A pen and pad of paper or the electronic equivalent! In the course of your conversation with your attorney, you will surely want to write down notes on any issues or questions that arise. 2 A list of questions. Clients often have a million questions and concerns before a meeting, one or more of which they then forget to ask when sitting face to face with their attorney. Write these questions down ahead of time, to make sure you get every query answered while you're sitting there. 3 A check for the initial consultation fee, if your attorney charges one. This should be discussed ahead of the meeting. Nothing gets a lawyer-client relationship off on the wrong foot faster than forgetting to make your first payment. Presenting that fee immediately shows that you're taking the relationship seriously. 4 Any documents relevant to your case. If, for example, you are negotiating a lease and want the lawyer to review it, you should obviously bring a copy of the draft lease. If possible, make multiple copies of each document you give to your lawyer, so that you can take a set back home. (Or you can ask the lawyer's office to make the copies, but you'll likely be charged at premium rates for those.)

What happens if you don't hire a lawyer?

Be honest. Remember that, even if you do not end up hiring the lawyer, everything you tell him or her during your meeting is generally subject to the attorney-client privilege. (The biggest exception to this, not surprisingly, is if you tell your lawyer that you are going to commit a crime, which information the lawyer may be duty-bound ...

What is retainer agreement?

You may be presented with a contract called a retainer agreement or a legal services agreement. This typically spells out the scope of the lawyer's representation of you, as well as the fees that you will pay. The document is ordinarily a few pages long. The lawyer should explain it to you.

What to ask a lawyer about a case?

An important question to ask a lawyer is what the strategy for your case will be and the outcome the lawyer expects. You’ll want to get details on what kind of procedures to expect. Ask how long it will take for the entire case to be resolved. Discuss the legal strategies that will be used. Find out if your attorney will attempt to settle and if mediation or arbitration are options. Think about the answers and if you are comfortable with them. Maybe you want to avoid a trial at all costs but your attorney really wants to just go to trial, or perhaps you have no intention of settling and want your day in court. It is important that your lawyer’s strategy lines up with your needs.

What is a meeting with a lawyer?

Meeting with a lawyer for an initial consultation is generally not a chance to ask legal questions that are in depth, but is instead an opportunity to get a sense as to whether this lawyer is the right one to handle your case. Use this meeting to help you decide which lawyer will be the best one for your case.

Why is it important to meet with a small business attorney?

Meeting with a small business attorney is an important way to get your business off to a good start and minimize future risks. Here are questions to ask at your first meeting.

Why do lawyers offer free consultations?

Most lawyers offer a free consultation so that you have a chance to determine if he or she is the right person for you. Going to the first meeting with some simple questions can help you ensure you find the right person for the legal help you need. You will not get much legal advice at this consult since it is not meant to resolve your legal ...

How to prove negligence?

Generally speaking, in order to prevail on a negligence claim, the plaintiff must prove: 1 The health care provider breached an applicable standard of care (i.e., a wrongful act took place) 2 The breach of the applicable standard of care directly and proximately (lawyers are still fighting about the meaning of “proximate”) caused injury to plaintiff 3 The plaintiff sustained a discernible and identifiable damage (s)

Do you have to be a medical expert to have a gut feeling?

If the answer is “yes,” you are on the right track. You don’t have to be a medical expert or an attorney to have a gut feeling about the case. The important thing here is to avoid litigation for the purpose of revenge or annoyance. Such cases are doomed to fail.

Why is it important to work with an elder law attorney?

Working with an elder law attorney is important, as you never know what the future holds. You don’t want to end up incapacitated, nor do you want to end up with your assets at risk and facing potential losses due to high nursing home costs when you can make an incapacity plan ...

What is an elder law attorney?

An elder law attorney helps you to identify areas where you are vulnerable, assists you in setting goals, and helps you to make effective use of a variety of Ohio legal tools to protect your future. The sooner you work with an elder law attorney, the more protection you can put in place for your assets and for your loved ones, ...

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Tips

If you're addressing a female attorney, always use "Ms." unless you're certain she prefers "Mrs." Many professional women consider "Mrs." to be outdated.

About This Article

This article was written by Jennifer Mueller, JD. Jennifer Mueller is an in-house legal expert at wikiHow. Jennifer reviews, fact-checks, and evaluates wikiHow's legal content to ensure thoroughness and accuracy. She received her JD from Indiana University Maurer School of Law in 2006. This article has been viewed 29,118 times.