An initial consultation is your chance to learn about your case, evaluate the attorney, and decide whether to hire them. Coming prepared makes the meeting useful — and saves you time and money. Here's the checklist.
Contracts, leases, court papers, correspondence with the other side, photos, receipts, medical records, employment documents — anything that might matter. Bring originals plus a copy you can leave with the lawyer.
One page summarizing what happened, in chronological order with dates. Memory fades and details get jumbled in conversation. A pre-written timeline keeps the meeting focused on legal analysis instead of fact-gathering.
Other parties, witnesses, current and former attorneys, insurance adjusters, and anyone who might be relevant. The attorney will need to check for conflicts and may want to contact people quickly.
What's the likely outcome? What's the cost structure? Who at the firm will work on this? What's the realistic timeline? How often will you communicate? Write them down — you'll forget half of them otherwise.
If you've talked to or hired other lawyers about this matter, share that. The attorney needs to know whether you have an existing engagement, prior advice that conflicts, or relationships that could be conflicts of interest.
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NotALawyer.com provides general legal information, not legal advice.