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Preparing to Meet a New Attorney

Not every lawyer is right for every client or case so it is important to prepare for your initial consultation so you can make an informed decision in regards to your counsel.

There are many different areas that require an attorney. Whether you need to hire an attorney to handle your divorce or a custody issue, write a will or represent you in a criminal matter, you should put some care and thought into the process to ensure you hire the right lawyer for you and the right lawyer for your legal matter.

Before hiring an attorney, consider scheduling an initial consultation, or preliminary meeting, to help you learn more about the lawyer's background, skills, suggested strategy and personality. Many attorneys don't charge for the initial consultation, but when you make the appointment, be sure to ask whether there's a fee for the meeting.

Take some time to prepare for your initial consultation by making a list of questions  you'd like to ask the lawyer. These questions should all help you decide whether you want to hire the attorney. Focus your questions on several key areas:

• The lawyer's professional background and experience handling matters similar to yours
• The lawyer's proposed strategy for handling your legal matter
• How your matter will be staffed and managed
• How much the lawyer charges for his services, how much you can expect to pay in legal fees and when payment will be expected
• Whether the attorney meets any special requirements you may have

You should make a written list of the questions you'd like to ask so you don't forget any of them during the initial consultation. There will be no wrong questions and it is important that you get as much information from the first meeting as possible.

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