how long is an intial consultation with lawyer

How long will my initial consultation with an attorney last?

The initial consultation will only take ten to thirty minutes of your time, and we try to get back to potential clients within twenty-four to forty-eight hours with whether our firm can represent them. Plus, it will not cost you a dime, it is free!

Will I be charged for my initial consultation with an attorney?

May 17, 2016 · How long is the meeting? An initial legal consultation is simply a short meeting between a lawyer and a potential client. This short meeting should be 20 minutes or less. Phone, Email or In Person legal consultation? A legal consultation can be done over the phone, via email or in person at the attorney's office.

How do I prepare for a consultation with a lawyer?

Nov 16, 2020 · More detailed fact gathering will occur after the initial consultation if you decide to hire the attorney. Once the attorney has an understanding of your case, he or she will typically let you know what your legal options are, your prospects of success in achieving your goals, and how much he or she expects this to cost.

What happens during an initial consultation?

How long will my initial consultation last? A typical consultation will last from 30 minutes to two hours. Depending on the facts of your case and how long it takes you to disclose everything, you should prepare for a more extended session, as it may take the attorney some time to go over all of your options with you.

How long is an initial consultation?

What should I expect from my initial consultation?

What is an initial consultation?

What should you expect when meeting the lawyer for the first time?

What does a consultation include?

What do lawyers do in a consultation?

How do you conduct an initial consultation?

What is the difference between a consultation and appointment?

Is a consultation the same as an assessment?

What you should know before you talk to a lawyer?

What are some things attorneys and clients might talk about when they first meet?

Why would a good lawyer not tell a client how their case will come out at the initial consultation?

Do attorneys give free consultations?

Many attorneys offer both free consultations and paid consultations, depending on what you are trying to accomplish. The key to understanding the difference, is that generally attorneys will not give legal advice without being first hired by the client.

What is the purpose of a free consultation?

The purpose of a free consultation is not to obtain specific legal advice in the consultation, but rather to allow you to determine whether you would like to hire the attorney and to allow the attorney to determine whether he or she can help you achieve your legal goals.

What is retainer in a trust account?

A retainer is basically a down payment for the attorney’s work. It is kept in a trust account and remains your money and refundable until the attorney earns it. This is a great time to ask the attorney any questions that you have, including questions about his or her experience with cases like yours.

What is retainer in a case?

A retainer is basically a down payment for the attorney’s work.

Relax! Your secrets are safe with us to the fullest extent allowed by law!

First, we want to assure you that our office is a safe environment where attorney-client confidentiality and privilege rules apply.

Fill out and return your client questionnaire!

The attorneys at Melissa Graham-Hurd & Associates, LLC, can take time to prepare for your appointment if you complete any provided client information sheets and return them to the office well in advance of your appointment.

Do look through the information on our website

The information we provide on our website is intended to answer some of the basic questions people commonly have when they come in for an initial consultation.

Have a written list of questions to which you can refer!

We encourage you to write down a list of questions you have for our attorneys so you can refer to the list during your initial consultation. If your loved ones and anyone else you trust have specific questions, write those down in advance as well.

Bring in copies of all the documents you have that are relevant to your situation!

Those legal papers that mean nothing to you could mean everything to one of our attorneys. If you have received documents from the court or the other side of your case, please bring them in so the attorneys can review them during your appointment. Sometimes these papers can explain the cause of your angst better than you, the potential client, can!

Be ready to take a few notes!

It can be difficult to remember what you discussed with an attorney days or even weeks later when the situation arises again. We encourage all potential clients to take a few notes on important discussion topics during their consultation so they have something to jog their memory later.

Expect your friends or family members to sit in the waiting area during your appointment

We welcome input from your trusted loved ones, but typically only one of “you” can be our client, with whom our conversations would be protected under attorney-client confidentiality and privilege rules.

What to do after initial consultation with attorney?

If you are comfortable with the attorney, the next step after the initial consultation is to sign a retainer agreement. The retainer agreement should, at least, set forth the fee structure and the scope of representation. The exact terms and conditions of your retainer agreement will depend on the attorney and on the nature of your legal matter.

Can you lie to your attorney?

Don’t ever lie to your attorney. Even if you think something can be damaging to your case, it’s even worse to withhold information. Your attorney can mitigate almost anything you’ve done as long as you’re truthful from the outset.

Why is it important to hire an attorney?

Hiring an attorney as early on in your case is essential to getting the best representation you can. Meeting with an attorney as soon as possible not only ensures that deadlines aren’t missed, but it also gives your attorney more time to understand the issues and help you reach the best possible resolution.

Is it bad to withhold information?

Even if you think something can be damaging to your case, it’s even worse to withhold information. Your attorney can mitigate almost anything you’ve done as long as you’re truthful from the outset. Your entire case could be derailed if and when the truth surfaces later on, which is a risk nobody can afford to take.

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 ...

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.

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 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 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 information do lawyers need?

For example, a lawyer needs the address, phone number, date of birth and social security number for both you and your spouse. This information is often necessary to file a case. Your lawyer may also need to know where you were married, the date of your marriage and who officiated.

What is the first thing a divorce lawyer must do?

However, one of the first things that a divorce lawyer must do is ensure that there is no conflict of interest.

1. Gather your documents

The more you bring, the better. The attorney can wade through your documents and figure out what is relevant to your case and what isn’t.

2. Have your questions ready

Once you start talking to an attorney about your case, it’s easy to forget a question or so. Make sure to think through and write down any questions you have before your meeting. Some questions you might ask would be things such as:

3. Bring something to take notes

You won’t be able to remember all of what the attorney says, so writing down some main points is strongly encouraged. While the initial consultation doesn’t include legal advice, you may get some more general information or opinions on your situation.

4. Give all the facts

Most of the meeting will consist of giving an account of what happened that led you to seek legal counsel. For example, if you were hit by someone who was texting and driving, you would tell the story of what happened leading to the crash, how the crash occurred, damages and injuries it caused, etc.

5. Go over all fees and the next steps

Attorneys have different ways of charging you for services, so ask about how they charge and what they charge for their services. Some require a retainer (a certain amount upfront), while others don’t collect anything from you until you win compensation. Ask them to go over all their fees, so nothing surprises you.