Questions to Ask a Lawyer at a Consultation

What should you bring to a lawyer consultation?

Bring every document related to the matter, a one-page timeline of events, a list of the people involved, and your questions. Preparation lets the lawyer spend the meeting on advice.

• Contracts, letters, notices, court papers and emails.
• Photos, medical records, receipts or financial statements, depending on the matter.
• A timeline with dates, in order, one line per event.
• Names and contact details for anyone involved, including opposing parties and their lawyers or insurers.
• Your list of questions and a pen.

If you have not yet picked who to meet, start with a search by practice area and city, then check each license using our license lookup guide.

What should you ask about the lawyer's experience?

Ask how many matters like yours the lawyer handles and what usually happens in them. Experience with your exact type of case is more useful than general years in practice.

1. How much of your practice is cases like mine?
2. Have you handled matters in this court or county?
3. What are the common outcomes in cases like mine?
4. Is there anything unusual about my situation that worries you?

What should you ask about strategy and outcomes?

Ask for your realistic options, the risks of each, and a likely range of outcomes. A trustworthy lawyer explains uncertainty. A lawyer who guarantees a result is a red flag.

1. What are my options, and which would you recommend?
2. What could go wrong?
3. Is settlement, mediation or a negotiated deal realistic here?
4. What would you need from me to make the strongest case?

What should you ask about fees and costs?

Ask how you are charged, what the first payment covers, and what extra costs you could owe. Ask for the fee agreement in writing before you pay.

1. Do you charge hourly, a flat fee, a contingency fee or a retainer?
2. What is the total I should budget, and what could push it higher?
3. Who pays filing fees, expert fees and other costs, and when?
4. If my case ends early or I change lawyers, what do I owe?

Our guide to lawyer fee types explains each structure and the rules around them.

What should you ask about staffing and communication?

Ask who will do the work and how you will be updated. Many matters are handled by associates or paralegals, which is fine when it is disclosed and supervised.

1. Who will handle my matter day to day, and who supervises?
2. How will you update me, and how quickly do you return calls and emails?
3. Who do I contact if you are unavailable?

What should you ask about timing?

Ask about deadlines first, then about how long the matter may take. Some legal deadlines are short, and missing one can end a claim.

1. Are there deadlines I need to know about now?
2. What are the major steps, and roughly how long does each take?
3. What should I do or avoid doing in the meantime?

What should you do after the consultation?

Write down the answers the same day, then compare your lawyers side by side. Do not sign during the meeting unless every question has a clear answer.

• Note the fee terms, the staffing and the advice you received.
• Confirm the lawyer's license on the state lookup.
• Compare at least two lawyers before you decide.

The main guide, how to choose a lawyer, walks through the whole decision. If a lawyer's answers raised concerns, check the red flags list.