How to Prepare Yourself for Your First Meeting with a Lawyer

You have a meeting with a lawyer who is going to present your case in favor of you in the court. There are certain things that you should do in advance to prepare yourself for it. You have to gather and organize the details of your case in a systematic way. Having all the details at a place will let the lawyer advise you properly.

This article provides a few practical tips on how to prepare yourself for the first meeting with a lawyer. Remember, being prepared will satisfy you with the quality of legal service the lawyer provides. A few important questions to ask the lawyer during the meeting are:

Does the lawyer specialize in your type of problem?
After telling the details of the case, this is the first question that you should be asking the lawyer – whether they are experienced in resolving issues as yours.

You need to be specific and should ask them if they have earlier taken up such cases and if so know the outcome. Only if the lawyer is experienced and specialized in your type of problem, he will be able to handle your case well.

Legal billing softwareHow much they are going to charge and how are fees structured?
Now that you are confident that the lawyer is specialized in your type of problem, get to know whether or not you can afford the lawyer. Ask the lawyer to estimate how much it will cost to solve your problem, including fees and other expenses.

In addition, ask how the lawyer will charge, whether it will be a flat rate charged according to the number of hours, or as a percentage of what the court awards you. This information will help you decide whether or not to hire the lawyer.

What kind of clients does the lawyer represent?
Aside from factors like specialization, experience and fees, you also need to know the lawyer’s past and present clients and know how he has represented his clients. Take a look at his track record of wins and losses, and look at the facts.

How long will your case probably take?
Ask the lawyer approximately how long the whole case will take and what are your chances of winning. If the chances of you winning are fewer, then should you settle the case instead of suing. And if the chances of you winning the case are more, how long it will take.

How will they report you of developments in your case?
Choose a lawyer who will keep you informed on the developments in your case. The best way to ensure this is to ask the lawyer to send you an email to stay in contact with you for the case. By doing this, you can avoid repeated phone calls to know what’s happening in the case at no cost, because those phone calls will cost you money.