If you have an upcoming consultation with a lawyer, take some time to prepare ahead of time. Consultations are typically 30 minutes to an hour, so it is important to be prepared and utilize your time wisely.
BOOK AN APPOINTMENT AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE: Lawyers and legal help are busy and oftentimes booked out months in advance. It is important to know your legal deadlines and call around to see who has sooner openings.
BRING ANY RELEVANT DOCUMENTS: Create a list of documents essential to your case, such as: court documents, birth/marriage certificates, text messages, contracts, pay stubs, bank statements, photos, emails, etc. Compile them in a way so you are prepared and ready to share with the lawyer.
WRITE DOWN AN OUTLINE OF YOUR LEGAL SITUATION: Take one page to outline the facts, the timeline, what you have already done to resolve the issue, etc.
PAY ATTENTION TO THE TIME: While explaining your case is helpful to understand the legal situation, you only have so much time within the consultation! Do not spend more than ¼ of your time explaining your situation.
IDEAL AND REALISTIC OUTCOMES: Prepare what your ideal outcomes are for your legal situation and what you are/are not willing to do for the legal situation so the consultation can be focused on your goals. Be prepared for the possibility that your ideal outcome may not always be the most realistic one.
PREPARE YOUR QUESTIONS AHEAD OF TIME: On the same page as your outline, prepare questions you have for the lawyer;
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What kind of form do I need? Do you know where I can find one?
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How strong of a case do you think I have?
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What options do I have?, etc.
BE HONEST!: A lawyer can help you the best the more honest you are, even if it is awkward or uncomfortable.
TAKE NOTES AND LISTEN: There is a lot of confusing legal jargon within the law, taking notes during the consultation is a helpful way to not forget any key terms.
WHAT ARE THE NEXT STEPS?: If there is no plan of retaining the lawyer, consultations typically end with guidance on what to do next as a self-represented litigant. It may be that a lawyer tells you what kind of form to fill out, but not where or how to find sample forms. At the library, we can help you find self-help and sample form information, so feel free to contact us at [email protected] if you need help locating resources and legal information. You can also check out our self-help/forms information page.
This page is not legal advice.
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