Preparing for a Consultation with a Lawyer - what a lawyer would tell you beforehand

FAIRFAX, Va. - March 25, 2019 - PRLog -- The initial consultation with a lawyer helps both the client and the lawyer. Both the client and the lawyer decide if they can work together. However, an initial consultation or the first meeting can be unproductive and a waste of time if you go for it unprepared. Attorney Michael Avery, provides his advice in a new article that is available on his blog, https://michaelaveryesq.law.blog

To help you make the most of time and reach a decision, here are a few things you should remember while going for a lawyer consultation:

First things first, ask the lawyer if there is a fee for the meeting. Lawyers typically charge a per hour fee, so if there is a consultation fee, make sure to make the most of it. Ask all the necessary questions that can help you decide if you want to hire the lawyer or not. Do not waste time in discussing unnecessary or less important questions. If you don't want to pay for the first meeting, look for free consultation lawyers. There are some lawyers who offer free-of-cost consultations.

No matter how intelligent you are or how sharp your memory is, this is not the time to show it. Always, write down all the questions on a paper or a notebook before going for the meeting to make sure you do not forget anything important.

While the questions may vary from case to case, here are some general questions to ask a lawyer in the first meeting:

* Does your case fall into the lawyer's area of expertise?
* How many similar cases has the lawyer handled in the past?
* What options do you have - both legal and out-of-court?
* What problems are likely to occur in your case?
* How is the other side likely to respond? What is their plan of action likely to be?
* How likely is it that the case will get settled in your favor?
* How long will the case take to conclude?
* Is the lawyer going to personally handle the case? Or are they going to transfer it to a team member, colleague or junior?
* If any other lawyer is going to be involved in the case, ask if you can meet them before finalizing the contract.
* How will the lawyer charge for the case – on an hourly or per-meeting basis or is there a flat fee?
* Ask about the accepted modes of payments to avoid any problems later on.

Just like you have a lot of things to ask, lawyers also take all the important information in the first meeting to decide whether they want to take up the case or not. This includes your personal details, your narrative, and all the information you can provide about the case.

Lawyers do not just rely on verbal information, they need written documents and proof that can help them determine the strength of your case. So, make sure to carry all relevant documents to the initial lawyer consultation, no matter how insignificant they appear to you.  Sometimes, a small and seemingly insignificant piece of evidence can change the direction of the case.

Preparing for your first meeting with a lawyer is critical for your case, so don't take it lightly. If you are well-prepared, the initial consultation will be enough for you to decide whether you want to work with a lawyer or not.

*** Michael Leon Avery, Sr., personal injury attorney in Fairfax, Virginia. Michael Avery has over 20 years of experience in advocating for clients who have been injured in a wide array of accidents—from car and truck accidents to bicycle crashes to accidents caused by drunk drivers.

Blog: https://michaelaveryesq.law.blog
News: https://attorneygazette.com/michael-avery%2C-virginia