09 Apr What to Expect in Your Consultation
I am a free consultation lawyer. Not everyone is nowadays, but I believe it is an important opportunity for the both of us. The goal of the initial meeting is to give each other enough information to decide if our partnership is the best fit for us. I do not charge for the consultation, even if I am hired for your case. Some clients want to consult on the phone or via Skype. Others will want to come up to the office to meet me in person. I have all three options available for the convenience of my clients.
As a potential customer, your first question will be “How much will this cost?” In order to answer that, I will be asking you some basic questions about your situation and your case. Which County are you in? What type of case is it? What do you need from me as an Attorney? Depending upon the type of case, you may be quoted a “flat fee”, i.e. a flat cost for the entire service, or you may be paying for the work on a “billable hour” basis. If you opt for billable hours, I will give you an outline of how many hours I foresee being involved and what steps I will need to take on your behalf.
We’ll also discuss payment options and ways to keep costs down. Perhaps you only need very specific help on your case? A la carte pricing will save you money. I also offer some pointers on keeping billable hours low, from efficient ways of communicating to learning how you can check on your own case status through my online portal.
As a potential lawyer for the case, I will be getting as much info about your case and its background as possible. This will be the start of my investigation. Tell me your story. If you have been served with paperwork, then bring it. If you have witnesses that you believe are relevant, then bring their contact information. I will also be gathering basic personal information, such as contact and employment info.
The initial consultation will last an average of a half hour. It is a valuable and free opportunity to provide the basic information about you and your case, as well as to get to know me and my office. At the end of the meeting, you might want to sign on as a client or you may need more time to decide. But it will be a useful first step to solving your legal issue.
No Comments