Making your first visit to an attorney go smoothly
If you need an attorney and are about to make that first office visit, there are a number of steps you can take to ensure that the meeting goes smoothly.
First, carefully review all the reasons you need the attorney's services. A short, written list, highlighting the areas for discussion as well as any questions, will help keep the meeting on track.
Bring all pertinent documents to the initial consultation. If you are selling a parcel of real estate, for example, it would be helpful not only to bring a real estate contract but information on the real estate parcel, the title policy and the land survey. If you are having a will drafted, the documents may include a rough financial statement and a list of beneficiaries.
Try to get a sense of how long it will take to resolve your legal issue. The attorney should leave you believing that the matter can be accomplished within a reasonable time frame.
Use the first meeting to determine your comfort level with the attorney. Having confidence in the attorney's ability to assist you, both short- and possibly long-term, is important.
Finally, address the issue of the attorney's fees. Will you be billed on an hourly or fixed fee basis? What is the total estimated cost of the service? Are there any circumstances that might change the type of fee, which would make it a combination of a fixed fee and an hourly fee? Will there be expenses involved? In most cases, your attorney can give you a close estimate of the total cost.
In short, if you are prepared in advance, realistic about your expectations and have a clear understanding about fees, the first visit to an attorney should be both productive and satisfying.
For more information, view our pamphlet Know Your Lawyer.
Note: This information was prepared as a public service by the Illinois State Bar Association and is a joint project with the Illinois Press Association. Its purpose is to inform citizens of their legal rights and obligations.
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If you have questions about the application of the law in a particular case, consult your lawyer. The law is constantly changing. Information on this site or any site to which we link does not constitute legal advice.