Your first consultation with your Lawyer is an important one.It is the perfect time to establish whether you feel comfortable with your Lawyer and their fees.You are under no obligation to hire a Lawyer after their first consultation.Your first meeting is a bit like a job interview….. You need to make sure that the Lawyer you choose is the right person for the job.There are usually a lot of questions that need answering during the first consultation.Here are 5 questions that you shouldn’t leave your initial consultation without an answer to!
Do you have recent experience in cases similar to mine?
There’s a lot of value in real world legal experience.Textbook knowledge is of course important, but hands on experience in the real world is more valuable. During your first consultation with your new Lawyer, take time to enquire about their recent legal experience in cases similar to yours.Laws change over time and laws are different now to what they were 20 years ago, thus recent legal experience is important.
What is the fee structure?
Legal fee’s are generally an important concern for most people.Therefore it is important to understand the fee structure of the Lawyer that you choose.
How will we communicate with each other?
It is always important that you are 100% clear on the type of communication that will occur between you and your Lawyers.Most people don’t like being left out in the dark and so regular communication between client and Lawyer is important. It is best to be able to contact your Lawyer for legal advice when and where you need it.Points to consider and discuss may be:
- How will we communicate? Email, phone etc
- Who will I communicate with?
- How often will we communicate?
Who will be handling my issue?
You must always be clear about who will be carrying out the work and if it will be the Lawyer that you are meeting with in the initial consultation.
How long will my matter take?
Your Lawyer should be able to give you advice on how much time is needed to complete the work.The time will vary depending on a number of factors such as the size of the Law firm, their current workload, their previous experience etc.
Meeting your new Lawyer can be an overwhelming time.There is a lot to think about and a lot to remember. This meeting is important as it establishes a good working relationship that will continue for some time.It important to find out as much as you can about the Lawyers and their Law Firm.
If you are looking for a friendly, approachable, experienced team of Lawyers in Cairns, contact us at Preston Law in Cairns.You can trust our Lawyers for quality legal advice and representation across a range of issues.
Preston Law Cairns
1/15 Spence St, Cairns City QLD 4870
Ph 4052 0700