What’s Included in a Free Consultation With a Lawyer?

A free consultation helps potential clients and lawyers discover if they can help each other. Clients learn if they have a case and how the lawyer can help them, and lawyers learn if a potential client has a valid claim worth pursuing.

If you’ve never had a consultation with an Atlanta personal injury lawyer, it helps to know what is included so you can be prepared. Most consultations have a time limit, so preparation will help you get the most benefit from your time with the lawyer.

Here’s what’s included in free consultations with a personal injury lawyer and what you can do to prepare for your visit.

Tell Your Story

The first thing the lawyer will ask is your story. You’ll have an opportunity to present the facts of your case and explain what you want. If you have any relevant documents for your claim, the lawyer will look them over while you explain.

A good lawyer will ask questions during your story to help them understand your legal situation and give feedback about your story and its legalities. You will learn a lawyer’s communication style throughout the consultation and discover if they’re someone you wish to work with.

Legal Assessment

Based on your story, documents, and questions, the lawyer will give you a preliminary legal assessment. You’ll learn if your case is strong and how laws apply to your situation. You may also get an explanation of potential outcomes based on experience and typical results from similar cases. 

This initial legal assessment is not a guarantee of your case’s success or failure, but it can help you decide if you want to pursue your case. If your case is unusual, a lawyer may say they don’t have the experience to help you. They may give you a referral to a different lawyer.

Legal Strategy

Next, your lawyer will describe the legal processes that could apply to your case. Most personal injury cases settle, but some go to trial or mediation. They may also discuss potential legal strategies for your case.

Since this is an early meeting, strategies may change after the lawyer investigates your story. Different lawyers will have different approaches to legal strategy. If you have a desired outcome, tell the lawyer so they can describe if it’s possible and how to get it.

You may also learn about obstacles that could make your case harder to win. For example, if your case must go to trial it will take much longer to win and you may have a lower chance of success.

Costs and Fees

The lawyer will know whether they will take your case by this point. If they will, the next part of your free consultation is a discussion of fees. Usually, for personal injury lawyers, this will be a contingency fee. If you win, you will pay a percentage of whatever you won.

Other costs may apply in your case, including court fees, expert witness fees, and administrative fees. Your lawyer should explain how their firm handles those so you’ll be prepared if you need to pay before your settlement.

If you are unclear about legal fees, this is the time to ask questions. You don’t want to win your case and have a surprise bill at the end.

Next Steps

The next part included in your free lawyer consultation is a discussion of what will be necessary to move your case forward. For example, your lawyer may need additional documentation, like a crash report from the Georgia Department of Transportation, to move forward with your claim.

They will also explain their procedures for follow-up meetings and communication policies. This will help you and your lawyer set expectations about communication. It’s important to choose a lawyer responsive enough to your tastes so you feel comfortable moving forward.

Q&A Session

At this point, the lawyer will have explained the basics of their services to you. This is the time to ask any other questions you have. Common questions at the end include:

• What is your background and experience in the kind of case I have?
• What is your success rate with these cases?
• How long do cases like these take to finish, in your experience?
• What’s your honest opinion of my case? Can I win?

By the end of these steps, you should know if you’re ready to work with that lawyer. If you wish to proceed, they will present you with a contract. Once signed, your lawyer will get to work to win your case.

Prepare for Your Consultation

Now you know what’s included in a free consultation with a lawyer. To make the most of your session, prepare a list of questions before you come. Don’t sign a contract until you feel absolutely certain your lawyer can help you.

You should also have your story straight about what happened. You must be honest and upfront about what happened so your lawyer can accurately assess your claim. Information given in a consultation is confidential.

Finally, remember that you are not obligated to hire a lawyer at the end of a consultation. If you wish to learn how John Foy & Associates can help you with your case, contact us to schedule a free consultation with our personal injury lawyers.