Your first lawyer consultation: a practical preparation guide

01 / Practical step

Before booking: establish what the appointment includes

Ask whether the first conversation is an intake call or an advice appointment. An intake call may establish the type of enquiry, conflicts and availability without reviewing documents or providing advice. Confirm the appointment length, fee, responsible person and whether reading time is included. If you need an answer before a stated date, say so before booking and ask whether the office can assess the request in time. Do not treat an automated booking confirmation as acceptance of the entire matter.

• Is there a charge, and what does it cover?
• Will a lawyer review documents before the meeting?
• Will I receive written advice, a summary or only an initial discussion?
• What information is needed for the office's conflict check?

02 / Practical step

Write a one-page outline

Use four short headings: the situation, the next decision, the documents and the questions. Under the situation, write a few dated events and distinguish what you remember from what a document records. Under the next decision, identify anything you have been asked to sign, answer or attend. Under documents, list what you have instead of pasting everything into the outline. Finish with the three questions that would make the meeting useful. The outline is a preparation aid, not a statement of agreed facts or a substitute for complete instructions once the lawyer asks for them.

03 / Practical step

Make the document pack easy to navigate

Ask which documents are needed and how to send them. Keep original versions intact and use a simple index describing each document and its date. If you do not have something, say that instead of recreating it from memory. Avoid sending the same attachment in several email chains. For large collections, ask the office how it wants material organised. The aim is to make it clear what exists and where the relevant information can be found, while allowing the adviser to decide what matters.

04 / Practical step

Arrange a meeting you can use

Tell the office about language, hearing, mobility or other access requirements before the appointment. If you want a support person present, ask about their role and any confidentiality implications. For a phone or video meeting, confirm the contact method, time zone and what happens if the connection fails. Have your questions and documents accessible. If a contact channel is unsafe for you, explain which arrangements are appropriate. These details affect whether the meeting works and should not be left to the last minute.

05 / Practical step

Close the meeting with a responsibility check

Before finishing, repeat your understanding of what happens next. Ask what the lawyer has agreed to do, what you need to provide and who is checking any date. Distinguish an option discussed from an instruction actually accepted. Ask when you should expect the next communication and how to raise an urgent development. If the office proposes further work, request its scope and cost information before assuming it is included in the first appointment.

• My next action is…
• The office has agreed to…
• The information still needed is…
• The person checking the relevant date is…
• The next scope or cost decision is…

06 / Practical step

If the office cannot help

Ask whether the reason is capacity, conflicts, the type of work or something else the office can explain. A refusal is not a decision about the merits of your situation. Ask whether another professional body, legal aid service or community legal centre may be an appropriate starting point. Keep track of whom you contacted and what they said, but do not keep waiting on an unanswered enquiry when you have an imminent date. Use the relevant official assistance route or seek another available lawyer promptly.