Your time in a consultation is valuable. Since the attorney likely has back to back meetings,
your time is limited for an initial consultation. So, how should you prepare to use your time to the
best of your advantage?
- Documentation: To be clear, you do not need to bring any and every piece of evidence and
documentation you have to support your case in an initial consultation. However, if you have
recently been served with paperwork, it is helpful to bring that paperwork with you so the
attorney can see what led you to their office. This does not mean the attorney does not want
to hear the facts from you themselves; rather, it can save valuable time in explaining where
you need to go from there without having to sort through what happened with a question
and answer back and forth. - Background information: This is especially important in family law/domestic cases where
facts such as your date of marriage, date of separation, children birthdays, and the like are
especially important. If you choose to retain an attorney to file pleadings, these types of dates
and facts are almost always needed for the filing. You would be surprised how many people
cannot remember these dates and have to get back to the attorney after retaining, delaying
the filing of their pleadings. - Consultation fee: Most attorneys will charge a consultation fee, so make sure you are aware
of the fee and time limit so you know what to expect. - Listening ears: You are going to be spending money on an attorney if you decide to retain
one, so it is important you come to consultations prepared to listen to the advice the
attorney has to give – it is what you are paying them for, after all. Many people come to
consultations with a one track mind solution already in mind and are surprised to learn there
are alternative solutions and options available to them.
In sum, you do not need to do too much to prepare for a consultation. Show up with listening
ears, with your background information handy, and any documentation that will explain why you
decided to seek an attorney (if any at all). At Ley Law, our attorneys are here for you. Give us a call
to schedule a consultation today at 252-612-0007.
LeAnne Goss Author
LeAnne M. Goss is an Associate Attorney at Ley Law, dedicated to Family Law, Juvenile Law, Abuse, Neglect, and Dependency Court (DSS court), as well as Appellate Law. She graduated from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro in 2019 with a Bachelor’s in Liberal Studies focused on Humanities and earned her Juris Doctor from Campbell Law School in 2023.
