What to Expect When You Call an Attorney

If you have a legal issue an attorney can help with, you may not know what to expect when you call a law firm looking for help.  Here’s what you can expect, and how you can make that first call as productive as possible:

1. Know when it’s time to call.

An attorney can only help you when you’ve come to them for help.  That’s why it’s important to come to an attorney sooner rather than later.  Of course, some things you just can’t plan for, but oftentimes, you can.

Many legal problems arise because an attorney was not involved soon enough.  For example, if you have an attorney review that big contract your business just scored, you might avoid expensive litigation later on to solve what should be an easy question to answer.  If you have a problem with a neighbor, you should ask an attorney about your options, instead of assuming you are allowed to do something.

On the extreme end, sometimes clients wait until the very last minute to involve a lawyer.  If you have been served paperwork in a lawsuit, for example, do not wait until one week before the hearing to try to hire a lawyer—it will be much harder to help you.

2. Expect a paralegal to answer your first call.

When you first call a law firm you’re looking to hire, you will most likely be connected with a paralegal first.  This is a good thing—paralegals are trained professionals who can help you pinpoint what information you need to gather and which attorney will be able to help you. They also know what information is needed to avoid a conflict of interest.

3. Have a goal in mind.

Before you call, formulate a goal.  What do you want to happen?  Do you want to be paid back?  Fix a child custody schedule?  Form a business?  Sell a property?  You don’t need to know exactly how to get what you’re looking for—but you need a goal.  Your attorney will help you get where you need to go, but you need to know what you want, ultimately.  During an initial call, this information can help the firm determine if who can help you, or if hiring an attorney is even necessary.

4. Be honest and prepared.

When you call a law firm about an issue, you are protected by attorney-client privilege, even if you do not ultimately hire the law firm.  So, there is no reason to hide.  In order to determine how the firm can help you, the firm needs to know what the situation is.  Hiding “bad facts” will only make life more difficult for everyone.

You will also want to be prepared to summarize the situation.  When you have your consult with an attorney, you can get into details.  During the initial call, however, it is important to give a general overview (without leaving out any important details).  No one expects you to know all of the relevant information for a legal matter, but you should identify what the issue is, who the parties are, what you want and, generally, what happened.

If you need an attorney, give Gehling Osborn Law Firm, PLC.  We can help you find the best path forward.