Questions to Ask a Lawyer Before You Hire Them (and What to Bring)
A first consultation is short, and often free or low-cost. Walk in prepared and you'll learn more in thirty minutes, get a better read on the lawyer, and spend less once you hire them.
This checklist covers what to bring and what to ask, with a focus on the questions business owners forget: how the fees work, what the budget is, and who will actually do the work.
When you need it
- Before any first meeting with a lawyer.
- When comparing several firms (pitch three to five).
- Before signing a fee agreement.
What goes in it
- Bring
- Your one-page case summary and timeline.
- Bring
- The key documents: contract, the main emails, any demand letter or court papers.
- Bring
- Any deadline you know of, such as a response date on a letter or court papers.
- Ask: fees
- How do you bill? Hourly rates for each person who'll work on this? Retainer? Would you consider flat, capped or contingency fees?
- Ask: budget
- What will the next phase cost? Can I have a written estimate by phase?
- Ask: staffing
- Who will do the work day to day? Who do I contact?
- Ask: plan
- What happens next, and roughly when? What do you need from me?
- Ask: experience
- Have you handled disputes like this one? In this court?
Example (fictional)
| Question | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Can I have a written estimate by phase? | Lets you track spend against a plan instead of reacting to invoices. |
| Who will do the work day to day? | Associate and paralegal time is billed too; know the rates. |
| What do you need from me to keep costs down? | Invites the lawyer to use your organized record. |
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Ask your lawyer before pasting case documents into any AI tool, and check every row against the source. How to use legal AI safely.
Based on this summary of my business dispute, list the questions I should ask a lawyer at a first consultation about fees, budget, timeline, staffing and what they need from me. Questions only; do not answer them or give legal advice. [paste case summary]
Tips
- Get the fee agreement in writing and read it before signing; in California, most hourly agreements expected to exceed $1,000 and all contingency agreements must be in writing.
- Take notes, and send a short thank-you email confirming next steps.
- Compare at least three firms on fees and staffing, not just reputation.
- Don't hand over your full document set until you've hired the lawyer and discussed confidentiality.
Frequently asked questions
- What should I bring to a lawyer consultation?
- A one-page case summary, a dated timeline, the key documents (contract, main emails, any demand letter or court papers) and any deadlines you know of.
- What questions should I ask a lawyer about fees?
- How they bill, the hourly rate for each person on your case, the retainer and how it's replenished, whether flat, capped or contingency fees are possible, and the estimated cost of the next phase.
An organizing tool, not legal advice. Legal HQ is not a law firm. Example rows are fictional. Ask a lawyer licensed where you are about your situation and any deadlines.