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During a free legal consultation, the attorney will listen to the client’s situation and offer options, but will not give legal advice. It’s common to speak to multiple attorneys before deciding who to hire, and privacy laws prevent attorneys from sharing personal information. It’s important to find an attorney who makes the client feel comfortable.
Your reasons for needing free legal advice will have some impact on what you can expect, but most free consultations tend to follow a similar pattern. During the consultation, your attorney will likely want you to briefly explain why you need his services. After hearing your reasons, he will likely tell you if he thinks he can help you. Your attorney may then continue to give you a few different options relating to your situation. The last thing that will likely be discussed during your free legal consultation is payment, including how much upfront is needed, if any, and when the money would be expected.
You should not expect to receive any legal advice during your free consultation. Many people mistakenly believe that free legal advice involves getting legal advice, but most lawyers won’t offer it until they receive some form of compensation. A consultation is usually arranged to give an attorney and a prospective client an opportunity to meet and determine whether the client would benefit from the attorney’s services depending on her situation. Most attorneys spend no more than 30 minutes with a client during a free consultation, and that’s normally enough time to hear the basics of the client’s situation, touch on options, and discuss payment.
It’s not always necessary to decide whether to hire a lawyer during a free consultation. Many people choose to speak to several attorneys about their situations because some attorneys may be more qualified than others, and some attorneys may also charge less or offer clients payment plans that aren’t possible at other law firms. It might be a good idea for you to shop around and schedule free consultations with multiple attorneys so you can be sure you’re hiring the appropriate person to handle your legal situation. Until you decide which attorney to hire, you can thank the different attorneys you meet for their time, get their contact information, and let them know you may be able to get back to you later.
There’s usually no reason to worry that any attorney you meet will be sharing the details of your situation with anyone else. Attorneys are typically bound by privacy laws that prohibit them from sharing personal information of clients or prospective clients. During your free legal consultation, you shouldn’t even feel pressured to hire a specific lawyer. It’s generally best for attorneys to be open and direct during free consultations, explaining exactly how they can help you. If the attorney you’re talking to makes you feel uncomfortable adding a lot of extra pressure, it might be best to keep looking until you find an attorney who doesn’t because it’s typically considered important that clients feel comfortable with the lawyer which to choose.
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