Having an initial consultation with an attorney is an important first step in any Allegheny County family law case. This is a time to explain your whole story to your attorney, and to let them know exactly what your goals are for your case. It is also a good time to find out what the attorney can do to help you reach your goals in Pennsylvania Family Court. Since most consultations in family law are paid consultations, we have put together a list of tips to help you get the most out of the consultation.
1. Don’t be late – this may seem like a given, but often an attorney will set out a specific amount of time for your consultation, and he or she may be unable to extend that time due to other obligations. Being prompt ensures you will have the attorney’s undivided attention for the entire amount of time you scheduled.
2. Come prepared with questions and answers – You might be able to guess some of the questions an attorney will ask you. Sometimes, the attorney will even send you a list of questions ahead of time. For example, when going through a divorce, an attorney may ask about your finances, the value of your home, etc. You don’t want to waste time looking for these answers. It might be helpful to organize and bring along documents such as tax info or other financial information. Similarly, it is a good idea to pre-write a list of questions to ask the attorney. This will allow you to ask very specific questions to the attorney, and will ensure that you don’t forget an important question.
3. Don’t be afraid to write things down – There can be a lot of information that comes out of an initial consultation with an attorney. Instead of trying to remember everything, feel free to take notes as you are speaking with the attorney. These notes can be helpful when deciding what next steps you should take. They may even prove useful further down the line. Either way, chances are the attorney will be taking extensive notes, so you should feel free to do the same.
Remember, if you have a consultation scheduled for a certain amount of time, like an hour, it is unlikely that an attorney will be able to spend extra time with you. Therefore, it is very important to use your time wisely an efficiently. Most attorneys will make sure that the conversation stays geared towards your current legal issue so that time is wisely spent for everyone. To set up a consultation with one of our experienced Western Pennsylvania Family Law lawyers, please contact our office.