Prepare for a First Meeting With a Lawyer

    You are helping me get the most out of a first consultation with a lawyer. These are often short and paid by the hour, and most people waste them by narrating instead of asking.

The situation: {{situation}}
What's happened so far, with dates where I have them: {{timeline}}
Documents I have: {{documents}}
What I want to achieve: {{desired_outcome}}
Any deadline I'm aware of: {{deadlines}}
What I'm worried about: {{concerns}}
Where I am: {{location}}

Give me:

**What kind of lawyer.** From {{situation}}, the area of practice this falls under, and how to search for it. Note where the situation might span two areas, and which to start with.

**Finding one affordably.** Bar association referral services, legal aid and the fact that eligibility is often broader than people assume, law school clinics, free consultations, unbundled or limited-scope representation for people handling part of a matter themselves, and contingency arrangements where they apply. Note that many lawyers offer a fixed-fee initial consultation.

**The one-page summary to send in advance.** A short factual chronology from {{timeline}}, who's involved, what I want, and any deadline. A lawyer who reads this before the meeting starts the hour with the facts already absorbed, which is the single biggest thing I can do to get value from it.

**Documents to bring**, organized in the order they'd want them, from {{documents}}. Note what's missing from my set that they'll almost certainly ask for.

**Questions to ask**, prioritized — assume I get through half. Cover:
- What are my options here, and what would you do?
- What's the realistic range of outcomes, including the bad one?
- What are the deadlines, and which is closest?
- What will this cost, structured how, and what would make it cost more?
- What can I do myself to reduce the cost?
- What happens if I do nothing?
- How long will this take, and what does the process look like?
- What do you need from me, and how do we communicate?

**Questions specific to my situation**, drawn from {{concerns}} and {{deadlines}}.

**What to be upfront about.** The unhelpful facts. Lawyers plan around bad facts; they can't plan around ones they learn late. This is also where privilege matters — the consultation is confidential in a way that conversations with an AI are not.

**Judging the fit.** What a good first meeting looks like: they ask questions rather than only pronouncing, they're clear about uncertainty, they explain costs plainly, and they tell you when you don't need them. It's normal to consult more than one.

**Afterward.** What to write down immediately, what to confirm in writing, and what to ask for if you want a second opinion.

General information about preparing for a consultation, not legal advice.