What to Expect During Our First Meeting

I want to give clients an idea of what it’s like working with me and the costs involved. You want to know what to expect during our first meeting. If I was you, I’d want to know too. No one likes surprises. Especially big, expensive, surprises when it comes to arrest and criminal issues.

I know that hiring a lawyer or going in for a consultation with a lawyer doesn’t happen every day with most people.In fact, many clients that I’ve worked with in the past have never had to hire a lawyer before me. Because most people don’t deal with lawyers regularly, there are a lot of questions that I know you have.

A lot of clients have told me that they were scared or nervous before they came in to see me. They had no idea what to expect when they showed up in my office. After they’ve come in they saw that I’m completely normal… as long as it was after my first cup of coffee!

I realize that this process isn’t like buying a car, shopping for furniture, or hiring someone to repair your home. This isn’t something that most people are familiar with. I don’t expect you to be, and that’s OK!

I’m here to help you, and I’ll guide you through this. Let’s get started and put this behind you.

What does a consultation with me cost?

A consultation with me costs $100.00 for a one hour consultation. If you choose to hire me, I roll that consultation fee into the total Flat Fee. For example, if you come in for your consultation, we discuss your case, and choose not to hire me, I will charge you $100.00.

If you come in for your consultation and choose to hire me and to represent you, then I will credit the consult fee towards your total legal fee. For example, we talk about your case and agree that your legal fees will be $2,000 total. After paying the consultation fee you will be charged the remaining $1,900 over the course of your case. If you’re looking for free legal information, take a look through the Blog section of my website. Many of your questions can be answered there.

Here are the rough estimates of what I would charge to represent you on your criminal case,

What do I expect from you during our first consultation?

Honesty. More important than anything else, I expect you to be honest and open with me. The more I know about the issues you’re facing, the better I can help you! If you went to the doctor because you were stabbed with a knife or shot with a gun, that would make a difference, right? The doctor needs to know what happened in order to treat you and get you the help you need.

Openness. Everyone has skeletons in their closet. I’ve heard a lot and I’ve seen a lot. I’m not judging you at all. I’d rather you tell me more information that less. The more information I have, the fewer surprises there will be for you and me both! Hiding things from me won’t help you in any way. I promise you that.

Paperwork. Lawyers like paperwork and documents. Bring any papers you received from your jail release. These might include a Setting Notice, Bond Forms, or even a Court Appointed Lawyer Request. I want you to bring ALL the paperwork you received when you got out of jail. It helps me know what crimes you’re charged with.

What should you expect from me during our first consultation?

On time. I expect you to be on time for your appointment. If you can’t make it, or are running late, call me at 512-270-8676, leave a voicemail, text, or email me. If you are, that’s OK! I just like the heads up. I’m planning my time around you. If you can’t make it, someone else might be able to.

Ready to discuss your case. If I know a little bit about your case to begin with, or even what you’re charged with, we can start talking about the strengths and weaknesses of your case. This includes thinking about our defense when we go to Court together. I’ll be prepared to talk to you and let you know what to expect. I’m not going to sugarcoat your case. I tell you what you need to hear, not what you want to hear. That’s why I don’t promise dismissals. I don’t make promises I can’t keep.

Personal Attention. I’m the only lawyer working on your case. When you have a question, it’s me that answers it – not my secretary or paralegal. I respond to emails and I return phone calls once a day. On days we have Court, I’ll let you know what to expect when we show up. I don’t lead my clients into surprises. Most importantly, I want you to feel that you had a voice in your case! I’m here to fight for you.

Summary

Most people don’t know what to expect during a lawyer consultation. You need to know what I expect from you and also what you can expect from me. Starting our relationship off on a good footing will help me fight hard on your case. Hopefully this post helped remove a lot of fears and questions attached to your first visit with me.