1)Talk to the Lawyer on the phone, and ask questions.

-How long has the lawyer been practicing in your city or county?

-How long has the lawyer been practicing in the field of speciality that you need? 

-How will the lawyer charge you for representing you (flat-fee, percentage/contingency, by the hour)?

-If the lawyer charges by the hour, what hourly rate will you be charged?

-Will the lawyer periodically provide you with detail bills that explain what services are rendered?

-Will the lawyer you hire be the one who actually handles your legal case, or will it be handed off to a younger, less experienced lawyer?

-Does the lawyer employ paralegals at a lower rate for more routine legal jobs?

-What is the paralegal's hourly rate?

-How much can you expect the lawyer's out-of-pocket expenses for your case to be?

-How long does the lawyer expect it to take to complete your case?

2)Meet with the Lawyer.  

-Schedule a meeting with the lawyer (depending on the complexity of your case, the initial meeting may last anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 hours or longer).

-Ask the lawyer if you can have a free initial consultation (often the lawyer will offer a 30 minute free initial consultation period to give each of you a chance to get to know one the other before committing to representation).

-Ask the lawyer in advance if you should bring any documents with you or gather any  information before your meeting (if you have been served with legal papers, like a lawsuit, be sure to bring the lawyer a copy of all papers you were served with).

-Remember you will be expected to pay for the lawyer's time for your appointment (beyond any initial free consultation time), and so you should be well prepared to get the most out of your meeting (Prepare a summary of your legal problem to give the lawyer at your meeting and write down any questions you may have since it is quite common for potential clients to come to the initial meeting with a list of written questions for the lawyer).

-Don't be shy about asking the lawyer questions during your meeting.

-Be sure that you trust and respect the lawyer before hiring the lawyer.

3)Hire the Lawyer.  

-Insist on a written contract with your lawyer before he or she starts working for you, and read it carefully before signing it.

-Be sure that your contract specifies whether the retainer is refundable or non-refundable (earned on receipt) or some combination of the two.  (Most lawyers who charge by the hour will also ask the client for a "retainer."  A retainer is a sum of money which the lawyer requests from the client at the beginning of the attorney/client relationship (the signing of the written contract)). 

4)Communicate with Your Lawyer. 

-Find out when and how you and your lawyer should communicate with each other.  (Most lawyers will periodically send their clients copies of important correspondence and other documents to keep their clients generally informed on the progress of their case.  Remember that your lawyer charges for his or her time.  Ask your lawyer how often you should call or meet with the lawyer, whether you should also communicate by mail, phone, fax, or e-mail.)

 If you have other questions: