What to bring to a first meeting

A timeline beats a pile of paper

Write the dates you know: the crash, the firing, the arrest, the filing deadline on a court paper, the day a lease ends. One page is enough. Lawyers can ask for the rest.

If a court or an agency gave you a document, bring that document. The caption, the index number, and the next date matter more than a retelling of the argument.

By kind of matter

Injury: a list of treatment so far, the names of insurers, and photos you already took. You do not need a complete medical chart for a first call.

Family: a list of accounts, debts, children's schools, and any temporary order already signed. Bring the last tax return if you have it in the house.

Criminal or traffic: the appearance ticket or the complaint, and the next court date. Do not post about the facts while you are deciding who to hire.

Housing: the petition, the lease, and any rent ledger the landlord already gave you. Note the date an answer is due.

Business or estate: the contract or the will in front of you, plus the names of the people involved. A signature page is more useful than a summary.

Ask these before you leave

Who is my lawyer, and who else will work on this? How do you charge, and what costs are extra? What will you not be able to tell me until you see more papers? How will we communicate, and how quickly?

If the answers are vague, you can leave without hiring. A first meeting is an interview in both directions.