To many of us, meeting a lawyer for the first time can be a very daunting prospect. However, did you know that your lawyer is just as likely to be nervous about meeting you as you are about meeting him?
Well, in most cases he is!
So, here are some of the things you can expect to transpire at the first meeting you have with your lawyer:
LAWYER CONSULTATION MEETING
1. Without fail, the first thing your lawyer will ask you to do is to tell him the story of your debt situation. Now, keep in mind that he is not asking you if any law has been broken, there’s a fair chance he’ll be able to work that one out for himself! What he is looking for is as true and accurate description of the events that transpired so that he can evaluate your honest chances of success.
As most lawyers these days are retained on some sort of success basis, if your lawyer doesn’t think you have a chance of success, there is a chance he won’t take your case. On the flip side, if your lawyer listens to your case and thinks there may be a case for a debt settlement, he may recommend that you bring other documents in with you in your debt settlement case. It all depends on the amount of debt you have and how far behind you are in your payments.
2. If your lawyer thinks you have a good debt settlement case, he’ll ask you to sign a power of attorney or some other document empowering the lawyer to act on your behalf. This power of attorney may give your lawyer broad powers, such as the power to release your monthly billing statements, so make sure you read this carefully and are happy with it. If you are not, don’t be afraid to question your lawyer.
3. Having been appointed, your lawyer will talk with you about whether or not you have entered into any discussions to settle the case. If you have not held discussions about settling your claim, your lawyer may well recommend that you do. Likewise, if you haven’t yet discussed matters with any insurance companies, your lawyer may ask if he can talk with the insurance company on your behalf.
4. The next thing your lawyer is likely to ask you is if you have all your monthly statements or good records of your bills. It is at this time you can give him the records and billing statements you have.
5. Finally, before leaving your lawyer’s office, it is likely that your lawyer will ask you not to discuss matters relating to the case with anyone other than him. Heed this advice, it is probably the best you’ll get on that day!
Following your first meeting with your lawyer your lawyer should give you regular updates on how your case is progressing. Remember, if at any time you are not happy with what your lawyer is doing, you are free to express those feelings, so don’t bee overly worried about meeting your lawyer for the first time.
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