Begin with the decision you need
Say what you need to decide: whether to sign, how to answer a demand, how to recover money or how to obtain contact with your child. Give the lawyer the hearing, payment or reply date immediately. A meeting spent retelling every event can leave the actual decision unresolved.
Send the few documents that explain the problem
For an unpaid service, start with the agreed terms, the relevant invoice and the message disputing payment. For a court matter, start with the latest decision and the notice showing when it reached you. For a child case, explain the present arrangement and the change you need.
Keep the wider material available, but identify the document that creates the obligation or fixes the deadline. The lawyer can then specify what else is needed and why.
Expect options and consequences
A useful explanation addresses the available action, the likely response from the other side, the main weakness and the expense of the next stage. Ask what can be attempted by agreement and what needs a formal application. The answer should distinguish an achievable first step from the final outcome.
Example: a bank transfer proves that money moved. It does not by itself explain whether the payment was a loan, an investment or the price of services. That distinction changes the demand the lawyer should prepare.
Leave with an agreed next step
Before the meeting ends, identify the next document or action, its responsible person and the date for completion. Confirm whether the consultation fee includes a written follow-up or document review. Agree the fee for any drafting, negotiation or court work that follows.
If the lawyer needs to study a large case file before advising, agree the questions to be answered and the form of the assessment. Paying for a first assessment should produce an explanation you can use to decide whether to proceed.
Official sources
Sources checked on 22 October 2026.
Leave the consultation with a decision
Agree the next action, its responsible person and the completion date. If a further assessment is needed, identify the questions and the written answer you will receive.