A consultation is a two-way interview, but only one side usually prepares. People walk out having described their problem in detail and learned almost nothing about the firm they are about to hand it to.
These are the 21 questions that actually distinguish one firm from another, grouped so you can work through them quickly. Most can be answered in a sentence; the ones that cannot are the informative ones.
What is inside
- Fees: structure, percentage tiers, what happens if you lose
- Costs: who advances them, whether you owe them either way
- Staffing: who does the work, who you will actually speak to
- Experience: how many matters like yours, in which courthouses
- Process: realistic timeline, what could derail it
- Communication: how often, by what channel, response expectations
- Exit: what happens if you want to change counsel later
How to use it
Print it and take it in
Nobody minds. A firm that objects to being asked these has told you something.
Ask the fee questions first
They are the ones people postpone and then never get to.
Compare across at least two firms
The answers only mean something relative to each other.
Common questions
Is it rude to ask about fees so directly?
No. California requires most fee agreements to be in writing precisely because these terms matter, and any competent firm answers them without hesitation.
What if the answers differ wildly between firms?
That is normal and useful. Contingency percentages, cost handling and staffing models genuinely vary — that variation is the reason to ask.