A law firm intake appointment is your first sit-down with a firm to describe your legal situation, hear an initial read on your options, and find out what representation would cost. It usually runs 30 minutes to an hour. Whatever you share is protected by professional confidentiality rules, even if you never hire the firm.
What It Costs and How Long It Takes
Some firms offer the first meeting for free. That’s common in personal injury, workers’ compensation, and other matters handled on contingency. Other firms charge, with rates that vary by the attorney’s experience and the complexity of the issue. Ask when you call to schedule. A firm that charges will tell you the amount before you walk in.
Free consultations tend to be shorter, sometimes 15 to 20 minutes. Paid consultations usually give you a full hour. If your situation is unusually complex, the attorney may schedule a longer session or a follow-up.
What to Bring
Coming prepared is the single biggest thing you can do to make the appointment productive. The attorney needs facts, and the more organized yours are, the better the initial assessment will be.
- A written timeline of key dates, what happened, and who was involved, with names and contact information for anyone relevant, witnesses included.
- Supporting documents: contracts, correspondence, police reports, medical records, court papers, photographs, or anything else tied to your situation. Bring copies, not originals.
- Your questions, written down. People forget their most important ones once the conversation starts.
If the firm asks you to submit documents before the meeting, ask how to send them securely. Many firms use encrypted client portals built for confidential file transfers.
What the Attorney Will Ask and Tell You
The meeting usually opens with the attorney or an intake coordinator explaining how the process works. Then the questions begin. The attorney wants to understand what happened, what you’ve already done about it, what outcome you want, and what concerns you most. Be honest and thorough. Details that seem minor to you can matter legally, and anything you hold back limits the attorney’s ability to assess your case.
While you talk, the firm also runs a conflict of interest check. Professional conduct rules require attorneys to determine whether representing you would clash with duties to a current or former client, and firms must have reasonable procedures in place to catch these situations before representation begins.1American Bar Association. Rule 1.7 Conflict of Interest Current Clients – Comment
Once the attorney has a clear picture, the conversation shifts to their initial thoughts: your legal options, the strength of your position, and how the firm handles cases like yours. You’ll also hear about fees. The common structures are hourly billing, flat fees for defined work, and contingency arrangements where the attorney is paid a percentage of what you recover. Not every structure fits every case, so this is the time to ask about costs and make sure you’re comfortable before moving forward.
Whether What You Say Is Confidential
Yes. People sometimes hesitate to share sensitive details because they haven’t hired the firm yet. Under professional conduct rules adopted in every state, you become a “prospective client” the moment you consult an attorney about possibly hiring them. The attorney cannot use or reveal what you share, even if no representation follows.2American Bar Association. Rule 1.18 Duties to Prospective Client That duty applies no matter how brief the conversation is.3American Bar Association. Rule 1.18 Duties to Prospective Client – Comment
There are narrow exceptions, mainly to prevent reasonably certain death or serious physical harm, or to prevent a client from using the attorney’s services to commit a crime or fraud causing substantial financial injury to someone else.4American Bar Association. Rule 1.6 Confidentiality of Information – Comment These rarely come into play. For practical purposes, you can speak freely about past events.
What Happens After
If the firm wants to take your case and you want to hire them, the next step is an engagement letter. This is the contract that defines the relationship: the scope of work, the fee arrangement and billing practices, and how either side can end the engagement. Read it carefully before signing, and ask about anything that isn’t clear. What’s written there governs the relationship going forward.
Once you sign, the firm may ask for additional documents to start building your case. You should get a timeline for next steps and a clear point of contact so you know who to call with questions.
If the Firm Declines Your Case
Not every intake leads to representation, and a “no” from one firm doesn’t mean your case is weak. Common reasons a firm passes:
- Wrong practice area. A business litigation firm isn’t the right choice for a custody dispute, and a good firm will say so rather than take work outside its focus.
- Conflict of interest. If the firm already represents someone whose interests conflict with yours, professional rules prohibit them from taking your case.1American Bar Association. Rule 1.7 Conflict of Interest Current Clients – Comment
- Case economics. If likely damages are small relative to the legal fees involved, a firm may pass, especially on contingency where the firm fronts the costs.
- Capacity. A firm with a full caseload may decline because it can’t give your case the attention it deserves.
If a firm declines, ask for a referral. Most attorneys know colleagues who handle different types of work or operate at different price points, and a referral from the intake attorney is often the fastest way to find the right fit. Consult more than one firm before you decide how to proceed.