A legal consultation with a lawyer in Georgia refers to an initial meeting wherein a person seeking an attorney meets with an attorney who is seeking to acquire a client. The overall purpose of a consultation with a lawyer is for an individual to outline their particular legal situation or legal issues with an attorney who is knowledgeable in the area of law that concerns their legal issue.
A consultation with a lawyer in Georgia may cover a variety of different legal subjects or topics, including:
- Bankruptcy;
- Business and Corporate Law;
- Consumer Law;
- Criminal Law;
- Debts and Debt Collection;
- Employment and Labor Law;
- Family Law;
- Immigration Law;
- Insurance Law;
- Intellectual Property;
- Landlord–Tenant Law;
- Professional Malpractice;
- Personal Injury and Accidents;
- Public Benefits;
- Real Property Law;
- Wills, Trusts, and Estate Law; and
- Workers’ Compensation.
What Will Be Discussed at a Legal Consultation?
As far as what may be discussed at a legal consultation, the person seeking legal representation will generally focus the discussion on the specific legal issues that they are facing. This discussion might include detailing the facts and issues of the case and asking the attorney for their legal advice.
After listening to a prospective client’s case, the attorney may then choose to provide general legal advice, including a road map as to how they would professionally handle the client’s issue. The attorney may also help guide the individual in resolving the issue themselves if the issue does not require an attorney’s assistance.
In general, a legal consultation will only last around half an hour. However, if the legal issues being presented are more complex in nature, it may last longer. Given the brief nature of a consultation, it is important to come fully prepared to get the most out of the meeting.
This means that you should gather all documentation and evidence involved with your case, including:
- Copies of any and all relevant contracts, agreements, or other documents that may be used as evidence in your case;
- A compilation of any and all evidence that describes damages that you have allegedly suffered if your case involves a personal injury;
- Any and all documents regarding your personal finances, work documents, and other relevant information.
It is important to note that you should always let an attorney decide what information is relevant to your case and not withhold information from them. In general, it is always better to provide an attorney with too much information, rather than too little information.
Another important matter that you should discuss at your attorney consultation is details regarding the lawyer’s fees moving forward. In short, if you are unable to afford the attorney’s services moving forward, then the attorney is not likely fit to assist you with your case.
Will My Legal Consultation Be Confidential?
It is important to note that all legal consultations that occur in Georgia are confidential. Specifically, in Georgia, the attorney-client confidentiality rule is governed by Rule 1.6 of the Georgia Rules of Professional Conduct. These rules are based on the Model Rules of Professional Conduct for attorneys.
Once again, an initial consultation in Georgia does not create an attorney-client relationship for the purposes of an attorney continuing to represent an individual. However, confidentiality is still extended to any Georgia resident who engages in a legal consultation under the confidentiality Rule.
This means that a legal consultation in Georgia has confidentiality privileges similar to that of an actual attorney-client relationship being created. Knowing that a legal consultation is confidential, it is important to confidently communicate all of the details of your case, including anything that you may deem irrelevant or harmful to your case.
Without all of the relevant information being provided to the attorney, they may not be able to provide you with an accurate estimate of the cost of your case or the likelihood of your case being successful. As such, it is in your best interest to be totally transparent from the start of a consultation, especially with any details or evidence that you believe may be harmful to your case.
What Are Some Questions to Ask During a Lawyer Consultation?
Once again, the main purpose of a legal consultation in Georgia is to gather information regarding how an attorney may handle and assist you with your legal issues. As such, you should not be afraid to ask questions regarding how your case may be handled, such as questions regarding:
- An attorney’s qualifications, such as their education, legal experiences, and/or past cases they’ve handled that may share similarities with yours, etc.;
- An attorney’s proposed legal strategy for your case;
- How the attorney will manage your case, such as if they will be the point of contact or if they employ support staff to handle communications and the day-to-day management of your case;
- Your particular legal issues, such as what you are facing and what harm you’ve suffered;
- The attorney’s fee structure and their estimate for the cost of your case;
- The lawyer’s thoughts regarding the likely outcome of your case.
Are Lawyer Consultations Free?
As far as whether or not a lawyer consultation is free in Georgia, that will depend on a variety of different factors. There are many attorneys in Georgia who offer free initial legal consultations in order to attract prospective clients in their area. For instance, in personal injury matters, attorneys in Georgia will often offer free initial consultations.
However, when an attorney takes time out of their schedule to attend an initial consultation with a prospective client for free, that is time that they could have spent working on another one of their client’s cases and billing for their time.
As such, most attorneys will charge a nominal consultation fee, such as $50. As such, it is essential to inquire beforehand about the cost of a legal consultation. In fact, some attorney consultations will even bill at their normal hourly rate, especially in more expensive markets or when the case involves complex legal issues.
How Much Does a Lawyer Cost?
As far as how much a Georgia lawyer will cost, the total attorney fees for an attorney will be based on a variety of factors, including but not limited to:
- The amount of experience the attorney has in handling similar cases, including whether or not they are bar-certified in the legal subject;
- The complexity of the case being presented to the attorney and the amount of time the attorney will have to dedicate to the case;
- The average hourly rate for attorneys that handle similar cases in the community in which the case is being brought in.
A Georgia attorney will most commonly bill hourly. However, there are some cases that an attorney may handle for a one-time flat fee or on a contingency fee basis. Attorney hourly fees in Georgia will typically range from $100 per hour to more than $500 per hour.
However, many attorneys may also utilize support staff to handle the day-to-day management of a case in order to lower the total cost of attorney fees. More experienced attorneys will often demand a higher hourly fee than less experienced attorneys. However, an experienced attorney will also often be able to handle complex legal issues in less time than a less experienced attorney.
Should I Contact an Attorney and Schedule a Legal Consultation?
You may be having legal issues that you believe would benefit from representation from a local attorney in Georgia. If this is the case, then you should seek to arrange a consultation with an attorney in your area. As such, it may be in your best interests to utilize an attorney referral service, such as LegalMatch, to assist you with finding an attorney and setting up a legal consultation. LegalMatch can assist you in finding the right attorney for your specific legal issues.
An experienced attorney in Georgia will be able to help you determine the best course of legal action given the specific facts of your case, as well as answer any questions you may have. An attorney can also help you negotiate a resolution to your legal issue(s) or initiate a civil lawsuit on your behalf. Finally, an attorney will also be able to represent you in court, as needed.
