If you need legal advice, getting things moving is easy. Here are the steps:
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First contact: All you need to do is get in touch with me and I’ll guide you through the process from there. You can contact me through phone or email. Starting with a quick phone call can have some advantages.
Note: I won’t be able to provide legal advice in a first phone call. I will get the basic background from you and assess whether your matter is within my scope of practice. That first call (or exchange of emails) will be short and efficient, and it will not be billed.
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Pre-retainer steps: Before proceeding with a consultation, I will need to confirm the names of persons who have potentially competing interests in your matter. I will use those to check for conflicts of interest. I will also collect certain client ID information required to set up the file.
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Initial consultation: Every file is different, but my typical practice is to schedule an initial consultation to discuss your situation and come to a preliminary assessment of your options. Typically I do that in person, but phone calls or video conferencing work as well, assuming you can send me your relevant documents in advance.
I would send an invoice for the initial consultation afterwards via email.