Consulting a Lawyer

When you have chosen your Lawyer, you will need to make an appointment. This will usually be within five working days. If the matter is urgent the Lawyer should try and arrange an earlier appointment.

You should take all relevant documents to the appointment and it may be helpful to prepare a list of questions for the Lawyer in advance.

For some cases a Lawyer will require identification from you before they can act. This applies, for example, to transactions involving more than £10,000, such as a house purchase. Identification can include a current passport, driving licence or benefit book. A recent utilities bill will also have to be provided. If you do not have this sort of identification you should check with the Lawyer how best to prove your identity.

A Lawyer must comply with certain rules and standards laid down by the Law Society. The Lawyer must, for example, give you certain information at the first interview. The information should include:

• how the Lawyer intends to deal with the problem
• what the Lawyer’s next step is
• information about costs, which must be confirmed in writing as soon as possible after the interview
• in England, Wales and Scotland, whether you will be eligible for publicly funded legal services or criminal legal aid
• in Northern Ireland, whether you will be eligible for legal aid
• the expected timescale of the case
• whether the Lawyer has a relationship with another company that could affect the steps taken in relation to your case.

The Law Society has also produced a document called The Client's Charter, which tells you what you can expect from your Lawyer and what to do if you want to make a complaint. Your Lawyer does not have to give you a copy of this charter, but it is considered good practice for them to do so.

You should make sure you understand what the Lawyer has told you and should not be afraid to ask questions.

During the case the Lawyer should keep you regularly informed of progress and costs even if there are no significant developments.