Contacting legal counsel for advice can be intimidating. The process, fees, and procedural steps may not be clear to you. You might not know what you need to know before the meeting, and want to learn more about what information your lawyer wants.
At Inlet Law, we want you to be as informed as possible before your free initial consultation.
Here are a few things that you and your lawyer would benefit from knowing ahead of your initial consult:
- Who else is involved in your matter?
Your lawyer needs to know the other party, or parties, involved in your matter so they can perform a conflict check. If your lawyer has a conflict, they may not be able to represent you (or even speak to you for an initial consult). Before your first meeting, know what company or companies are involved, as well as the names of any key individuals.
- Are you part of a union?
If you’re governed by a collective bargaining agreement, your lawyer may need to ask more questions and collect different information during the first consult.
- What are the important dates in your legal matter?
For employment or human rights issues, this includes (but is not limited to):
- date of hire;
- date(s) your role changed;
- date(s) your contract changed;
- date(s) that any harassment or discrimination occured;
- date(s) of temporary lay off;
- date(s) of any sick leaves or other leaves of absence, and
- date of termination
to name a few.
- What documents do you have that correspond with those important dates?
Employment contracts, letters, texts, emails, termination agreements. Finding these documents and records ahead of your meeting will save time in the long run and better position your lawyer to give you advice. Let your lawyer know if you are missing anything. Documents can often be retrieved at a later date through other means.
Having the answers to these base questions of “who, what, where, when and why” streamlines your call or meeting, and ensures that both you and your lawyer fully understand the key elements of your legal issue.
Are you ready to call? Contact Inlet Employment Law today for your free initial consultation at (604) 39 INLET (604-394 6538).