Prepare for Your First Family Law Meeting in Calgary
Prepare for a first family law meeting by writing down your questions and organising the documents you already have. THEBIL Law asks for a consultation form at the meeting; its request for existing court documents follows engagement, not the first consultation.
What to Bring
The Centre for Public Legal Education Alberta puts it simply: bring the documents related to your case to your first meeting, and organise them beforehand. Whatever you already have about your situation is what to bring.
Not having a particular document is not a reason to delay getting advice. A lawyer can tell you what is needed and how to obtain it, and that is often part of what a first meeting is for.
What the Court Needs Later Is a Different Question
Preparing for a consultation is not the same as preparing to file a claim.
The court has its own requirements for the documents filed when a claim is commenced, and those are set out separately.
the divorce process in AlbertaMaking the Meeting Useful
The Centre for Public Legal Education Alberta recommends the following when working with a lawyer:
- 1
Be candid
A lawyer cannot represent you effectively if they do not know all the facts, including the ones you would rather not raise.
- 2
Be on time, and arrange childcare if you need it
A meeting cut short is a meeting that covers less.
- 3
Ask your own questions
You can ask a lawyer questions to decide whether they are a good fit for you, including whether they have experience with your type of issue.
- 4
Expect a working relationship rather than an instant one
A lawyer acts for other clients too, so replies are not always immediate.
Ask How the Lawyer Charges
The same guidance makes one more point worth carrying into any first meeting: ask how the lawyer will charge you for their work.
Consultations at THEBIL Law are paid consultations. The charge is confirmed with you before the meeting and paid in advance.
Our own page on consultations sets out how one is arranged and what can affect the legal work.
What Happens at a First Meeting
You can send a consultation request through the contact form at any time, and the office will be in touch to arrange a meeting.
- Formats
- Consultations are offered in person, by phone, by video and by email, and Nne Christiana Udo normally conducts them.
- Consultation form
- At the consultation you complete a consultation form. It asks how you heard about the firm, who referred you, your name, phone number and address, identification, and how you want to pay for the consultation.
- Retainer letter
- If you go on to engage the firm after the consultation, a retainer letter setting out the engagement terms is prepared for you to sign.
Existing affidavits, orders and pleadings are requested at that point, once the firm is engaged, rather than before the first meeting. Where a matter is new and there are none, the lawyer goes through your situation with you in more detail instead.
Talk to a Calgary Family Lawyer
If you are ready to discuss your situation, the next step is arranging a meeting.
Choosing which lawyer to meet is its own question, with its own checks. how to choose a family lawyer in Calgary›
Which court hears a family matter, and what attending it involves, is a separate subject again. which court hears your family matter›