What do you take to the first meeting with your lawyer?

[seekingpeace]

Perhaps I'm missing a sticky but I don't see where there is a good list. I'm afraid I'll miss something important and he won't be able to answer our questions.

[justbaby]

Well I'm sure everyone's experience is different but my attorney had me download a worksheet from her website...this worksheet was to give her an idea of all of my debts (that I knew of), purpose of filing, income, etc.

That worksheet was time consuming but it was needed for her to provide me with an overall picture. She went and did all of the calculations at this meeting and was even able to provide me with an estimated monthly payment (I filed Chap 13)...

You may want to call and speak with the paralegal to find out if there's anything specifically needed...

[cantbreathe]

seekingpeace,
Many attys online now have a questionnaire you can download and printout beforehand. We took that in already filled out and had a list of our own questions to ask as well. We saw 3 before we hired one.

Best Wishes

[HakunaMatata]

Assuming this attorney hasn't been retained...

I recommend bringing knowledge, intuition, and keen interviewing skills. Income, debt, and general monthly expense information may be helpful as well. This is contingent upon the attorney's initial consultation platform (some play with numbers while others play with words). If you have specific questions, write them down and bring them along (sometimes the questions we think we won't forget to ask get lost in the consultation).

There are plenty of "BK" attorneys out there these days...ranging from the real deal to mill to boutique. Don't forget, you are the interviewer. You're selecting the most appropriate person to represent your interests. Even if the first consult feels like the perfect fit, I recommend interviewing additional attorneys. This process can offer perspective, compare and contrast foundations, and knowledge.