> "contract a lawyer for consultations." This is a strikingly formal mental idea of how professional relationships begin. It's not quite so formal. You can p

> "contract a lawyer for consultations." This is a strikingly formal mental idea of how professional relationships begin. It's not quite so formal. You can ponder about "contracting a doctor for consultations," but most people just say "go to the doctor." When people say "consult with a lawyer," they typically mean you should ask a lawyer for professional advice about this situation. If you don't have a relationship already, you would typically call their office and set an initial appointment of 30 to 60 minutes. If you know you have a problem, you should expect to receive legal advice during that appointment, and to pay something for it. Yes, some lawyers offer free consultations -- typically lawyers who work on contingent fees. They are paid out of a substantial recovery, and offer to talk to people who are unsure their injury is worth pursuing legal action. If your legal situation doesn't involve a lump sum recovery, you should expect to pay for the time spent by the lawyer unless you have some other agreement (flat fee, etc.) Still, most of the lawyers I know are willing to write off some time so that the potential client can decide whether to engage the lawyer for further advice. It is perfectly acceptable to tell the receptionist or lawyer that you're considering several people, and would like to talk about whether this lawyer or firm has relevant experience. But understand you're unlikely to receive much legal advice during that kind of meeting.