General legal consultation brief and engagement comparison worksheet

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How to use this resource

Complete the public-facing summary with only general, non-confidential facts. Do not paste privileged communications, sensitive evidence, account numbers, identification numbers, health records, or facts you would not want disclosed. Keep detailed records for a private consultation after you ask how the lawyer handles conflicts and confidential information. A lawyer can identify the relevant practice area, evaluate rights and deadlines, recommend strategy, and explain the engagement; this worksheet does none of those things.

Open the PDF in a form-capable viewer, save a copy, then fill it in. Reopen your saved copy to check your answers. You can also print the blank pages and write by hand. Your answers are not submitted to PickYourPro.ai.

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General Legal Help preparation checklist

• Write a short, non-confidential description of the issue and the result or decision you want help with.
• List the names of people, businesses, agencies, courts, insurers, or other organizations so the firm can explain its conflicts process.
• Create a private chronology of dates, notices, meetings, filings, communications, and other events without trying to calculate a legal deadline.
• Inventory documents and evidence you can bring securely; do not upload sensitive material to a public worksheet or initial request.
• Ask whether the lawyer handles this kind of matter and what experience, team, and outside professionals may be involved.
• Clarify the proposed representation: tasks included, tasks excluded, client responsibilities, communication, and decision points.
• Request written information about fees, expenses, billing, retainers or deposits, and how scope changes are approved.
• Read the written engagement terms and record unanswered questions before deciding whether to hire anyone.

Questions to ask a lawyer

1. Do you handle matters like this, and what experience or practice focus is most relevant to my general issue?
2. What conflicts-check information do you need before I share sensitive facts or documents, and how should I provide them privately?
3. What representation, advice, filings, negotiation, appearances, or other tasks would be included, and what would be excluded?
4. Who would work on the matter, who would be my main contact, and how would updates and decisions be communicated?
5. How are fees and expenses structured, what billing information will I receive, and what requires approval if the scope changes?
6. What written engagement terms, client responsibilities, document-retention practices, and ending or transition process should I review?

Write down the answers and any exclusions. If two proposals describe different work, clarify the difference before comparing their totals. Leave unanswered points blank until the professional confirms them.

Official references and scope

These are original planning prompts, with AI assistance, prepared by PickYourPro.ai. Official links checked October 10, 2026. This pack has not been independently reviewed by a licensed specialist.

• USAGov: Find a lawyer and affordable legal aid ↗

  USAGov links to legal-aid and lawyer-finding resources and describes broad categories of legal issues. It does not select a lawyer, evaluate a matter, or establish eligibility for a specific service.

• American Bar Association: Questions to Ask a Lawyer ↗

  ABA public education guidance suggests asking about experience, who else will work on a matter, fees and costs, and the lawyer-client working relationship. This worksheet turns those themes into neutral comparison prompts.

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