Before you hire a lawyer, know how to vet one.
VettedCounsel workbooks help you check a lawyer’s license with the official source, ask the same core questions in every consultation, and compare what you learn before you hire a family law or employment law attorney.
01 / Preparation record
A rating alone rarely answers the questions that matter.
Online profiles can be helpful starting points, but they may not explain a lawyer’s approach to billing, staffing, communication, or case strategy. These guides help you prepare thoughtful, consistent questions about those topics.
Free resource / record 02
Take five better questions into the room.
Download a concise consultation-preparation sheet to organize the questions, notes, and practical details you want to raise before speaking with a lawyer.
- Format
- Printable PDF
- Delivery
- By email
- Scope
- Educational only
This sheet provides general legal information for educational purposes only. It does not constitute legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship.
Request record / no purchase required
Confirm your subscription to receive the sheet. You may unsubscribe at any time. For delivery help, contact support@vettedcounsel.org.
02 / Choose your workbook
Two guides for two high-stakes decisions.
Each digital workbook is designed for a specific consultation context. Review the contents before purchase to make sure the guide fits your needs.
Decision B
Primarily preparing for an employment, severance, or workplace consultation?
Start with the Employment GuideDecision C
Need to prepare for both consultation contexts?
Review each guide’s package record separately so you can choose the appropriate level for each topic.
Family Law Attorney, Divorce & Separation
A structured consultation-preparation workbook for people comparing family law representation.
Choose this guide if
Preparing for divorce consultations and reviewing attorney engagement terms.
Choose this when divorce is the consultation topic you need to prepare for now.
- Basic: 13-page core workbook
- Standard: Asset & Debt Inventory + Costs Beyond Attorney Fees guide
- Advanced: adds Conflict Shield, Changing Lawyers checklist + Billing tracker
- Three verified packages from $27
Employment Law Attorney, Termination & Severance
A structured workbook for people preparing to discuss an employment, severance, or workplace-dispute matter.
Choose this guide if
Preparing for an employment-law consultation or reviewing a contingency-fee agreement.
Choose this when your next consultation concerns employment, severance, or a workplace matter.
- Basic: 13-page core workbook
- Standard: Timeline + Severance Questions guide
- Advanced: adds Communication and Billing trackers
- Three verified packages from $27
03 / Preparation library
Two consultation contexts. Six verified package records.
Each guide now has Basic, Standard, and Advanced package levels. Review the separate records to match the resources to the consultation context you are preparing for.
Each package opens its own secure Gumroad checkout and digital-delivery page.
Exhibit preview: VettedCounsel preparation library
Free guides
Before you hire: free guides
Plain-language guides to checking a lawyer’s license and discipline record, the questions to ask, and how fees and retainers work.
How to vet a lawyer before you hire one
Choosing a lawyer is easier when you follow the same steps for every candidate. This guide walks through them: what to check before you meet, what to ask during the consultation, how to compare what you hear, and what to read before you sign.
Read the guideLawyer vetting checklist
Use this checklist for every lawyer you are considering, so you can compare them on the same points. Print it, or keep it open during your consultations.
Read the guideHow to verify a lawyer’s license
In the U.S., each state licenses its own lawyers, and most offer a free online lookup. A license check takes a few minutes and is the first thing to do before you hire anyone.
Read the guideHow to check a lawyer’s disciplinary history
Public discipline records can tell you whether a lawyer has broken the professional conduct rules and what happened as a result. Where to find them, and how much they show, depends on the state.
Read the guideQuestions to ask a lawyer before hiring
The questions you ask in a consultation are your best way to learn what public records cannot show. Ask every lawyer the same core set, write down the answers, and compare them afterwards.
Read the guideHow lawyer fees and retainers work
Understanding how a lawyer charges is one of the most important parts of hiring one. This guide explains the common fee arrangements, how retainers work, and what to check before you sign.
Read the guideHow to check a lawyer’s license and discipline record in Canada
Canada has no national lawyer register. Each province and territory has a law society that licenses and disciplines its lawyers, and almost all of them offer a free online directory. Here is how to use them.
Read the guideQuestions to ask a divorce lawyer before you hire one
A first consultation goes quickly. The most useful thing you can do is ask every lawyer the same questions and write the answers down, so you can compare them afterwards. Here are the questions that matter most.
Read the guideDivorce lawyer consultation checklist: what to prepare and bring
Organized facts make a first consultation shorter and more useful. Use this checklist to prepare before you meet a divorce or family lawyer. Fill in what you know and leave the rest blank.
Read the guideHow to compare divorce lawyer retainers
Two lawyers can quote the same retainer and cost very different amounts. What matters is not the deposit but the terms around it. Here is what to compare, line by line.
Read the guideQuestions to ask an employment lawyer about a severance offer
A severance agreement is a contract, and it usually comes with a deadline. A consultation with an employment lawyer can tell you what you would be giving up and how the offer compares with what the law requires. These questions help you get clear answers.
Read the guideEmployment lawyer consultation checklist
Most first consultations with an employment lawyer are short. Arriving with dates, documents and the same questions for each lawyer gets you a clearer answer in less time. Use this checklist to prepare.
Read the guideWhat to bring to an employment lawyer consultation
The right documents let an employment lawyer understand your situation in minutes. Here is what to bring, what to leave, and how to organize it.
Read the guide04 / Frequently asked questions
Before you purchase
Are these guides legal advice?+
No. VettedCounsel is an independent educational publisher. The guides help you prepare questions and compare information when evaluating a lawyer; they do not provide legal advice or create an attorney-client relationship.
Can I use a guide in any U.S. state or Canadian province?+
Yes. The workbooks show you how to check a lawyer’s license and disciplinary history with the official source where you live: your state bar in the U.S., or your provincial or territorial law society in Canada. They also note where the rules differ, for example on contingency fees, severance minimums and fee disputes, and every document comes in English and French. Rules, deadlines, fees, and legal options vary, so consult a qualified lawyer about your individual situation.
What happens after I purchase?+
Checkout and digital delivery are handled securely by Gumroad. You will receive access to the PDF workbook through the purchase flow and purchase confirmation.
Is VettedCounsel paid by lawyers?+
No. VettedCounsel is funded by the sale of its own guides. We do not rank, recommend, or refer lawyers, and we do not accept payment from lawyers or law firms. Read how we stay independent.
How do the guides work?+
They follow one framework: verify what official sources show, ask each lawyer the same core questions, compare the answers side by side, and make your own decision. Read our methodology.