Questions 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.
Last reviewed: September 24, 2026 · VettedCounsel
Educational information, not legal advice. Written for U.S. consumers. Rules and official resources vary by state and change over time. Confirm anything important with the official source for your state or with a qualified lawyer. How we work.
Hiring for a divorce or an employment matter?
The questions below work for any kind of lawyer. If your matter is a divorce, separation or another family law issue, or a firing, severance offer or other workplace problem, start with the questions written for it:
Experience
- How many matters like mine have you handled in the last few years?
- Do you regularly appear in the court or before the agency that would handle my matter?
- What part of your practice is this type of work?
Your approach to my matter
- Based on what I have told you, what are my main options?
- What are the main risks, and what could make this take longer or cost more?
- What would the first few steps be, and roughly when?
- Is there anything time-sensitive I should know about now?
Who does the work
- Who would handle the day-to-day work on my matter?
- Who else on your team might work on it, and at what rates?
- Who do I contact if you are unavailable?
Communication
- How do you prefer to communicate, and how quickly do you usually reply?
- How will you keep me updated, and how often?
- What will you need from me, and by when?
Fees and costs
For more detail, see how lawyer fees and retainers work.
- How do you charge: hourly, flat fee, contingency, or a mix?
- How much is the retainer, and how is it used and replenished?
- What expenses might be billed separately?
- How often will I be billed, and what detail will the invoices show?
- Can I have the fee terms in writing?
Next steps
- Do you see any conflict of interest in taking my matter?
- If I decide to hire you, what happens next?
- Is there anything else I should ask, or bring next time?
Making the answers comparable
Ask each lawyer the same core questions in the same order, and write down the answers in the same format. The lawyer vetting checklist includes a simple comparison record. Our paid workbooks go further, with practice-specific questions for family law and employment law consultations.