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Client-Attorney Interviews: Questions, Questions, Questions…

nicolefoote • Sep 28, 2016

Your first step might be walking through the door into our office. Or you might give us a call, after browsing our website. There are many ways you can initiate a client-attorney relationship with a law firm. Once a relationship is established, many firms commonly conduct an interview. Your face-to-face interview will often be with either the attorney handling your case or a firm paralegal. Don’t worry, you’re not on the stand here… but you will be asked many questions pertaining to the incident, accident, claim, or situation you were involved in.

In order to answer questions as best as possible, you (the potential client) need to be prepared by having all the needed facts and materials in hand. Consider coming prepared with the following:

  • Names and addresses of all involved parties.
  • Address of location where the incident, accident, claim, or situation occurred
  • The owner of the property where incident, accident, claim, or situation
  • The time that the incident, accident, claim or situation occurred
  • Narrative of the details pertaining to the incident, accident, claim, or situation
  • Any medical provider’s names, phone number, and addresses
  • Types of medical treatment
  • Names and phone numbers of witnesses
  • Names of Insurance adjusters that make contact with you
  • Insurance policy information (name, phone number, policy number, effective dates)
  • Pictures of damaged
  • Any correspondence from insurance companies
  • Any Lease or Contract involved
  • Amounts of money involved
  • Names of creditors/debtor
  • Amount of lost wages

During the interview or on the intake forms, you may be asked to share your personal information. This would include items like your driver license number, phone number, date of birth, social security number, employer/occupation, and who will be responsible for any legal fees that might occur. Firms require this information for record-keeping and identification purposes.

It may seem overwhelming to put together so much information, but your first-hand knowledge and preparation will provide many self-returning benefits. Remember, the law firm is ready to go to bat for you. Your lawyers or their paralegal team are not trying to pry or gain personal knowledge to use against you. It’s important they know everything to defend on your behalf. Every interview question has a purpose, and only serves to better equip your representation team.

Things go the opposite way too – You should always feel free to ask your own questions about the case, it’s standing, your lawyer, and representative team. It is one of your rights as a client. You can ask the paralegal or the attorney to clarify any information that is given to you, or ask why the information needed is important to your case. The more you openly communicate and share information between client and attorney, the better your professional working relationship will be.


Erin Landrum

Paralegal, Eagle Ford Office


This Blog/Web Site is made available by the lawyer or law firm publisher for educational purposes only as well as to give you general information and a general understanding of the law, not to provide specific legal advice. By using this blog site you understand that there is no attorney-client relationship between you and the Blog/Web Site publisher. The Blog/Web Site should not be used as a substitute for competent legal advice from a licensed professional attorney in your state.

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