Articles | NGE Lawyer Guide

Consultations

First Lawyer Consultation Checklist: What to Bring and What to Ask

A calm, practical checklist for gathering documents, writing down goals, and using a first legal meeting more effectively.

Fees

A practical guide to comparing billing structures, likely costs, communication habits, and overall fit before hiring counsel.

Preparation

A straightforward filing approach that helps clients sort records into categories a lawyer can review quickly.

Hiring

Key questions about strategy, communication, staffing, documents, and expectations before signing an engagement agreement.

Deadlines

Why timelines, notice periods, filing dates, and response deadlines should be one of the first topics in a legal consultation.

Documents

How to mark the most important clauses, dates, signatures, costs, and disputed statements before meeting with counsel.

Letters & Notices

A practical way to separate deadlines, demands, facts, and negotiation language before deciding what to do next.

Settlements

Before accepting a settlement, review payment terms, releases, deadlines, confidentiality clauses, and what rights you may be giving up.

Evidence

A practical preservation list for photos, bills, repair records, insurance communications, witness details, and other accident evidence.

Hiring

A second consultation can be useful when strategy, fees, deadlines, communication, or expected outcomes remain unclear.