Questions to Ask a Lawyer Before You Instruct

Before you start

These questions are designed to test whether a firm is likely to meet basic professional standards: acting honestly, in your best interests, with a proper standard of service, and with clear information about costs.

For the bigger picture on how lawyers should behave and what to do if they don’t, see:

A good firm will answer these questions calmly and clearly. Defensive, vague or evasive answers are often an early warning sign of future problems with service, communication or costs.

How it works

Ask the questions in each section when you speak to the lawyer.
Record whether the answer feels clear (Yes), vague (Partly), worrying (No) or not discussed.
Click Score my answers to see an overall view (Green / Amber / Red) and suggested next steps.

You can also copy the summary into your case project file or into ChatGPT and ask it to help you compare different firms, highlight red flags, or suggest follow-up questions.

1. Experience and who will do the work

1. Have you handled many cases like mine before (same type and level of complexity)?

Yes – clearly explained Partly / not very clear No, or they avoided the question Not discussed yet

2. Who will actually be doing most of the work, and who will supervise it?

Yes – I know who and how supervised Partly – still a bit vague No clear answer Not discussed yet

3. Are you regulated, and what is your internal complaints procedure?

Yes – regulator and process explained Mentioned but not very clear No / brushed off / defensive Not discussed yet

2. Costs and funding

4. Will you give me a written cost estimate (or quote) before I decide?

Yes – written estimate promised Maybe / only rough verbal figure No / reluctant to confirm in writing Not discussed yet

5. How will I be charged (hourly rate, fixed fee, success fee, other), and what is included or excluded?

Clearly explained, including what is extra Partly – some gaps or jargon Confusing / evasive / very unclear Not discussed yet

6. What is your best guess of the overall cost range, and what might make it higher?

Gave a realistic range and reasons Gave a figure but no real explanation Would not say / “it depends” only Not discussed yet

3. Communication and service

7. Who will be my main day-to-day contact and how can I reach them?

Clear named contact and method Some idea, but not very clear No clear answer Not discussed yet

8. How often will you update me, and will I get important advice in writing?

Regular updates and written advice promised Vague / “we will keep you updated” No commitment on updates or writing Not discussed yet

9. What happens if I am unhappy with the service later on?

Explained complaints process calmly Brief mention, not very clear Defensive or dismissive Not discussed yet

4. Risks, timescales and next steps

10. What are the main risks in my case (legal, practical or financial)?

Explained clearly in plain English Some risks mentioned but not clear Very vague / “no real risk” Not discussed yet

11. What are the realistic timescales and key dates I should know about?

Clear timeframe and key dates Rough idea only No clear timescales given Not discussed yet

12. What should the first 2–3 steps be if I decide to go ahead with you?

Clear next steps and who does what Some idea, but not very concrete No clear plan Not discussed yet

Overall view and next steps

Overall view: No score yet.

Section highlights

Suggested next steps

You can paste this summary into your case project spreadsheet, or into ChatGPT and ask: “Help me compare two law firms using this checklist and highlight any red flags or strong points.”