Should Lawyers Charge for Initial Consultations?

Do you charge for initial consultation in your practice? If not, you might be missing out on higher quality meetings and additional revenue. Despite this claim, most lawyers are worried that changing their fee structure will chase potential clients away from the front door. How can we, as lawyers, offer discernible value and make people actually want to pay for an initial consultation? In this episode of The Legal Toolkit, Jared Correia discusses charging for initial consultations with Sarah Poriss, a foreclosure defense lawyer in Connecticut. Sarah explains why she charges initial consultation fees, how to offer the right legal service value in these appointments, and ways lawyers can determine their rates. Let’s face it, she says, are you looking for the type of client who pays or one who doesn’t? Topics include: How fees improve the meeting quality: on-time, attentive, and serious clients The risks of charging initial consultation Gaining an edge on your competition Setting the right expectations for legal services and retainers Preparing for a fee discussion Onboarding, client intake, and follow-up Confidently setting a rate and making changes as needed Special thanks to our sponsor Amicus Attorney.