Why do attorneys offer free consultations?

A free consultation gives clients an opportunity to decide whether they will be comfortable with an attorney’s personality and style. It also gives the attorney an opportunity to see if you have the type of case the attorney wants to take and decide if they want to work with you.

Most attorneys will not provide legal advice during a free consultation. They will listen to your case and let you know if they can help you. In addition, a family law attorney who is offering free consultations may be one who has few clients, is not terribly busy, or is willing to take any case that walks through the door, even if other alternatives may exist for that client.

If an attorney is willing and/or able to commit the serious time involved in a consultation for free, or at a significantly reduced rate, it may indicate a lack of experience by the attorney, or you should investigate other red flags. That may not always be the case, but most reputable and experienced attorneys charge a fee in exchange for the valuable and tailored information they provide during consultations.