Questions worth asking any firm
Ask who will actually work on the case day to day, who will appear in court, and how you will be kept informed. Ask about experience with matters like yours and in the court where your case will likely be heard, without expecting anyone to promise an outcome. Fee arrangements vary: hourly billing is common in commercial disputes, contingency fees are common in injury cases, and some matters use a flat fee or a blend. Ask how expenses such as filing fees, court reporters, and retained consultants are handled. A firm that explains the risks of your case plainly is usually more useful than one that only describes the upside.
Conflicts and the engagement letter
Before a firm can take a case, it has to check for conflicts of interest, so it will ask for the names of the other parties and related companies. In New York, lawyers are generally expected to give clients a written engagement letter or agreement in most matters, describing the scope of the work and the fees. Read it closely, including what it leaves out, such as appeals or related proceedings. What you share in an initial consultation is generally kept confidential even if you do not hire the firm. Ask how the relationship can end if either side wants to stop.
What a first meeting with us covers
A first meeting is usually where we hear the story, review the key documents, and identify deadlines and the forum. We also try to give you a rough sense of the stages ahead and what each might cost, recognizing that litigation is hard to budget precisely. If the matter falls outside what we handle, or a different approach such as mediation or small claims would serve you better, we will say so. Bring the documents you have, a short timeline of events, and any papers you have been served. From there we can talk about whether SJKP LAW FIRM LLP is the right fit for the matter.
