Choosing and preparing
What to prepare before speaking to a lawyer
Organise the facts, documents and questions that may help a lawyer use the first conversation efficiently, without sharing more sensitive information than is needed.
Quick answer
The short version
Prepare a short factual summary, a dated timeline, the key documents and a list of questions about options, costs and next steps. Include the names of relevant people and organisations so the firm can check conflicts, and tell the firm about any language, disability or communication support you need. Keep original documents safe and ask how to provide copies securely. If a document mentions a date or an urgent event is approaching, contact a qualified lawyer directly as soon as possible.
Begin with a concise factual summary
Write a short account of what happened, who was involved, what has happened most recently and what you want help to understand. Use your own words. You do not need to identify the correct law, prove every fact or prepare a formal statement before the first conversation.
Separate what you personally know from what another person told you or what you infer. Note important uncertainty rather than filling gaps. A clear summary helps the lawyer identify the immediate issues, but it is not a substitute for the lawyer reviewing documents, asking questions and confirming the scope of advice.
Build a simple timeline
List events in date order. Include dates shown on contracts, letters, court or tribunal documents, payslips, medical records, notices and government decisions. If you do not know an exact date, mark it as approximate. Identify upcoming meetings, hearings, settlement events or response dates without assuming that those are the only legally relevant dates.
Legal Aid NSW recommends organising documents chronologically and preparing a chronology before meeting a lawyer. This can reduce time spent reconstructing the story. Keep the timeline factual and update it if a later document corrects an earlier date.
Gather the documents that explain the issue
Collect documents that created, recorded or changed the situation. Depending on the matter, these may include contracts, letters, emails, text messages, notices, policies, invoices, bank records, payslips, photographs, court or tribunal documents, government decisions, medical records or employment records. Do not assume every document needs to be sent before the consultation.
Preserve original paper and electronic records. Work from copies where possible, keep files in a clear order and do not write on originals. Avoid editing screenshots, changing metadata or deleting messages that may later be relevant. Ask the firm about secure upload methods and any preferred naming or file format.
Provide enough information for a conflict check
Before discussing detailed confidential information, a law firm may ask for the full names of the parties, businesses, related organisations and sometimes key witnesses. This allows the firm to identify a possible conflict of interest. Give accurate names and explain aliases, former names or related entities where relevant.
A conflict check is not an acceptance of the matter and does not necessarily establish a lawyer-client relationship. Wait for the firm to confirm what information it can receive and on what basis. If there are safety concerns about disclosing a name, tell the firm and ask for a suitable process rather than omitting the concern without explanation.
Limit unnecessary sensitive and third-party information
The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner explains that organisations should collect personal information that is reasonably necessary for their functions, with additional rules for sensitive information where the Privacy Act applies. Use the same minimisation principle when preparing an enquiry. Share what is needed to identify the issue and allow the lawyer to request further material.
Do not upload identity numbers, complete financial account details, intimate records, children's information or another person's sensitive information merely because it is available. Redaction may sometimes be appropriate, but ask the lawyer before altering a working copy because context can matter. Keep the unaltered original secure.
Decide what you want from the first conversation
The outcome may be practical rather than legal. You might want to understand a notice, protect a business relationship, respond to a proposal, make an agreement, prepare for court, resolve a dispute or learn what options exist. Tell the lawyer your priorities and any outcome you cannot accept. The lawyer can then explain what is realistic without guaranteeing a result.
Prepare questions about the proposed scope, immediate steps, information still needed, who will handle the work, communication, costs and the main risks. If you are considering several lawyers, asking the same core questions makes comparison easier.
Plan language, accessibility and support
Tell the firm in advance if you need an interpreter, captions, accessible documents, extra time, a support person or another communication adjustment. Ask whether a support person can attend and how confidentiality will be addressed. A support person should not answer for you unless that arrangement has been agreed and is appropriate.
If a document is not in English, keep the original and ask whether the firm needs a translation and who should arrange it. Avoid relying on an informal translation for an important legal decision unless the lawyer confirms it is suitable for that purpose.
Act directly if a deadline may exist
Some legal processes have strict and potentially short time limits. Speak directly with a qualified lawyer or the relevant official service as soon as possible. Tell the firm about every date printed on a court document, government decision, termination letter, demand, contract or notice, as well as any upcoming event.
Completing a MatterPath assessment, saving a draft or requesting an introduction does not pause a deadline or preserve legal rights. MatterPath is not an emergency service. Call 000 where there is immediate danger and seek direct legal help for imminent police questioning, custody, court, removal, family violence or another urgent consequence.
Consultation preparation checklist
Print this page through your browser or copy the items into your notes. Include only items relevant to your circumstances.
- Write a short factual summary of the issue and the help you are seeking.
- Create a timeline with confirmed and approximate dates clearly distinguished.
- List the full names of relevant people, businesses and organisations for a conflict check.
- Collect relevant contracts, letters, emails, messages and formal notices.
- Collect relevant court or tribunal documents and record the next listed event.
- Organise financial, medical or employment records only where they may be relevant.
- Keep originals safe and prepare clearly labelled copies.
- Avoid deleting, editing or annotating original records.
- Avoid sharing unrelated sensitive and third-party information.
- Ask the firm how it wants documents delivered securely before sending them.
- Write down your preferred outcome and practical priorities.
- Prepare questions about options, scope, costs, risks and next steps.
- Note language, disability, accessibility or communication support needs.
- Identify all dates or urgent events and contact a lawyer directly if time may be short.
Common questions
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to send every document before the first consultation?
Usually not. Prepare the documents, but ask the firm which material it needs and how to send it securely. An organised list can be more useful than an unsorted upload.
Should I bring original documents?
Keep originals safe. Bring or provide copies unless the lawyer asks to inspect an original. Do not write on, alter or discard original records.
Can someone attend the meeting with me?
Ask the firm in advance. A support person or interpreter may be possible, but the lawyer may need to explain confidentiality, privilege and whether part of the conversation should occur privately.
What if I cannot remember every date?
Mark uncertain dates as approximate and use documents to confirm what you can. Do not guess. The lawyer can ask follow-up questions and explain which dates may be legally important.
Does submitting information to MatterPath make it privileged?
Not necessarily. Information submitted to MatterPath may not be protected by legal professional privilege. Whether privilege applies depends on the circumstances and is a legal question.
Verified references
Sources and official help
These official resources were checked on 26 August 2026. Use the linked service for its latest information.
- Before and at your first appointmentVictorian Legal Services Board and Commissioner
- Dealing with my lawyerLegal Aid NSW
- Things to take to your meeting checklistLegal Aid NSW
- Australian Privacy Principles Guidelines, Chapter 3Office of the Australian Information Commissioner