Working With an Attorney·6 min read

What happens at your first consultation with an attorney

If you have never sat down with an attorney before, the unknown is often the hardest part. Here is exactly what a first consultation at our Bedfordview office looks like — how to book, what we will ask, how long it takes, what it costs, and what you will leave with.

Most people who walk into our office for the first time have never needed an attorney before. Some arrive after a hospital stay, a road accident, or a night in a police cell. Others come with a contract they are about to sign, or a dispute they can no longer resolve on their own. Almost all of them are a little nervous — and almost all of them say afterwards that the consultation was far more straightforward than they expected. This article explains the process from start to finish, so you know what to expect before you arrive.

How do I book a consultation?

You can reach us in whichever way suits you: phone the office on +27 10 141 1452, send a message to +27 71 844 4471 (Mobile / WhatsApp), or email hello@tlattorneys.co.za. Our office is at AMR Building 3, 9 Concorde East Road, Bedfordview, and we are open Monday to Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM.

Outside office hours, you can also speak to Lwazi, our AI intake assistant on www.tlattorneys.co.za. Lwazi can take the initial details of your matter at any time of day so that we can respond when the office opens. Lwazi gathers information only — using it does not create an attorney-client relationship and nothing it says is legal advice — but it is a convenient way to get the process started at 10pm on a Sunday.

When you book, it helps to describe your matter briefly — a sentence or two is enough. It allows us to set aside the right amount of time and, in injury and medico-legal matters, to flag anything time-sensitive early.

What will the attorney ask me?

At our firm, your consultation is with the firm's director himself — the attorney who will handle your file personally if we take the matter on. The consultation is a structured conversation, not an interrogation. We will ask what happened, when it happened, who was involved, and what documents exist. We take careful notes, because those first details often become the backbone of the matter.

Dates matter more than most people realise. In many injury and medico-legal matters — claims involving hospitals, the Road Accident Fund, or the police — strict notice periods and prescription periods generally apply, and in many cases the clock starts running from the date of the incident. Telling us the timeline accurately, even roughly, is one of the most valuable things you can do at a first consultation.

Bring whatever documents you have. Depending on the matter, useful items include:

• hospital or clinic records, discharge summaries and receipts;
• an accident report or case number, and photographs if you have them;
• any letters, emails or messages relevant to the dispute;
• contracts or agreements, signed or unsigned;
• your ID, and the names and contact details of any witnesses.

If you do not have everything — or anything — do not postpone the consultation because of it. Missing documents are normal, and part of our work is helping you obtain records you cannot get on your own.

How long does it take?

A typical first consultation runs around forty-five minutes to an hour. Some are shorter; a straightforward contract question may be dealt with quickly. Others run longer — where the facts span months, the documents are voluminous, or several family members are involved in telling the story, we would rather take the time to get the chronology right than rush it. When you book and describe your matter, we set aside time accordingly, so you are never watching the clock.

What does it cost?

This is the question people are most reluctant to ask, so we answer it before you have to. Fees are discussed openly at the first consultation, before any work begins — that is a standing principle of this firm, not a favour. You will be told what the consultation itself costs when you book, and at the consultation we explain how the matter would be charged if you decide to proceed.

Legal work can be charged in different ways depending on the matter: an hourly rate, a fixed fee for defined work, and in some injury matters a contingency arrangement may be available. We explain which of these applies to your situation, what disbursements (costs paid to third parties, such as expert reports or sheriff's fees) may arise, and what each option means in practice — so that the decision you make is an informed one.

No work begins until you have read and signed a written mandate setting out what we will do and how it will be charged. If you leave the consultation and decide not to proceed, that is entirely your right, and nothing further is owed beyond the consultation fee.

What do I leave with?

You should never leave a consultation more confused than when you arrived. By the end of your first consultation with us, you will have:

• an honest view of whether there appears to be a matter worth pursuing;
• a plain-language explanation of the likely next steps and, where relevant, the deadlines that generally apply;
• a list of the documents or information still needed, and who will obtain them;
• clarity on fees and how the matter would be charged; and
• where you sign a mandate, a clear understanding of what happens next and when you will hear from us.

That reflects how this firm works on every file: you will always know where your matter stands, what happens next, and what it costs. The first consultation is where that standard is set.

Tapfumaneyi Lewis Inc. Attorneys practises in medical negligence, Road Accident Fund, unlawful arrest and commercial matters from Bedfordview, serving clients across the Johannesburg Metropolitan area. Contact the firm on +27 10 141 1452 or hello@tlattorneys.co.za to arrange a consultation.

This article is general information, not legal advice for a specific matter. Every matter depends on its own facts. For advice on your situation, please arrange a consultation.