Inside our first meeting

The opening call is legal work, not a pitch. A partner leads it, and it is often the half hour that saves a client the most money.

We treat the opening call as real legal work rather than a pitch. A partner runs it, because the advice given in that half hour tends to matter more than anything that follows.

Three questions shape the call. What happened, told in order with dates attached. Where the paperwork lives and who controls it. And the result you are hoping for, which the law does not always offer.

Most calls end with a clear sense of whether the claim deserves a closer look, the price of the next stage, and any filing deadline or proof gap that changes the picture.

Plenty of callers hear a no from us. It costs them nothing, and our own records suggest it is frequently the advice that helps them most.

What we will ask

1. The timelineDates first, because filing deadlines and emergency relief both depend on them.
2. The documentsWhich records survive, where they sit, and whether any were lost.
3. The goalYour target result, measured in money, time and working relationships.

When our answer is no

Winning on paper means little if the recovery will not cover the cost. We would sooner explain that on day one than twelve months and many invoices later.

Every declined matter goes into a log with our reasons. Reading it back keeps our judgment honest.

A clear no on the first call costs you nothing and can spare you a year of litigation.

Questions clients ask