What to Expect at Your First Consultation

What the consultation is — and isn't

A consultation here is not a fifteen-minute meet-and-greet with a brochure at the end. It is a genuinely in-depth working session: Shelley sits with you, goes through your situation fact by fact, and works the actual problem — your finances, your children's schedule, the papers you've been served — until you understand your position and your options. People routinely come away with pages of notes. Nearly all consultations happen by phone or FaceTime — that's the normal format, not a fallback — though an office meeting is always available if you'd rather sit down in person. It is confidential whether or not you ever hire the firm, it is not a sales pitch, and it is not a commitment: plenty of people consult, get their bearings, and wait months before acting — or decide not to act at all. Both are fine outcomes.

One thing it also isn't: a coin-operated answer machine. Family law outcomes depend on facts, so expect honest ranges and candid "it depends, and here's what it depends on" answers rather than guarantees. Any lawyer who promises you a result in the first hour is telling you something about themselves, not about your case.

What Shelley will ask you

• The basic timeline. When you married or separated, children's ages, who lives where now.
• The financial picture. Work and income for both spouses, the home, retirement accounts, debts — broad strokes are enough to start.
• The temperature. Is the other side cooperative, lawyered-up, hostile, or absent? Has anything been filed or served?
• Safety. If there is any history of violence or intimidation, say so early — it changes both strategy and urgency.
• What you actually want. Not the legal categories — the life outcome. The strategy gets built backward from that.

What to have available

You don't need a briefcase of exhibits, but a few documents within reach multiply what the session can accomplish: recent tax returns and pay stubs, a rough list of assets and debts, any court papers you've been served, and any existing agreements or orders. The full rundown is on the consultation checklist — gather what you can where you can reach it during the call; skip what you can't. And if you have nothing gathered, consult anyway; paper helps, but it isn't the price of admission.

Questions worth asking

Bring your own list, and don't be shy about the practical ones: What would you do first in my case? What's my weakest point? What will this likely cost, and what drives that number up or down? How do you and I communicate during a case, and how fast are questions answered? Who else touches my file? (Here, the answer to that last one is short: this is a deliberately small practice — the attorney you're consulting is the attorney on your case.)

What happens afterward

You leave with an honest read on your position and a recommended next step — which might be "file now," might be "gather these three documents first," and might be "wait, and here's what to watch for." If you decide to proceed, the office prepares an engagement letter and retainer agreement, sent for signature through SignNow, and the case begins from there on a clear, written footing. If you're not ready, nothing follows you around: no drip campaign, no pressure calls.

Whenever you are ready, request a consultation online or call (863) 298-0606 — the office will follow up to find a time.