General information only — not legal advice. Search Solicitors is a directory and information resource, not a law firm. Laws and procedures vary across Australia and may change. Seek advice from an appropriately qualified Australian legal practitioner about your own circumstances. A listing is not an endorsement or a guarantee of qualifications, availability or outcomes.
The practical takeaway
Can this first stage be completed remotely in my circumstances? What happens after this call, and who is responsible for the next action?
A video or telephone appointment can remove travel, but a useful legal consultation still needs preparation, privacy and a clear understanding of what the meeting includes.
Check suitability before booking
Explain your location and the type of issue so the firm can assess whether it offers the service you need remotely. Ask whether any later step may require attendance or a different process. A virtual meeting option is not evidence that a practitioner handles every jurisdiction or every kind of document.
- Can this first stage be completed remotely in my circumstances?
Prepare a private setting
Choose a place where you can hear clearly and speak without being overheard if possible. Tell the firm if privacy is difficult and ask about alternatives. Ask before inviting another person or recording the meeting. Use the firm’s confirmed meeting link and clarify how you will reconnect if the call drops out.
- What should I do if the connection fails or I cannot speak privately?
Share the right material ahead of time
Ask what documents are needed and the secure way to supply them. Number the questions you most want answered and separate essential papers from background material. Check whether the fee includes reading documents before the appointment; booking time alone does not establish that preparation is included.
- Will you read these documents before we meet, and is that included in the fee?
Finish with a written next step
Before ending the call, repeat your understanding of the agreed work, who will do it and what happens next. Ask whether you receive a summary and whether follow-up questions incur further costs. Record the correct time zone for later appointments, especially when speaking with an office in another state.
- What happens after this call, and who is responsible for the next action?
Worked example · hypothetical
The lawyer has not received the attachment
A client expects document advice, but the booking was for an introductory discussion.
The lawyer has not received the attachment
Ask: Can we confirm what was received and whether the meeting needs a different scope?
Why it matters: Clarifying the proposed service prevents a comparison based on different assumptions.
The initial discussion leaves a task unclear.
Ask: What should I do if the connection fails or I cannot speak privately?
Why it matters: Record the answer so you can distinguish confirmed arrangements from an expectation.
Further work has not yet been agreed.
Ask: What happens after this call, and who is responsible for the next action?
Why it matters: A specific next step helps you understand who is responsible and what has been accepted.
Your next step: Write down the answer, ask for unclear terms to be explained, and compare the written proposal before engaging the provider.
Open the private comparison worksheet →Your private preparation
Turn this guide into your enquiry
Print this page using your browser, or copy the prompts into your own private notes. This page does not collect your answers.
- Can this first stage be completed remotely in my circumstances?
- What should I do if the connection fails or I cannot speak privately?
- Will you read these documents before we meet, and is that included in the fee?
- What happens after this call, and who is responsible for the next action?
Common questions
Can I record the video meeting?
Ask the lawyer before recording or bringing another person into the call. Explain why you want a record and ask what written summary or other arrangement is available.
Is document reading included in the booking fee?
Confirm this before the appointment. Ask which documents will be read, when they must arrive and whether preparation is included in the quoted service.
Sources and further reading
Sources checked 2026-09-20. Read each source in its own jurisdiction and context. Examples and worksheets are original editorial aids, not actual client stories. How we prepare our content.
General information only — not legal advice. Search Solicitors is a directory and information resource, not a law firm. Laws and procedures vary across Australia and may change. Seek advice from an appropriately qualified Australian legal practitioner about your own circumstances. A listing is not an endorsement or a guarantee of qualifications, availability or outcomes.