Quick answer
Before booking, ask who will conduct the consultation, whether a conflict check must happen first, what documents will be read, what the meeting is expected to decide, how long it lasts, what the charge includes, and what happens if the matter proves urgent or outside the practitioner's field. The purpose is to buy a clearly described appointment, not to negotiate the whole future case before the provider has enough facts.
Ask who the appointment is actually with
Start with the name and practitioner type of the person who will attend. A firm's website may feature senior lawyers even when another team member conducts first consultations. That can be perfectly appropriate, but the booking should identify the attendee, any supervision arrangement and the rate or fixed charge attached to that level.
Use the LPC search to verify the named legal practitioner. Treat the result as a status check, not an endorsement of expertise. If a candidate attorney, paralegal or intake employee will gather preliminary information, ask when an admitted practitioner will review the legal issue and what part of the quoted meeting each person performs.
Ask what the consultation includes
Use direct questions:
- Will you read documents before the meeting, and is that reading included?
- How much material may I submit within the quoted price?
- Is the appointment for preliminary orientation or legal advice on a defined issue?
- Will I receive a written note, marked document or only a verbal discussion?
- Does the charge include one follow-up question, and by when must it be asked?
- Will the meeting cover possible forums, deadlines and the next evidence step?
These questions prevent a mismatch between a reader expecting a full opinion and a practitioner offering an initial triage. They also make it easier to decide which documents deserve priority.
Ask how the booking charge is calculated
Find out whether the amount is fixed for a defined session, based on time actually spent, credited against later work, or separate from any future mandate. Ask whether VAT applies and whether administration, platform use, travel, document review or an interpreter is additional. Avoid assuming that a consultation advertised as “free” includes document analysis or advice beyond an eligibility screen.
The current consolidated Legal Practice Act records that section 35(7) to (12), including proposed cost-estimate provisions, has not commenced. A written booking confirmation remains a sensible protection, but it should not be presented as a universal right created by those uncommenced subsections.
Ask about cancellation and lateness
Check how much notice is required to reschedule, whether non-attendance forfeits the charge, what happens if the practitioner cancels, and whether a delayed start changes the end time. If the meeting is remote, ask which connection failures or identity checks affect the appointment.
Keep those terms with the receipt. A cancellation dispute is harder to understand when the only record is a short payment link with no service description.
Ask what the first meeting will not do
Request a clear exclusion list. Court appearances, letters to the other side, formal opinions, counsel, experts, translations, filing fees and extensive record review are commonly separate tasks. The exclusion should match the matter, rather than being hidden behind a phrase such as “standard consultation.”
Ask who owns the next step after the meeting. The answer might be you, the practitioner under a new written mandate, or a referred specialist. Until acceptance is confirmed, continue protecting any deadline yourself and do not infer responsibility from an appointment request.
Book against a written summary
Send a short confirmation containing the attendee, date, duration, included preparation, maximum document set, expected output, total known charge, additions, cancellation rule and urgent date disclosed. Correct misunderstandings before payment. That record gives both sides a practical definition of the consultation without pretending that the later dispute is already scoped.
Use the fee-and-scope question guide when the discussion moves beyond booking. The consultation preparation guide structures the meeting, while the mandate-letter guide explains later engagement terms. Search the lawyer directory after you know what appointment you need.
Important limitation
This article is general booking information. It does not make an appointment confidential or privileged, prove acceptance of a deadline, fix the later mandate, or determine a reasonable fee.
FAQs
Should I ask who will conduct the consultation before paying?
Yes. Confirm the attendee, practitioner type, supervision arrangement and whether the quoted charge corresponds to that person. Website prominence does not identify who will actually perform the work.
Can I assume document review is included in a consultation fee?
No. Ask whether advance reading is included, how many documents or pages may be submitted and whether a written output costs extra.
Does booking a meeting mean the lawyer has accepted my deadline?
No. Confirm in writing whether a mandate has been accepted and who is responsible for the date. A booking, conflict check or document request may be only preliminary.
What cancellation question matters most before a legal consultation?
Ask when a fee becomes non-refundable and what happens if either side reschedules or a remote connection fails. Keep the answer with the booking confirmation and receipt.
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Legal note
This article is general legal information for South African readers. It is not legal advice. Speak to a qualified legal professional about your specific facts before taking action.