COMPLETING INTAKES/QUESTIONNAIRES FOR YOUR ATTORNEY
I don’t know any attorneys that do not use some form of intakes or questionnaires to facilitate representation. In my field, I rely on them very heavily due to the intricate nature of immigration work, and the need to be very accurate and consistent at all times.
I always recommend clients have all documents they are putting information from in front of them when they complete my intakes because they can verify the reality and not what they think it says but what it actually says, and potentially correct any mistakes on the documents if needed. You should not guess on your intakes, if you do not know something you should note this and speak to your attorney before answering that question.
The more you put into completing these the better representation you will receive. Attorneys rely heavily on your responses, again be sure you are not guessing, be sure that you answer every single question fully, and if you don’t understand you ask for clarification.
I have recently moved to all online intake forms, which has been a fantastic addition to my practice. While there are some technical issues from time to time overall the responses are clear and easy to read. In addition, my software has options for quite a few languages making it easier for clients who are not native English speakers. After clients complete the intake, they schedule a call with me to go over the forms together, so I can ask questions or for clarifications while confirming everything is correct then create an evidence list. A lot of times clients put incorrect information and then later are upset things are wrong in the forms I prepare. They are wrong because they are based on the client’s wrong information, while mistakes happen this is avoidable.
If you want to get the most out of working with your attorney, give your attorney the best because what you give your attorney is truly a reflection of the end result you will receive. If your attorney asks you to provide information, provide it fully and accurately.
