Case Assessment in India

• An assessment of your matter — what category of law applies, what statutes are relevant, what procedural framework governs.
• A realistic outcome assessment — what the likely range of outcomes is, what factors will determine the actual outcome, what risks are involved.
• A timeline estimate — how long the matter will take if pursued, with city-specific calibration.
• A fee estimate — realistic 2026 cost range for the matter type, with the cost drivers explained.
• Answers to your specific questions — within the scope of the matter you described.
• A recommendation on next steps — including, where relevant, whether you actually need a lawyer or whether the matter can be handled differently.

• Document drafting (this is engagement work — separate fee).
• Court appearances or filings (engagement work).
• Detailed case-law research beyond what is needed to assess your matter.
• Multi-session handholding (the consultation is one session; subsequent sessions are billable unless you formally engage the lawyer).

• Write a 1-page chronological narration of the facts. Dates, places, parties, key events. This makes the conversation 3x more efficient.
• Have any relevant documents ready — FIR, notices, contracts, agreements, court orders, correspondence.
• Know what you want from the matter — refund, possession, divorce, bail, defence, recovery, declaration, etc. The remedy you want shapes the strategy.
• Prepare your specific questions — the consultation is a Q&A; come with the questions you most need answered.
• Be honest about prior steps — including any prior counsel, prior settlement attempts, or prior court filings.

Three reasons. (1) Serious matters only — free filters out idle enquiries, so the verified lawyer spends the session on people genuinely ready to act on their matter. (2) A real deliverable — you leave with a clear diagnosis of your situation and a written next-step plan, not vague free advice. (3) Mutual fit — the assessment lets both you and the lawyer decide whether to proceed to full engagement.

The assessment is bounded (30-45 minutes, single session) and ends with a clear engagement decision — proceed or don't — so both sides know exactly where they stand before any larger fees are discussed.

If you decide to engage the lawyer, you sign a written engagement letter specifying scope, fee, milestones, out-of-pocket charges, and termination terms. Indian Bar Council guidelines do not impose specific engagement-letter formats, but a written letter is the single best protection against fee disputes later.

If you decide not to engage, you owe nothing. The information shared during the consultation remains confidential under attorney-client privilege; the lawyer may not share it.

If you want a second opinion, ask at the consultation — most NyaySevak lawyers will support a second-opinion process where the matter is genuinely complex.