Questions to Ask a Sexual Abuse Lawyer: A Consultation Checklist

Treat the consultation as your interview

A consultation is not an audition you have to pass. It is an interview you are conducting. The attorney is evaluating whether they can help, and you are evaluating whether you trust them with one of the most personal experiences of your life. Both of those things can happen in the same conversation, and a good attorney welcomes your questions rather than rushing past them.

Bring a written list so you are not relying on memory in an emotional moment, and consider bringing a support person. There are no wrong questions, and an attorney who treats reasonable questions as an annoyance has already told you something important.

Questions about experience and track record

Survivor matters often turn on holding an institution accountable, which is a specialized area. These questions surface whether the attorney has done this specific kind of work, not just personal-injury work generally.

• How many survivor or sexual-abuse matters have you handled, and how recently?
• Have you brought claims against institutions — schools, employers, religious organizations, youth programs, or companies — not only individuals?
• What is your experience with the kind of situation I am describing?
• Have you taken matters like mine through trial when needed, or do you primarily settle?
• Are you familiar with the relevant deadlines and any recent law changes in my state?

Questions about communication and who does the work

How an attorney communicates is not a detail; it is the texture of the entire relationship. You want to know who will actually be on your matter and how you will reach them, so you are not surprised months in.

• Will you personally handle my matter, or will it be passed to associates or staff?
• Who is my main point of contact, and how quickly do you typically respond?
• How will you keep me informed, and how will you involve me in decisions?
• How do you approach sensitive conversations and depositions to limit re-traumatization?

Questions about privacy and your safety

Privacy is often a survivor’s single greatest concern, and it is a legitimate one to raise immediately. Courts in many jurisdictions allow survivors to proceed under a pseudonym such as "Jane Doe" or "John Doe," and protective orders can limit what becomes public. Ask how the attorney would approach protecting your identity.

• Can my matter proceed without my name becoming public, and how would you request that?
• What information could become part of the public record, and what stays private?
• How do you protect client confidentiality day to day?
• What support resources do you connect clients with outside the legal process?

Questions about cost and the agreement

Money questions are not impolite — they are essential, and reputable attorneys expect them. In survivor and personal-injury matters, attorneys commonly work on a contingency fee: they are paid a percentage of any recovery and you owe no attorney’s fee if there is no recovery. The American Bar Association notes that contingency-fee agreements should be in writing and should spell out the percentage and how case expenses are handled.

• Do you work on contingency, and what percentage do you charge?
• What happens to costs and expenses if there is no recovery?
• Will I get the fee agreement in writing before I commit?
• Are there any circumstances in which I would owe you money out of pocket?

After the consultation

Give yourself permission to reflect before deciding. You are not obligated to retain anyone the same day, and pressure to sign immediately is itself a warning sign. Notice how you felt: heard or hurried, respected or doubted. That feeling is data.

If you want help finding attorneys who do this work, the Alliance can connect you with vetted member attorneys for free and with no obligation — the Alliance is not a law firm and does not provide legal services itself. For free, confidential support any time, RAINN’s National Sexual Assault Hotline is 800-656-4673.

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