I only have a short call with a lawyer. How should I prepare my contract?

A short consultation can disappear into basic background: who you are, what you are buying, which version is current and what you actually want to know. Prepare those facts before the call so the lawyer can start with your decision.

This is especially useful when you have limited time or a fixed budget. Preparation does not guarantee a lower bill; it gives the reviewer a clearer starting point.

Agree what the appointment covers

Ask whether the lawyer will read the document in advance, which documents they need, and what can realistically fit in the appointment. A discussion of three clauses and a complete contract review are different scopes of work.

Mention the signing deadline and any negotiation already underway. Do not assume that sending a document means it has been accepted for review. Get the scope and arrangements confirmed.

Put the complete source beside the short brief

Send the current contract with schedules, referenced documents you have and relevant written changes. Identify the version and date. Keep earlier versions separate and label what changed if that matters.

A highlighted excerpt can be useful, but another clause may qualify it. Send the full agreement through the channel the lawyer asks you to use. Avoid replacing the source with a summary.

Use this original preparation template:

CONTRACT BRIEF

My role: [employee / freelancer / customer / business owner]
Other party: [name and role]
Location and governing-law clause: [if known; otherwise say unknown]
Deal in one sentence: [what each side gives and receives]
Value and duration: [including recurring payments or commitments]
Decision deadline: [date and why]
Current document: [filename, version/date, attached schedules]

What I want to achieve:
[The practical outcome, including any non-negotiable constraint.]

My top questions:
1. [Question] — [section/page and short exact quote]
2. [Question] — [section/page and short exact quote]
3. [Question] — [section/page and short exact quote]

Already discussed with the other party:
[What was agreed, rejected or left open; attach relevant messages.]

What I need from this appointment:
[Explanation / negotiation priorities / advice on a specific issue.]

Use “unknown” instead of guessing. A page number and a section heading are more useful than a copied paragraph with no source.

Describe the consequence you care about

A fictional example: a freelancer sees a wide ownership clause and writes, “Is this bad?” That gives the reviewer little context.

A better question is:

Section 8 says all materials created in connection with the work belong to the client. I use a template library I developed before this project and need to keep using it for other clients. What needs to change to preserve that?

Now the lawyer knows both the passage and the practical objective. They can decide whether the definition, an exclusion, a licence or another part of the agreement needs attention.

For more preparation specific to this situation, see checking a freelance contract.

Use AI to organise questions, then trim the output

Contracts.money can provide an emailed AI first pass with quoted concerns and suggestions. If you use it, keep the result labelled “AI-generated starting points” and check the quoted passages against the original.

Select the issues that affect your decision. Do not make the lawyer spend a short appointment correcting pages of generic AI commentary before reaching your question. Ask whether they want the full AI output or only your issue list.

Do not put your lawyer’s confidential advice or an ongoing privileged discussion into an AI tool as part of this preparation unless the lawyer has confirmed that workflow is appropriate. Preparing questions from a contract is different from redistributing legal advice.

Finish with a clear next step

During the call, note the advice, unresolved facts and the person responsible for each action. Before it ends, establish what you will receive, whether follow-up is included and whether another review is needed after changes.

Afterwards, update your issue list. Mark what was explained, what will be negotiated and what you knowingly accept. Keep the lawyer’s advice distinct from an AI suggestion or your own interpretation. That makes the final decision easier to follow when a revised document arrives.