Some Philadelphia criminal defense lawyers offer free initial consultations, and some don’t. Here’s why we think they should: One of the goals of your initial consultation is to decide if you want to hire the lawyer to represent you. If you’ve already paid money to sit down and talk, you will feel financially pressured to move forward—even if you don’t necessarily think the lawyer is the best choice for your case. If your initial consultation is free, the lawyer must work to convince you that he or she is capable of representing you effectively.