Legal consultation is not a step requested only after a dispute arises; its real value appears before committing, before signing, and before taking action. Early advice helps to understand obligations, uncover risks, and reduce the chance of error, and it may cost less than treating the effect after it has arisen. For this reason, legal consultation is in essence early protection, not merely a late remedy.
Its importance stems from the fact that the person concerned, however careful and astute he may be, may not see the matter in its abstract form, because he is usually close to it, attached to its outcome, and affected by what he hopes for or fears. Hence the value of consultation: it enters the matter with a more detached view, reveals what may be hidden from its owner, and returns the matter to an assessment closer to objectivity and further from the influence of emotion.
The principle is that consultation is meant to arrive at an honest professional opinion, based on study, research, sound reasoning, and truthful evaluation, whatever the result and whether or not it agrees with what the person seeking advice hopes for. A useful opinion is not one that flatters its recipient but one that reveals the reality of his legal position and its consequences; as the saying goes: the criticism of opponents is more useful than the praise of those who agree.
The benefit of consultation does not stop at stating the ruling or describing the problem; it extends further, helping to choose the most suitable path for handling the matter from its root. The best course may be to proceed, or to postpone, or to amend, or to settle or negotiate, or other paths that preserve interest and reduce dispute.