What Should Your Goal Be at an Initial Consultation?

You're evaluating the lawyer as much as the lawyer is evaluating you. The point of an initial consultation is both to gather information and to figure out, as best you can, whether this particular arrangement (lawyer-client) would work to your benefit. For the client: do I like this lawyer? Does it seem like he knows what he's doing? Is the price competitive, and/or something I am willing and able to pay? For the lawyer: is this client responsible? Can I effectively represent this client? Can I help this client efficiently?