Why isn't there a public resource that can put people in the right direction?
This is a strikingly formal mental idea of how professional relationships begin. It's not quite so formal. You can ponder about "contracting a doctor for consultations," but most people just say "go to the doctor."
When people say "consult with a lawyer," they typically mean you should ask a lawyer for professional advice about this situation. If you don't have a relationship already, you would typically call their office and set an initial appointment of 30 to 60 minutes. If you know you have a problem, you should expect to receive legal advice during that appointment, and to pay something for it.
Yes, some lawyers offer free consultations -- typically lawyers who work on contingent fees. They are paid out of a substantial recovery, and offer to talk to people who are unsure their injury is worth pursuing legal action. If your legal situation doesn't involve a lump sum recovery, you should expect to pay for the time spent by the lawyer unless you have some other agreement (flat fee, etc.)
Still, most of the lawyers I know are willing to write off some time so that the potential client can decide whether to engage the lawyer for further advice. It is perfectly acceptable to tell the receptionist or lawyer that you're considering several people, and would like to talk about whether this lawyer or firm has relevant experience. But understand you're unlikely to receive much legal advice during that kind of meeting.
Typically, the initial interview is to find out if you've found an appropriate lawyer and if they have the time to sell to you. If either of these things are misaligned, the lawyer will almost certainly offer you a referral to another lawyer who is more appropriate or available for you.
After a successful interview, you generally pay some money as a retainer. It may or may not be applied to your billed hours.
A business lawyer's function is to tell you how to accomplish your goals without violating laws, or that your goals are fundamentally illegal, or how to accomplish a goal in a law-abiding fashion that will minimize legal risk. If you are about to enter into a contract, a lawyer will review it for you and point out areas of higher risk, and possibly suggest ways to mitigate those risks. If you have a particular intention for the contract, the lawyer will help your phrase it so that a court of law will understand what you are intending.
Almost all of the above is true for accountants, as well, except that instead of advising you on legal matters, they will advise you on accounting matters (which have a strong overlap with legal matters). Accountants figure out which paperwork you need to file, and can complete most of it for you.
Call Gabe: https://groundworklegal.com/