What Kind of Lawyer Do I Need?
If you’re experiencing a legal matter you’re unable to resolve on your own, it may be time to find a lawyer for guidance. For the best results, it’s best to find a lawyer specializing in the area of law relating to the matter.
In this article, you will discover a few of the most common types of lawyers.
So, what kind of lawyer do I need?
All lawyers are not the same. Your problem is not the same as someone else. You may have been in an accident with another person at fault. You may be considering a divorce and wondering what will happen to your children. You may have been charged with a crime.
There are as many kinds of lawyers as there are kinds of legal issues.
What Kind of Lawyer Do I Need?
Laws can be complex and are often changed over time. This complexity requires lawyers to remain cognitive of the current status of laws and how they are interpreted and applied in your state and county.
Here are some of the most common types of lawyers and a brief description of what they do. It is not an exhaustive list and so you should consult an attorney referral service to make sure the lawyer you end up working with is the right one for you.
Personal Injury Law
Personal injury (PI) lawyers deal with accidents and injuries of any nature, often related to vehicle accidents. They sometimes work with insurance companies, the Social Security Disability Administration, and corporations. They also deal with doctors and health caregivers.
Personal injury lawyers typically work on contingency fee arrangements and don’t collect unless you win your personal injury case.
Traffic Law
These lawyers will go to court on your behalf to fight driving or traffic citations. If your problem is a charge of DUI/OUI or driving to endanger, you will want a lawyer trained in those areas and able to defend you against field sobriety tests, blood alcohol tests, breathalyzer tests, etc. Sometimes this area of specialty is called DUI/OUI law.
Employment Law
Employment (or labor) lawyers are trained in federal and state laws as they apply to companies. There are different classifications for employment lawyers. Transactional lawyers deal with employment documents while litigation lawyers are trained in court proceedings and will go to court to represent you.
Family Law
Family lawyers work with you on issues like divorce, child custody, prenuptial or postnuptial agreements, visitation rights, etc. Family lawyers can specialize in one or more of these areas but most of them cover all areas. You should ask to make sure.
Estate planning
When you die, the government will probate your estate. This can be expensive and can take away from the benefits to your heirs. You can reduce the negative effects from taxes, etc., by engaging an estate planning lawyer (Probate Lawyer) to help you establish a will and testament that spells out how you want your assets distributed to your heirs in the event of your death. An estate lawyer can also help you create a trust to protect your assets while you are alive.
Immigration law
Immigration lawyers can help if you have been designated for deportation, for example, if your visa has expired. You may be seeking asylum because of persecution in your foreign country. Or you may want to enter the United States to work for some American company. There are many possible reasons you can use an immigration lawyer to help yourself or your family with government requirements moving into or out of the country.
Corporate or business law
Corporate law is broad and covers a number of different areas like mergers & acquisitions (M&A), finance and security, articles of incorporation, partnerships, and even tax compliance.
Mergers & Acquisitions lawyers are well-versed in corporate finance and security laws as well as tax laws and other government requirements regarding situations like the buying, selling, or merging of companies.
Finance and security lawyers work with banks and financial institutions as well as individuals who issue money or buy and sell stock and other investments.
Similar to employment lawyers, business lawyers may also be transactional or litigators. Corporate lawyers could represent a company in employee or partner disputes.
Intellectual property
Intellectual property (IP) law deals with intangibles like original ideas, books, songs, etc. There are three categories of intellectual property including copyright, trademark, and patent. A patent may start out with what is known as a “trade secret.”
Copyright is a person’s first right to publish his or her own work. Trademark is protection for a symbol or design, logo, label, etc. And a patent protects the ownership of someone’s original idea or invention.
A patent attorney typically has more training than law alone. They may have experience in engineering, software, chemistry, or life sciences. IP law firms may have several lawyers on their team, each with a different area of patent law.
Criminal law
Criminal lawyers will defend you if you are accused of committing a crime, from small offenses like shoplifting to major ones like assault and battery, drug trafficking, grand theft, or murder. Many criminal lawyers who are defense lawyers had also worked for the government on the prosecution side in the office of the District Attorney.
In cases of criminal charges, having a good defense attorney is critical to getting acquitted of those charges or at the very least, having any penalties reduced as much as possible.
Bankruptcy
Claiming bankruptcy can be very difficult, not only from a financial standpoint, but from a personal, emotional, and psychological one as well. It also may be a person or company’s last resort to maintain a financial solvency.
Lawyers may represent the party who is owed the money (creditor) or the party that owes the money (debtor). Lawyers may also specialize in different forms of bankruptcy, either Chapter 7, Chapter 11, or Chapter 13.
Chapter 7 allows the liquidation of assets to pay off debts and is the most common form of bankruptcy. Chapter 11 allows the restructuring of a business to get back on track, and Chapter 13 allows the restructuring of the payment schedule and arrangement.
Other areas of law
It is impossible to list all of the areas of law here. But those listed are the more common ones. Here are a few more you should be aware of.
- Malpractice – Professional responsibility lawyers defend against the negligence or violation of duty from medical, legal, or other professionals against their clients.
- Digital media – Lawyers focus on the Internet and areas of technology affecting children or artistic expression of music and movies.
- Entertainment – Lawyers deal with entertainment contracts.
- Real estate – Lawyers handle the transactions for buying or selling a property and deal with contract violations.
- Taxes – Lawyers who specialize in this field can help individuals or businesses with tax planning and compliance and with tax audits or IRS regulations.
It’s not enough to find a lawyer to help you. Whether you need transactional or litigation assistance, the best way to find a lawyer certified in your area of interest is through a qualified attorney referral service.
Are you in search for a certified attorney to represent you?
Let us help you find one today!