Summary
- All lawyers must meet certain educational and licensing qualifications
- Different types of lawyers focus on certain practice areas
- In most cases, you should seek a lawyer with experience in your area
All lawyers graduate from law school. In many states, candidates must also pass a background check and a bar examination to qualify for admission to the state’s bar. Up to that point, most lawyers have the same education and qualifications.
However, once they begin their practices, lawyers tend to focus on certain areas of the legal field. Here’s what you need to know about the most common types of attorneys and what they can do for their clients.
Types of Lawyers and What They Do
Lawyers take similar classes at any law school, including real property, contracts, constitutional law, civil procedure and criminal law. In some situations, particularly in rural regions, lawyers practice as generalists who can handle many types of cases.
However, most lawyers choose a specific practice area based on their interests and skills. For example, someone might focus their practice on cases involving construction injuries after seeing a family member struggle financially after an on-the-job accident.
As you search for a lawyer for your case, you might encounter any of these ten common types of lawyers:
1. Personal Injury Lawyers
A personal injury lawyer assists clients who have suffered physical, mental or reputational injuries due to someone else’s actions. Perhaps the most common basis for liability is negligence. Cases like these often arise from negligence:
- Medical malpractice
- Car accidents
- Slip and fall accidents
Injury attorneys also handle other types of injury cases that fall outside of negligence laws, including product liability, sexual assault and defamation.
These lawyers investigate traumatic incidents, gather evidence and negotiate for compensation to cover the victim’s losses related to physical injuries and mental suffering. If they cannot negotiate a settlement, the lawyer can file a lawsuit against the at-fault party.
2. Criminal Defense Lawyers
Criminal defense lawyers represent people accused of criminal offenses. They ensure the government follows the law and the U.S. Constitution when investigating crimes. They also speak for their clients to preserve their right to remain silent during questioning.
Additionally, these types of lawyers negotiate plea bargains and takes cases to trial if prosecutors refuse to offer fair deals.
3. Family Lawyers
Family lawyers handle many types of family legal disputes, including divorce, paternity and child support. Many family lawyers also handle family matters such as name changes and adoptions.
4. Estate Planning Lawyers
Estate planning lawyers prepare wills and trusts to protect their clients’ property and ensure it passes according to their wishes. They also appear in probate court to represent claimants or executors to see that the court handles the estate according to the decedent’s instructions and state laws.
5. Immigration Lawyers
Immigration lawyers represent people who want to enter the U.S. by helping them obtain visas. They also handle cases of people subject to deportation.
6. Bankruptcy Lawyers
Federal laws create bankruptcy courts to protect debtors and creditors facing insolvency. A bankruptcy lawyer helps clients understand the bankruptcy process and the options for filing. They prepare documents identifying their outstanding debts and the resources they have to pay them.
In addition, these types of lawyers work with the court, creditors and bankruptcy trustees to protect the client’s rights and assets.
7. Workers’ Compensation Lawyers
Every state except Texas requires employers to participate in a workers’ compensation system. Employers covered by workers’ compensation are rewarded with immunity from employee injury lawsuits. At the same time, employees receive guarantees that they’ll receive basic benefits after suffering an on-the-job injury.
A workers compensation lawyer files claims and negotiates with insurers to obtain benefits for workers. They also handle workers’ comp hearings with administrative law judges when insurers deny claims.
8. Intellectual Property Lawyers
Intellectual property lawyers help people and businesses protect their intangible property rights. Patents preserve an inventor’s exclusive rights in their inventions, while trademarks protect a business’s rights in the words, designs and other identifiers used on their products and services.
Additionally, copyrights allow a creator to control the use of their visual, musical and written works, and trade secrets safeguard a business’s confidential information.
9. Tax Lawyers
Tax lawyers typically perform two primary jobs. First, they can analyze a transaction and determine its tax implications. For example, suppose that you want to sell part of your business to an investor. A tax lawyer can analyze the sale and identify how to handle it to minimize your tax burden.
Second, tax lawyers help you defend yourself in audits and enforcement actions. The lawyer can negotiate with state and federal tax agents to seek a fair resolution of a tax dispute.
10. Insurance Lawyers
Insurance lawyers deal with insurance companies after you suffer a property loss. For example, suppose that your home was damaged by a hurricane, but your home insurer refuses to pay to repair or rebuild it. An insurance lawyer can fight the claim denial or file a lawsuit against the company to compel it to honor your insurance policy.
Find the Type of Lawyer You Need With Help From ConsumerShield
Understanding the type of lawyer you need can be critical to resolving your case quickly and fairly. ConsumerShield can connect you with the right local attorney for your needs. Contact us for a free case review and lawyer referral today.
