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There are so many different types of attorneys out there, it can be really daunting when you first start looking into it. The type of lawyer that you need depends on the situation that you are going through. For example, if you have intellectual property that is being contested, you’ll need patent lawyers, also known as a trademark attorney. Or if you have been given a DUI or accused of something, a criminal defense attorney is who you will need to call. Here are a few other types of lawyers that you might need at some point in your life.
This is a pretty broad term for a lawyer. Each lawyer type will have a generalized area and then more particular specializations. Using the example above, a trademark attorney will likely work for the patent attorney division of a law firm. Likewise, a civil litigation lawyer includes real estate, business, employment and basically any kind of litigation and lawsuit that is not a criminal case.
Family Lawyer
Family lawyers can deal with anything from divorce, child custody battles, prenuptial agreements and anything that has to do with marriage, children or family. Within the area of ‘family’ you can have lawyers that specialize in divorce or something specific. Some lawyers will be experienced in all the different areas.
Tax Lawyer
These kinds of attorneys are what you would need if you owned a business. They can help to make sure that you are in compliance with state and federal laws. Filing a tax return when you own a business is quite a big deal. A mistake on your tax return could shut your business down. Something else that tax lawyers do is act as your defense lawyer should the IRS audit you and you end up facing jail time or a large fine. Most major business will have a tax lawyer on retainer that they use every year to make sure that everything is done correctly.
Personal Injury Lawyer
If you have been injured in some way by someone or something else, you’ll need a personal injury lawyer. They deal with worker’s compensation claims, car accidents, medical misdiagnoses, bad side effects to a prescription drug, if you got mugged and beaten because someone was trying to steal your patent on the way to your trademark attorney, if you get injured by a product that is defective and much more. This is probably the most common type of attorney as almost everyone gets hurt by something at some point in their life time. Personal injury lawyers are also the most affordable because they will often work on a contingency fee basis which means that you do not have to pay them unless you win the case. At that point you would give them a percentage of your settlement.
Bankruptcy Lawyer
If you need to file bankruptcy or even think you might need to, a bankruptcy lawyer can help you work through everything to help you out of the debt. Bankruptcy is a pretty broad term as there are several different types of bankruptcy that can be filed. Chapter 7 and Chapter 11 and Chapter 13 are the most common types. You can hire a lawyer that specializes in each type of bankruptcy that you are wanting to file for.
Malpractice Lawyer
Legal malpractice can sometimes encompass other lawyers like trademark attorneys, etc. They are basically employed in order to make sure nothing goes wrong. If you need to make sure that everything that you are going through is adhered to legally by the other party, then this is the type of lawyer that you want.
There are many, many other kinds of lawyers that exist in the legal field. There is basically one for every situation that you may find yourself in. If you suspect that you may need a lawyer in a particular situation, then the best way to find on is by getting a referral for a friend or family member that has used one that they trust. If you do not know anyone that has used a lawyer before, the next best idea is to use reputable sites online that will search for lawyers in your area.
