The Most Common Types of Lawyers
Almost everybody needs a lawyer at some point in their lives and you might be at that stage in your life. Do you know which lawyer you need? There seems to be a lawyer for everything. We’re going to break down the most common types of lawyers and what cases they handle in our list below; read on to learn more.
Criminal Lawyer
Unsurprisingly, a criminal lawyer handles cases involving criminal convictions, arrests, and bail. You’ve probably heard the terms prosecuting attorney, defense attorney, and public defense attorneys—all of which fall under the criminal lawyer umbrella. Depending on which criminal lawyer they are, the primary focus is either minimizing jail time or bail or putting someone away for as long as possible.
Personal Injury Lawyer
If you’re injured during a car accident, you would work with a personal injury lawyer. Additionally, most personal injury lawyers can represent you if you were injured at work; although there are also worker’s compensation attorneys which may be a better fit. Personal injury lawyers primarily focus on retrieving damages you’ve incurred from an individual or business.
Corporate Lawyer
Also known as a business lawyer, corporate lawyers represent organizations or individuals related to an organization. The scope of corporate law includes several responsibilities, and each corporate law firm offers different services. A corporate lawyer may handle cases involving employee discrimination, company partnerships, breach of contract, and company acquisition.
Family Lawyer
A lawyer who practices family law can take on several cases. Family law cases include but aren’t limited to divorce, alimony, domestic violence, orders of protection, and property division following a divorce. If you find yourself in the midst of a divorce, you’re working with a family attorney.
Real Estate Lawyer
If you’ve ever bought or sold a home, you’ve worked with a real estate lawyer—but that’s not all they do. Real estate lawyers will also accept cases where they need to divide assets and property in the event the homeowner passes away. Most parents will leave their estate to their children but that can only happen if the parents have it in writing with the help of an attorney.
Although it seems like a lot, these are only the most common types of lawyers. There are still dozens of other attorneys for specific needs such as intellectual property, bankruptcy, tax, medical malpractice, and entertainment. Don’t worry—most people will only ever need to know the common ones.
