The best attorneys near you by specialty - Avvo Choose an area of law to find top-rated attorneys near you. Do I need a lawyer? What do lawyers do, exactly? Lawyers (also called attorneys or counsel) serve as advocates for people and organizations. They represent clients both to the court and to opposing parties.
Reputable lawyers will be upfront about their experience and specific focus, but it will save you some time by narrowing your search beforehand. Avvo attorneys handle cases in over 120 practice areas, including divorce, criminal defense, and bankruptcy. Is practice size and type something I should consider when I’m looking for a lawyer?
You've come to the right place. Whether you are a business, homeowner, or property developer, a land use and zoning lawyer can help challenge a municipality' s zoning regulation and land use restriction. Use FindLaw to hire a local land use and zoning lawyer to help you gain or protect your right to use your property as you want.
Do not underestimate the importance of retaining a lawyer that understands this personality type. It will make things much easier for you in the long run when you don’t have to “educate” your lawyer on whom you are dealing with.
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You’ve thought about it carefully and you’ve decided that you need to contact a lawyer. The big problem is—how to find one? This section will give you some tips on what to look for when choosing a lawyer, and lead you through some questions you can ask a lawyer when you first meet.
The process of real estate development is long and complex. It typically begins with a definition and ends with a fully built property that can be sold or leased. A real estate developer has the knowledge and experience to spot opportunities. They also make the connections needed to see a project through to completion.
Real estate development has various phases from pre-development work to post-development. You cannot miss even a single step of the process because such legal mistakes affect the market worth of property. Here are some main stages of real estate development that you should follow while developing a property.
Every state has its different responsibilities and requirements for a real estate developer. Here are some tips that you should keep in mind while hiring a real estate development lawyer.
To get started with real estate development, you should use this fair straightforward process.
A real estate developer may specialize in either commercial or residential properties. Although both include the building of a project, there are several distinctions.
Our real estate development team has the desire and capability to assist municipalities in achieving their goals of affordable housing and neighborhood revitalization. Every development is tailored to the needs of the local community.
Acceptance Mechanism. One difficult component of executing an MSA for software development has to do disagreements arising from the acceptance or rejection of each deliverable. That’s why these clauses detail how deliverables will be objectively tested and accepted. When these specifications are clear and based on objective data, it becomes easier to ensure predictability in the relationship.
Typically, the hourly rate when you hire a lawyer through Priori for this type of service can run a wide range from $150 per hour to $450 per hour. In order to get a better sense of cost for your particular situation, put in a request to schedule a complimentary consultation and receive a free price quote from one of our lawyers.
Protecting your intellectual property is vital to competing effectively in the software development space. Patents, copyrights and trade secrets are all regularly employed to protect IP held within software, as follows:
The key to protecting your IP as a technology company is ensuring that a lawyer pursues the appropriate type of IP protection and that your lawyer is experienced in prosecuting patents, copyrights and trade secrets related specifically to software companies and development.
"Work for hire" is a copyright doctrine that gives an employer ownership of the copyright in works of authorship prepared by an employee or, in very limited instances, an independent contractor. Because software consists of many types of IP, however, the work for hire doctrine alone may not sufficiently transfer ownership of the created work to the hiring body. Accordingly, software development companies generally include in work for hire contracts carefully crafted language drafted to transfer ownership of the final product and any resulting IP. The wording of non-disclosure clauses is important too -- a successfully drafted clause prevents any disclosure, while language not carefully tailored to your specific company or situation could potentially allow a contractor to re-create the code for another client.
Liabilities arising from the software development process include everything from not properly addressing bugs before a release to insufficient or misleading privacy issues after a product is distributed and in use. A good technology lawyer can facilitate communications with the management team and software developers in order to understand the product -- and accordingly what legal issues may arise from the development and use of that product.
Patents can protect novel, vital functions of the software itself, including editing functions, user-interface features, compiling techniques, operating systems, program algorithms, menu arrangement and design, display presentations and program language translation methods. Other unique, non-obvious ideas, systems, methods, algorithms and functions embodied in a software product may be patentable as well.
Bankruptcy lawyers are experts in the U.S. Bankruptcy Code, and handle insolvency issues for individuals or corporations. Bankruptcy lawyers generally specialize in either consumer bankruptcy or commercial bankruptcy. In consumer bankruptcy, lawyers represent individuals or creditors; in commercial, they represent corporate creditors and debtors.
Typical responsibilities of a family lawyer may include drafting contracts or negotiations, writing prenuptial agreements, counseling clients on legal options, or resolving familial disputes. Family lawyers can work at smaller law firms specializing in family law, or at nonprofit organizations.#N#Some states also offer board certification in family law or child welfare law for those who want to demonstrate verified knowledge and expertise in the area, but it is not required.
Some tax lawyers pursue a Master’s in Taxation to further specialize their knowledge and stay up-to-date in their practice.
An estate planning lawyer is well-versed in the intricacies of property rights, wills, probate, and trusts. They provide legal advice and assistance to ensure client assets passing both inside and outside the will or trust are handled correctly, while also ensuring that tax and legal issues are properly addressed. Deciding how to provide for various family members is a delicate process, so estate planning lawyers may use questionnaires to help clients evaluate their assets and liabilities, and aid them in their decision-making.#N#Estate planning lawyers may pursue additional certification—most commonly the Chartered Trust and Estate Planner (CTEP), Accredited Estate Planner (AEP), or the Certified Trust and Fiduciary Advisor (CTFA) certification .
Entertainment lawyers represent athletes, artists, musicians, actors, and other media-related clients or brands. They help to protect the intellectual property of their clients, which can be anything from a singer’s lyrics to a comedian’s comedy routine. Additionally, entertainment lawyers may negotiate contracts and fee arrangements, secure talent releases, act as a liaison between agents or venues, or oversee membership into unions and guilds.
Criminal Defense Lawyer. Criminal defense lawyers advocate on behalf of those accused of criminal activity and ensure that their liberties and basic rights are fairly upheld within the justice system.
Constitutional lawyers deal with the interpretation and implementation of the U.S. Constitution, and balance the interests of government institutions with the interests of individuals. Various roles of a constitutional lawyer might include challenging the constitutionality of a piece of legislation, representing individuals in discrimination suits, or working as a constitutional law expert at a university. Constitutional lawyers may be involved in civil rights cases, and some argue legal issues before state supreme courts or the U.S. Supreme Court—a rare opportunity for lawyers in other fields.
Family Lawyers. These are lawyers who handle all kinds of domestic cases, such as divorce, legal separation, child custody, adoption, paternity, alimony, prenuptial or postnuptial agreements, and emancipation. But family attorneys may also handle reproductive rights cases, and their work may intersect with other areas of the law.
Different types of lawyers specialize in different areas of law. Some lawyers mostly do the work outside of the courtroom, such as drafting contracts and wills, preparing documents to comply with a process, negotiating deals, and advising clients on a legal problem. There are also lawyers who present cases in court or litigations ...
Since these are professions that ascribe to a set of standards , they have greater professional responsibilities that may be challenged in the courtroom or in litigation.
Real estate lawyers provide legal guidance for individuals or companies seeking to buy or sell a property. They work with their clients and the real estate agents to draft documents and ensure that the paperwork is legally binding. They may also negotiate for the buyer or seller, or represent a property owner during a foreclosure dispute.
But family attorneys may also handle reproductive rights cases, and their work may intersect with other areas of the law. For instance, if there’s a criminal investigation of child abuse or a domestic violence case, or if there’s a juvenile delinquency case, a family lawyer may also work with a criminal lawyer. 3. Estate Planning Lawyers.
Last but not least, a criminal defense lawyer is skilled in handling all stages of a criminal lawsuit. They provide valuable counsel to their clients from the time they are arrested, through the investigation, charging, arraignment and sentencing. Their work isn't quite done if their clients wish to appeal their case. A good criminal defense attorney knows how to navigate the nuances of the law, which allows them to keep their clients out of prison.
Any original creative, scientific, or technical invention which may benefit the public has to be protected from copycats and duplicates. If you've created an art design, a unique product, a novel, a song or a computer program, you can consult with an intellectual property lawyer for securing copyright, patents, trademarks, and licensing agreements.
Unfortunately, that’s a hard question to answer. Whether or not a construction attorney is needed will vary greatly depending on the specific factual circumstances. Still, there are general principles that apply.
Before exercising contractual options, it’s a good idea to talk to a lawyer about how exactly that should be done and some potential issues that might arise. Whether that’s before the agreement is signed or before some action will be taken, the guidance of a construction lawyer is invaluable.
Claims of defective construction are one of the biggest drivers of construction litigation. Regardless of what side a party is on — whether they’re claiming a defect is present or defending against a claim of defective work — construction lawyers will help to provide clarity to the situation and might actually help to avoid litigation. They’ll be able to decipher the relevant laws and contractual duties in order to uncover who, if anyone, is at fault and who might be liable.
Small claims court is unique. It’s specifically designed to be a faster, less expensive, and overall more efficient version of traditional litigation. Plus, it’s designed so that lawyers aren’t really needed in the same way they’re needed in regular litigation. However, the same rule applies as above.
Honestly, that’s great! Using the same contract is the best way to ensure familiarity with the terms of the agreement.
Follow your contracts to the letter and send any required contract notices. Following your contract to the letter doesn’t give a potential legal opponent much room to maneuver.
When a letter demanding payment is coupled threat of legal action and sent by a construction lawyer, the dispute can often be resolved before legal action becomes necessary.
Hourly Rate: Lawyers often charge an agreed-upon hourly rate for their work, and the work of their assistants. The hourly rate applies to both face-to-face consultations and behind-the-scenes work on your case. A good lawyer will usually be able to estimate the required number of hours per case in advance.
Location is an important factor in looking for a lawyer to represent you. Since your issue will likely depend on state or local laws and regulations, you will want an attorney who understands the regulations for your location. On the practical side, you will also want a lawyer who has an office that is convenient for you to travel to. Some lawyers are willing to travel to meet you, but may also charge for travel time. It’s usually a good idea to find a lawyer located in your geographical area. Besides legal knowledge of state and local laws, lawyers also have practical local knowledge. Lawyers in specific cities or towns will also have connections to helpful agencies in that city, which will expedite the process of resolving your issue.
Retainer Fee: A retainer fee is an advance payment to an attorney towards the hourly rate in a specific case. Your attorney will place the retainer fee into an account, and deduct money as work on your case progresses. These are usually non-refundable if you choose to terminate the case early.
Avvo attorneys handle cases in over 120 practice areas, including divorce, criminal defense, and bankruptcy.
Understanding a lawyer’s previous experience is essential to understanding how they can handle your case. You’ll want to ask how many years the lawyer has been practicing. A lack of experience doesn’t necessarily make for a bad lawyer, though, especially if they have experienced lawyers around them.
Lawyers are also important partners in situations that don’t involve the courtroom, advising clients about their legal rights and obligations for personal or business issues. They are trained to interpret complicated systems of laws and navigate the court system.
It’s especially important to understand a potential lawyer’s availability. Will they be going on a three-week vacation in the middle of your case? Do they take phone calls after business hours? Do their legal assistants have a way to contact them if they are not in the office? You should have a good sense of how and when your lawyer will be available to communicate with you.