Business Lawyer (litigation or transactional) Many business owners assume they need a “business lawyer,” whatever the nature of the legal problem they’re experiencing. In fact, “business law” is too broad a category to be meaningful.
Real estate lawyers deal with rights concerning land, water, and structures. Perhaps you need to determine whether a lien has been asserted against your property, or you need to carve out an easement. Maybe you need to divide one lot into two or more lots, or change the zoning classification, or move a boundary line.
Defamation lawyers are a subset of civil litigation lawyers. You want a defamation attorney if you need to take someone to court for defaming your character through libel and/or slander, or if you’ve been accused of causing harm to the reputation of another individual or business by making false and defamatory statements of your own.
Business litigation (often referred to as commercial litigation) is a major subset of civil litigation (see above). Businesses sue each other all the time, for any number of reasons.
The transactional lawyer will incorporate your startup, help secure funding, draft your employment and non-disclosure agreements, issue stock, spin off subsidiaries, and countless other tasks associated with operating your business. Unlike the business litigation attorney, the transactional lawyer does not go to court.
You want a divorce. You want custody of your kids. Your ex-wife wants an increase in her spousal support and you’d rather not give it to her. You’re getting married and you want to ensure you won’t lose half of everything you own if you ever get a divorce. If your legal needs involve family relationships and obligations, you need a family lawyer.
Traffic Lawyer. Traffic lawyers are often considered a type of criminal-defense lawyer, but there’s a big difference between being accused of murder and being accused of running a red light, and different considerations come into play in formulating defense strategy.
Jean Murray, MBA, Ph.D., is an experienced business writer and teacher. She has taught at business and professional schools for over 35 years and written for The Balance SMB on U.S. business law and taxes since 2008.
Whether you need an attorney to start your business depends in large part on what legal type of business you're starting. The simpler your business, the less you'll need an attorney.
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 ...
Also known as corporate lawyers, business lawyers are legal eagles who cover a more full range of expertise in building, managing, maintaining, transferring and dissolving a business. Lawyers in this area of practice deal with the formation of the company, employment contracts, tax compliance, acquisitions, and mergers.
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.
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.
This lawyer is an expert in tort law, which deals with civil legal liabilities and damages.
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.
Technically, all areas of law already mentioned on this list may also be considered civil litigation cases. This is why a civil litigation lawyer is regarded as a general lawyer. However, their primary work comprises handling cases involving a breach of contract. While this may seem simple compared to other areas of law, contract disputes can be a tedious process. So, it will pay to hire an excellent civil litigation attorney who can easily spot the finer details of the case.
A corporate lawyer will be able to help you with issues related to the formation of your corporation, general corporate governance issues and corporate compliance issues.
Employment Lawyer. Whether you’re a company that’s having a problem with an employee, or an individual who’s having problems with the company you work for, an employment lawyer can generally provide advice about legal issues which arise from an employment contract or within an employment relationship.
The estate planning lawyer specializes in wills and trusts, and can help you to draw up a will to pass on your assets. Among other estate planning legal services, this type of lawyer can help you set up a trust which will help take care of your children’s financial needs.
Also known as an IP attorney, an intellectual property lawyer can advise you with regard to issues relating to intellectual property, such as copyrights, trademarks, patents, industrial design and trade secrets.
If you’ve been injured while on the job, or have had to face the death of a loved one as a result of a workplace accident or occupational disease, a lawyer who specializes in workers compensation law can help you navigate the issues you face, such as the extent of the employer’s fault and the amount of benefits to which you are entitled.
The Social Security Disability system can be a particularly complex system in which to navigate. An attorney who specializes in Social Security Disability issues can help you with any step in the Social Security Disability process, including assisting you with eligibility issues, launching an appeal of a decision to deny you benefits and dealing with the reduction or termination of your benefits.
Doctors do occasionally make mistakes, and if you’re facing the consequences of a medical mistake such as a medical misdiagnosis or inaccurate treatment, a lawyer who specializes in medical malpractice issues can be particular helpful.
Richard ("Rick") Hoeg received his undergraduate degree in Economics from Hillsdale College before attending the world-renowned University of Michigan Law School where he graduated in the top 5 of his class.
Consigliere – A Sounding Board. Whether you are starting your first company or your fiftieth, early days generally bring long hours, hard work, and a multitude of questions both legal and not, often in what amounts to a vacuum for the new founders.
The entire purpose of the corporate (or LLC) structure is to limit an investor’s exposure solely to the assets it puts into the entity. In other words, to make sure you don’t lose your house.
California Gov. Jerry Brown recently completed acting on the 1,217 bills that came across his desk this year. He has signed 1,016 of them into law, with the majority taking effect...
Individual lawyers (also called attorneys) are experts in different areas of the law. Some attorneys specialize in a certain field of law, such as business, civil, criminal, or juvenile law. You will need to determine which type of attorney is right for your legal situation.
Keep in mind, Chapter 7 bankruptcy information stays on your credit report for 10 years. This can make it hard to get credit, buy a home, receive life insurance, or get a job. Learn more about bankruptcy, and other options for dealing with debt .