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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
An estate attorney may also help clients build a trust fund, especially for minor beneficiaries. They may also prepare the documents that will enumerate and outline their client’s final wishes, including medical and burial arrangements. 4. Personal Injury Lawyers.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Real estate attorneys handle purchase agreements, mortgages, title documents, and transfer documents. They represent individual buyers and sellers, developers, landlords, and tenants. Simply put, the most common scenario to use a real estate attorney is when you buy or sell real estate. Cloud-based real estate law software assists attorneys by facilitating collaborative document management and project tracking in a seamless and secure environment.
Some of the most common types of cases handled by employment lawyers are contracts, wrongful termination, workplace harassment, retaliation, and workplace discrimination.
The general term “civil litigator” refers to an attorney who represents clients in civil (not criminal) court, either as plaintiff or defendant. The most common kinds of civil litigation involve contract ...
Criminal lawyers are attorneys who defend individuals and organizations against government charges in federal and state courts. Criminal lawyers understand the rules around arrest, arraignment, bail, pleas, proof, and related issues. Some of the most common crimes requiring criminal lawyers include homicide, sexual battery and assault.
If you’ve been injured due to the negligence of another person or company, you will want to engage a personal injury lawyer. Even though personal injury attorneys usually work on a contingent fee basis (i.e., no monthly bills to prepare and send), you will find that many are using personal injury case management software to help them better manage their cases, control costs, and increase overall returns. The most common personal injury claims are from car accidents and slip and fall accidents.
Some of the most common types of cases handled by employment lawyers are contracts, wrongful termination, workplace harassment, retaliation, and workplace discrimination.
Workers’ compensation lawyers specialize in helping workers navigate the unique laws that apply to people who have been injured on the job. A workers’ compensation lawyer typically has a large number of cases to manage, each with its own deadlines, so look for a firm using a modern cloud-based law firm management system. The Department of Labor administers four major disability compensation programs.
As you move through the legal process, regardless of the type of legal situation you’re facing, you will want to ask your attorney about the tax implications related to the decisions you’re making. The majority of attorneys will recommend that you consult an expert.
A divorce judgment involves division of property and other assets the couple owned together. As these settlements occur, they can create significant tax consequences the following year and for years into the future.
A divorce settlement could make an already complex financial situation for a family even more difficult to understand, which often necessitates advice from a tax attorney.
Immigration is another legal matter some attorneys deal with regularly that can lead to tax changes for clients that the immigration lawyer may not fully be able to manage.
Attorneys involved in planning for future financial situations, such as regarding estates and privately owned businesses, have certain rules and laws they must follow.
When You Can Probate an Estate Without a Lawyer. Here are some circumstances that make you a good candidate for handling the estate without a professional at your side. Not every one of them needs to apply to your situation—but the more that do, the easier time you will have.
The estate won't owe either state or federal estate tax. More than 99% of estates don't owe federal estate tax, so this isn't likely to be an issue. But around 20 states now impose their own estate taxes, separate from the federal tax—and many of these states tax estates that are valued at $1 million or larger.
Many executors decide, sometime during the process of winding up an estate, that they could use some legal advice from a lawyer who's familiar with local probate procedure . But if you're handling an estate that's straightforward and not too large, you may find that you can get by just fine without professional help.
But you won't need probate if all estate assets are held in joint ownership, payable-on-death ownership, or a living trust, or if they pass through the terms of a contract (like retirement accounts or life insurance proceeds).
Most or all of the deceased person's property can be transferred without probate. The best-case scenario is that you don't need to go to probate court, because assets can be transferred without it. This depends on the planning the deceased person did before death—you can't affect it now.