5 Types of Lawyers

By Attorneys.org Staff

An attorney-at-law is a licensed professional trained to work with clients that need help with various aspects of law and compliance with laws. Within the broad spectrum of law, a lawyer generally chooses to specialize in one or more areas of legal expertise. Most people will, at some time, require the services of a professional lawyer.
There are five types of lawyers best known by the general public:

1. Criminal Defense: Criminal cases are very serious, and the penalty for crime may be a jail sentence or a death penalty, depending upon the type of crime involved. The criminal defense lawyer attempts to obtain a fair outcome for their defendant, even when the accused defendant is known to be guilty of the crime. Crimes include DUI, domestic violence, assault, drug crimes, fraud, and manslaughter.
2. Personal Injury: Many civil cases and some criminal cases fall into the category of personal injury law. Examples include accidents, wrongful termination from a job, property damage, bodily injuries, and other types of physical or psychological damage that results from the negligent actions of another person. This attorney works to obtain fair and reasonable compensation for their client’s claims. Damages may include medical expenses, loss of wages, loss of companionship, and future expenses related to the injuries received.
3. Immigration: This attorney represents non-citizens who are subject to immigration laws.
4. Family Law: This type of lawyer is a specialist in family matters, such as divorce, child custody, elder care, marriage, and other family matters.
5. Bankruptcy: This is the specialist that can guide a person with financial difficulties to deal with creditors and work out a plan for getting out of debt problems with bankruptcy proceedings or alternatives. They may negotiate with creditors, file bankruptcy papers, and help clients with repayment programs.

Many lawyers offer a first consultation free, so finding the right lawyer should be relatively simple to do and well worth the time.