When you have legal issues, you need a lawyer who has expert knowledge about your legal needs to help you. Perhaps you have a straightforward matter, such as preparing a will. Suppose you have a complex legal issue and are dealing with a divorce and custody battle. Finding the right attorney can make the difference between legal success and failure.
Finding the right attorney begins with identifying the legal specialization that covers the legal services you need. To do this, familiarize yourself with different practice areas, so you begin your law firm search with the right specialization in mind. Let’s examine some common legal practice areas.
Healthcare Lawyers
The medical field’s governed by laws medical professionals and facilities must follow. Healthcare lawyers typically work for healthcare facilities, such as hospitals, clinics, and nursing homes. They ensure doctors, nurses, and other staff members follow applicable laws and regulations. Insurance companies, medical facilities, and medical professionals may also consult healthcare attorneys about their legal rights in specific cases.
Family Lawyers
One of the most common specialized practice areas for lawyers is family law. Family lawyers represent people dealing with legal family matters, including adoption, divorce, and child custody. Suppose you want to adopt a child. You’d hire a family law attorney with adoption experience. These attorneys are familiar with relevant case law and can use case law to strengthen your case. They’ll explain the adoption process, prepare the legal paperwork required, and represent you in court until your adoption’s finalized.
There were over 746,000 divorces in the United States in 2019. It’s common for each party in a divorce to hire an attorney to represent their interests and protect their legal rights, particularly if the couple’s also addressing child custody. Divorce attorneys fight for their clients to receive a fair share of assets. They may also seek alimony and child support as part of a divorce agreement.
Intellectual Property Lawyers
Artists and inventors protect their legal rights to their creations through intellectual property laws. A creator can hire an intellectual property lawyer to help them establish copyright for their manuscript or register a trademark. These attorneys also help their clients file for patents and deal with issues such as franchising and distribution.
Human Rights Attorneys
Human rights attorneys, such as Malliha Wilson, represent people who’ve had their rights violated. Marginalized persons who face discrimination based on their race, religion, gender, citizenship, or sexual orientation may hire an attorney to defend their legal rights. Malliha has over three decades of legal experience working for the Ontario government and has argued several cases before the Supreme Court of Canada. Malliha’s passion is human rights, and today, she works for Nava Wilson LLP and fights for human rights for her clients. Her experience in this legal specialty also serves her work in labor law because she may represent clients who’ve been wrongfully terminated based on discrimination.
Human rights attorneys can shape laws and impact the way that the most vulnerable people are treated. An example of a notable case in the United States was Brown v. Board of Education when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled against racial segregation in schools.
Tax Lawyers
A tax lawyer helps you manage your finances. These lawyers have comprehensive knowledge of tax law and use their expertise to help their clients minimize their tax obligations without breaking the law. They’ll also handle your legal matters if you have a dispute with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) or face charges of tax fraud. Tax lawyers negotiate settlements with the IRS to minimize penalties.
There are multiple legal specialties, including healthcare law, family law, intellectual property law, human rights law, and tax law. Hiring the right lawyer can make the difference between success in court and ongoing legal challenges. Research legal fields to ensure you hire a law firm that handles the right legal specialization for your needs.