Different Types of Lawyers for Different Types of Problems

Everyone at some time in their life will need to hire a lawyer, whether it’s to help sell a house, sort out a divorce or settle a lawsuit. While some lawyers are considered general practitioners, others specialize in a specific area.

Keep in mind that most lawyers fall into one of two categories: civil or criminal. The former deals with domestic issues such as adoption and divorce, the latter with crime, personal injury and corporate law.

Getting the right lawyer, even if that means paying extra for someone with a specific specialty, can have a great impact on the results that you eventually obtain. Finding out about the different types of lawyers available, however, can be a tricky process.

Here is a list of the main types of lawyers who offer their services today. Be aware that within each specialization are many smaller specialties, so you may have to ask around before finding the right lawyer for your needs. Also, there is a lot of overlap, as you will see, so one lawyer who seems right for you at first glance may not actually turn out to be…

Top 10 Different Types of Lawyers

1. Divorce Lawyer: Specialising in divorce or annulment, they can help you get the package you deserve. Will also help with less obvious issues such as mediation, financial planning, avoiding having to go to court, child custody and visitation, and real estate. Can also help with military divorces, searching for hidden incomes, tax implications of divorce etc.
2. Family Lawyer: Covers a wide variety of issues that relate to families, including husbands, wives, siblings, parents, sons, daughters and domestic partners. Anything family-related is done by them, including domestic violence, paternity, child visitation rights, adoption and even divorce (see above). As personal relationships are, on the whole, governed differently in every state, you will have to check and see what your state laws say on particular issues.
3. Civil Lawyer: Deals with relationships between individuals and businesses and organizations, including marriage, divorce, property etc. A lot of civil offenses are in this category, including wrongful death, malpractice etc.
4. Bankruptcy Lawyer: Helps individuals or businesses file for bankruptcy and get the best terms possible for them, hopefully enabling them to keep their home, car etc and avoid as much repossession as possible.
5. Accident Lawyer: Helps people who are the victims or accident or injury get the right compensation for them. In many cases, specific injury to the body is treated like an accident. NOTE: There are many specialties within this field, such as car accident lawyers etc.
6. Criminal Lawyer: Can help people who have been charged with a criminal offense and need someone to defend them, either in or out of court, depending on the crime. Crimes can range from murder to sexual assault to fraud.
7. Immigration Lawyer: Will provide legal assistance dealing with any immigration problem. They usually work with government agencies to provide advice and can help in areas such as obtaining a green card, political asylum, avoiding deportation etc.
8. Malpractice Lawyer: Can help people who have suffered from medical malpractice, when medical professionals have failed to provide good service, resulting in either health or personal problems or lack of income. This area can cover a lot of areas, from cosmetic malpractice to wrongful death.
9. Personal Injury Lawyer: Can help get compensation for a variety of accidents, such as construction site falls to spinal cord injuries sustained at the workplace to automobile accidents. Also covers lawsuits for nursing home abuse, motorcycle accidents etc.
10. Tax Lawyer: Can help people do everything from their annual tax returns to getting an Offer in Compromise from the IRS. Deals with all issues of tax.

Many people have traditionally resorted to obtaining the services of their respected “family lawyer” when it comes to legal problems. While this type of lawyer may have helped out the family for years dealing with basic issues such as home purchase or wills, there is a good chance they will not suffice when it comes to a more specific problem, such as wrongful death or sexual harassment.

In smaller communities it doesn’t always pay to specialize, so you may have less of a choice. Often, lawyers there offer a wide range of specialties they consider will best meet the needs of the entire community. But getting the right type of lawyer can be crucial, so look outside the box if you can’t find someone you believe will represent you well.