Types of Lawyers

Business Lawyer (also called Corporate Lawyer)

Business lawyers often deal with several areas of law, for example, employment, and

intellectual property. Sometimes these lawyers focus on basic legal tasks (forming your

company). Others work on all types of business needs (employment issues, tax compliance).

There are also the business transactional lawyers (handle transactions and draft documents)

and the business litigation lawyers (handle the lawsuits).

Employment & Labor Lawyer

Employment & Labor lawyers handle employment issues. They make sure businesses comply

with state and federal labor laws. There are litigation lawyers (argue when a business violates

the terms of an employment contract) and transactional employment lawyers (draft the

employment documents when an employee is hired).

Finance & Securities Lawyer

Finance and Securities lawyers only operate in a very specific sector of law. They deal with

bank issues and individuals that issue money, or companies that sell stock.

Mergers & Acquisitions Lawyer (M&A)

Mergers and acquisition (M&A) lawyers deal with the buying and selling of companies.

Intellectual Property Lawyer (IP)

Intellectual Property lawyers deal with protecting intellectual property (intangible property).

The three main areas of law within intellectual property are copyright, trademark, and patent.

Family Lawyer

A family lawyer handles anything connected to direct family issues. Usually family lawyers

handle things like divorce, custody battles, prenuptial agreements, and other issues

surrounding marriage and children.

Estate Planning Lawyer

Estate planning lawyers make sure your family dealings are all in order if/when something

goes wrong. They create trusts for a child’s college fund and draft a will so your assets are

distributed appropriately when you die. Sometimes, people do not have a will and their assets

have to go through Probate (a court). Probate Lawyers argue where and how those assets

should be distributed.

Tax Lawyer

Tax lawyers help businesses and individuals comply with state and federal laws when filing

their tax returns.

Criminal Defense Lawyer

Criminal defense lawyers help defend people accused of committing a crime against

prosecution by the government, with the goal of reducing their sentencing or helping them

stay out of jail.

Traffic Lawyer

Traffic lawyers will go to court on your behalf to fight traffic citations or give you advice about

whether you have a chance to get out of a speeding ticket or violation for running a red light.

Personal Injury Lawyer

Personal injury lawyers deal with accidents and injuries of any nature. Personal injury lawyers

get involved when you are in a car accident, a doctor misdiagnoses an illness, you had bad side

effects from a prescription drug, and more.

Bankruptcy Lawyer

Bankruptcy lawyers work through your bankruptcy to help you get out of debt. There are also

lawyers who specialize in different types of bankruptcy.

Civil Litigation Lawyer

Civil litigation lawyers will typically handle any type of litigation, or lawsuit that is non-

criminal.

Digital Media & Internet Lawyer

Digital media and Internet lawyers focus on all sorts of legal issues that appear when we use

technology and the Internet. They deal with privacy issues, copyright laws and the pirating of

music and movies.

Entertainment Lawyer

Entertainment lawyers draft and review licensing agreements, management contracts, and

any other aspect of the entertainment business you can imagine. Most entertainment lawyers

have previous experience working as a different type of lawyer.

Immigration Lawyer

An immigration lawyer helps with anything relating to bringing a family member, employee, or

individual into the United States from another country.

Legal Malpractice or Professional Responsibility Lawyer

Legal Malpractice or Professional Responsibility lawyers usually sue or defend lawyers when a

lawyer has violated their duties to a client (i.e. committed malpractice) or when a lawyer

needs defense against a former client. When lawyers violate or are accused of violating any of

these rules, professional responsibility lawyers and legal malpractice lawyers come into play.

Real Estate Lawyer

Real Estate lawyers assist with any legal issues related to real estate and property. Like

business lawyers, there are transactional and litigation lawyers. Real estate litigators go to

court to argue if a contract or purchase/sale agreement is violated. Real estate transactional

lawyers deal with the negotiation of real estate transactions and drafting documents

surrounding those negotiations.

Glossary:

- Deal: tratar con, hacerse cargo.

- Focus on: enfocarse en/centrarse en algo.

- Tax compliance: cumplimento tributario.

- to comply with: cumplir, ajustarse.

- Labor: laboral.

- Draft: redactar.

- Handle: manejar, tratar.

- Issues: temas, cuestiones.

- issue money: emitir dinero poner en circulación.

- Sell: vender.

- To create trusts: crear fideicomisos.

- Will: testamento.

- Assets: activos.

- Argue: argumentar, discutir.

- Filing tax returns: declaración de

impuestos.

- On somebody´s behalf: en

representación de alguien.

- Injury: daños, ofensas.

- Debt: deuda.

- Litigation: litigio, pleito.

- Sue: demandar, ir a juicio.