At one point in life, we shall all need the services of a lawyer. It is worth mentioning that there are different types of lawyers available in the recent past. Without experience, one might not necessarily know exactly the kind of lawyer they require. Keep in mind that each lawyer specializes in a field hence offers different types of services. That is why you need to know the kind of lawyer you are dealing with.
Table of Contents
What are the two types of lawyers?
Lawyers can be classified into two major categories, namely:
Civil lawyers: these lawyers basically deal with issues related to domestic, adoption, and divorce.
Criminal lawyers: they deal with personal injury, corporate, as well as criminal law.
This article mainly focuses on different types of attorneys that you are likely to meet. It is also vital to note that there are so many other small types of legal advisers that you are likely to meet in life as well. This is because each specialization has further categories. That is why you need to be keen while looking for a lawyer to give you legal advice.
Which type of lawyer is the best?
. Civil lawyers
These lawyers mainly handle individual as well as business cases. They also deal with organizations within individuals. For instance, they are qualified to handle property disputes, marriage, and divorce, wrongful death, as well as malpractice, to mention but a few.
. Divorce lawyers
These lawyers mainly deal with divorce and annulment. They can provide a range of other services when you are divorcing. Did you know that divorce lawyers will help you in financial planning, visitation, mediation, custody as well as avoiding going to court?
. Bankruptcy lawyers
These lawyers will help you as well as your business in filing for bankruptcy and help you achieve the best terms for your situation. During bankruptcy, we expect the worst such as losing your property. Your lawyer will help you to keep your cars and home. They will also help in preventing your personal items from being repossessed.
. Criminal lawyers
These lawyers mainly deal with criminal offences. Some people are charged wrongly or genuinely. Whichever your offence, these lawyers will defend you both in and out of court. Criminal lawyers defend a range of criminal cases such as sexual assault, robbery with violence, murder, and fraud, among others.
. Family lawyers
These lawyers deal with all the issues related to families. There are quite a number of family problems that your lawyer can help you solve, such as domestic violence, divorce, child visitation, adoption, and paternity.
. Accident lawyers
These lawyers deal with accident issues, such as helping accident victims to get compensation.
. Immigration lawyers
They will help you with immigration issues
. Malpractice lawyers
They help people who are victims of medical malpractice to acquire compensation
What type of lawyer gets paid the most?
- Medical lawyers: $150,881 annually
- IP Attorneys: $140,972 annually
- Trial attorneys: 4101,086 annually
- Tax attorneys: $99,690 annually
Conclusion
It is evident that there are many types of lawyers out there to help you solve all the issues that require legal advice. Make sure that you select the right lawyer for a specific case.
Common Types of Lawyers at a Glance
| Type of lawyer | What they handle |
|---|---|
| Personal injury | Car accidents, slip and falls, medical injuries caused by someone else’s carelessness |
| Criminal defense | Defending people charged with crimes, from DUIs to felonies |
| Family | Divorce, child custody, child support, adoption |
| Estate planning | Wills, trusts, powers of attorney, probate |
| Business / corporate | Forming companies, contracts, mergers, compliance |
| Employment | Discrimination, wrongful firing, unpaid wages |
| Immigration | Visas, green cards, citizenship, deportation defense |
| Bankruptcy | Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 filings, debt relief |
| Real estate | Home purchases, leases, landlord-tenant disputes |
| Intellectual property | Patents, trademarks, copyrights |
| Tax | IRS disputes, tax planning, audits |
How to pick the right type of lawyer
Start with the problem you need solved, not the lawyer’s title. If you are unsure, your state bar association’s lawyer referral service can point you to the right specialty, and many lawyers offer a short first consultation.
Official Resources
Laws change and vary by state. These official sources are good places to check the current rules:
- Lawyer job outlook and pay (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics)
- Find free legal aid near you (Legal Services Corporation)
Written by
Emam Hasan is the founder and editor of LawyerInfos. He is a digital marketer, content writer and English teacher based in Dhaka, Bangladesh, who researches legal topics from official sources and turns them into clear, plain-English guides. He is not a lawyer.