Law

What Kinds of Law Firms are there?

Law firms manage quite a number of different legal services to many kinds of clients that can include individuals, a small business and even large companies. This mixture in clients and clients’ requirements suggests that there also different types of law firms. Firms can vary vastly in size, from mere solo practices with one legal professional, all the way to a large firm with up to a 100 plus, legal professionals not including support staff. Law offices can focus on one legal area or be a general practice firm with a selection of practice areas.

The solo firm has one solicitor who works alone or with a colleague. A number of solo lawyers have a general practice firm that will take on several kinds of law, which can include real estate, family law, wills and probate, and business law. This type of firm often works with a single client and small businesses. A solo practice firm can also focus mainly on one particular area, such as personal injury.

Assorted Legal Departments

Large firms, AKA corporate law firms, usually work with medium to large sized businesses and corporations. This kind of firm has several legal departments, who will specialise in an area of law such as employment, real estate, personal injury or litigation. Solicitors who share the ownership of such a law firm are known as partners, and solicitors who are employees of the firm are called associates. These large firms will also have employees who provide support services such as clerical, bookkeeping and paralegal work.

Many law firms work with local clients in their geographical area. If somebody is seeking family law advice in Bradford, they will usually employ the professional expertise of a firm in that area. Some large firms can have many offices in one area, depending on the population or number of cities therein. National firms have offices all around the nation. And there are also international firms with offices in the UK and abroad. Such international law firms assist international business companies with the laws of the countries in which they are doing business.

Transactions and Lawsuits

A law office can also concentrate on litigation, which involves a lawsuit. A civil litigation firm can manage different types of court cases, including disputes over money, property, insurance and personal injury. Solicitors in such firms are required to speak for clients in trials and court hearings. Criminal law firms will protect clients who have criminal charges filed against them. Criminal lawyers in private, criminal firms will work with clients who can afford their own legal assistance instead representation by a public defender.

Another kind of law firm focuses on transactional law. Transactional firms give legal services in areas including documents and transactions, such as wills and trusts, real estate closings or preparing business contracts. Corporate firms assist large corporations in a whole range of transactions, which includes mergers and acquisitions, tax law, contracts, and real estate.

And that should give you some idea about law firms and what their work involves.