Law firms provide legal services to individuals, small businesses, and large corporations. They vary in size and specialization, with some focusing on one area of law and others offering a variety of services. Sole proprietorships and solo practices work with individuals and small businesses, while large corporate firms work with medium to large companies. Law firms may focus on litigation or transaction law, and may have offices locally, nationally, or internationally.
Law firms provide many different legal services to many different types of clients, including individuals, small businesses, and large corporations. This variation in clients and client needs means that there are many different types of law firms as well. Firms vary greatly in size, from one-man practices with one attorney to large firms with 100 or more attorneys plus their own support staff. Law firms may specialize in one legal area or be a general practice practice with a variety of areas of practice.
A sole proprietorship has an attorney who works alone or with a paralegal. Some self-employed lawyers operate a general practice practice that can handle different types of law, including real estate law, family law, wills and probate, and business law. This type of company usually works with individuals and small businesses. A solo practice firm may also focus primarily on one area of specialty, such as personal injury.
Large companies, sometimes called corporate law firms, usually work with medium to large companies and corporations. This type of firm usually has several legal departments, with teams of lawyers who specialize in an area of law such as employment law, real estate law, personal injury law, or litigation. Attorneys who share ownership of a law firm are called partners, and attorneys who are employees of the firm are associates. Large firms also have many employees who provide lawyers with support services such as clerical, accounting, and paralegal work.
Most law firms work with local clients in their geographic area. Some large companies have many offices within a state. National companies may have offices throughout the country. There are international companies with offices in the United States and other countries. International law firms help companies comply with the laws of the countries in which they operate.
A law firm may focus on litigation, which involves lawsuits. A civil litigation firm works with several types of court cases, including money, property, insurance, or personal injury disputes. The lawyers of these firms are trained to represent clients in hearings and trials. Criminal law firms defend clients who have criminal charges against them. Criminal lawyers at private crime firms work with clients who can afford to hire their own lawyers instead of being represented by a public defender.
Another type of law firm focuses on transaction law. A transactional firm offers legal services in areas involving paperwork and transactions, such as the closing of estates or the preparation of commercial contracts, wills, and trusts. Corporate firms assist large corporations in a wide variety of transactions, including mergers and acquisitions, tax law, contracts, and real estate.
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