What is an Attorney at Law?

An attorney at law, also called an attorney or a lawyer, is a professional who is licensed to practice law in a given area, typically a state. Practicing law includes many services, such as providing legal advice and representing clients in court.

Lawyers perform numerous tasks and provide multiple types of services in the course of their everyday work. There are some lawyers who practice in a wide range of areas of the law, while others may specialize in only one area or a few specific areas.

A lawyer may work in a group, for example, a law firm, with a partner or partners, or may have a solo practice. Lawyers are the only professionals or individuals who are permitted to practice law.

What is the Difference Between an Attorney, a Paralegal, and a Notary Public?

Paralegals are individuals with some specialized legal training that allows them to provide assistance to attorneys with their daily tasks. Typically, paralegals perform tasks related to research and writing.

Notary publics, also referred to as notaries assist in authenticating documents by notarizing the documents, such as:

• Wills;
• Contracts;
• Deeds; and
• Other items which need certification.

If a paralegal or a notary public offers an individual their services as a lawyer, the individual should decline and report them to the state bar for unauthorized practice of law.

What Areas of Law Do Attorneys Practice in?

There are numerous areas of law that attorneys can practice in which cover most aspects of life. Although this is not an exhaustive list, the general practice areas for lawyers include:

• Family law: Family law governs family-related issues, such as:
  • divorce;
  • child custody and visitation;
  • spousal support;
  • child support;
  • paternity; and
  • other topics;
• Employment law: Employment law governs work-related disputes, such as:
  • wage and hour claims;
  • wrongful termination;
  • hostile work environments;
  • harassment; and
  • discrimination;
• Criminal law: Criminal law governs criminal offenses, including:
  • theft crimes;
  • assault and battery;
  • various homicide crimes, for example, manslaughter and murder; and
  • other crimes;
• Real estate law: Real estate laws governs transactions and disputes related to:
  • property sales and transfers;
  • landlord and tenant issues;
  • construction;
  • property improvements; and
  • other aspects related to property;
• Business law: Business law governs wide range of issues, such as:
  • contracts between businesses;
  • business disputes;
  • buying and selling a business; and
  • other business activities;
• Immigration law: Immigration law governs immigration issues, such as:
  • visas;
  • citizenship;
  • removal or deportation from the country; and
  • green cards;
• Personal injury law: Personal injury law governs various types of claims, including:
  • negligence claims;
  • slip and fall cases;
  • car accidents;
  • malpractice; and
  • other instances where an individual suffers harm;
• Wills, trusts, and estates: Wills, trusts, and estates law governs various matters, including:
  • distribution of property after an individual’s death through their will;
  • creation and management of trusts; and
  • estate planning;
• Bankruptcy law: Bankruptcy law deals largely with debt. It governs issues such as:
  • consumer and business bankruptcy;
  • debt collections;
  • consumer credit; and
  • certain tax issues;
• Government law: Government law governs many public concerns, including:
  • schools and education;
  • social security, governmental discrimination;
  • various civil rights issues; and
  • veterans benefits;
• Defective product law: Defective product laws govern instances where consumers are harmed, injured, or killed by a defective product. It may also cover other areas such as warranties and defective services; and
• Intellectual property law: Intellectual property law governs legal concepts such as:
  • trademarks;
  • copyrights;
  • patents;
  • trade secrets; and
  • other protections for non-tangible assets.

Because of the numerous areas of law, when an individual is selecting an attorney, they will want to consider which area of law their issue falls into. An individual may also be able to locate an attorney in general practice who handles cases in numerous different areas of law.

What Tasks Do Attorneys Perform?

A lawyer performs various tasks, including:

• Representing clients in a court of law;
• Counseling clients regarding their legal concerns;
• Examining laws and pleading in court;
• Analyzing the evidence for trial;
• Engaging in discovery, or obtaining documents for trial;
• Requesting appeals, if possible;
• Requesting damages for injuries; and
• Engaging in criminal defense or prosecution.

There are some lawyers who practice as specialists in a given legal field, such as copyright law or patent law. In most states, a specialist attorney is required to pass an additional exam or to meet other provisions prior to representing themselves as a specialist in that area.

What is a General Practice Lawyer?

A general practice lawyer is a lawyer who practices in multiple different areas of law and who has not specialized in just one. In many instances, a general practice lawyer will practice in a smaller law firm or as a solo practitioner.

Some general practice lawyers may choose to practice in several different general areas of law, such as family law and criminal law. If an individual has multiple legal issues they would like the same lawyer to handle, they may want to choose a general practice attorney.

Even if an individual only has one legal issue, it may still be helpful to consult with a general practice lawyer. For example, if a small business attorney has no family law or estate planning experience, they may not think to caution a client regarding the potential issues a new partnership may face if one of the parties divorces or passes away.

In addition, if an individual is seeking a divorce, their family law attorney may not think to ensure the safety of their intellectual property as well as their physical property. A general practice attorney or general practice law firm can provide clients with lawyers who are skilled at handling multiple types of issues.

This may save clients time and money in the long run. This is because the attorney will keep an individual from having to pay a business attorney to learn how their business will affect their personal life and needs as well as paying a personal attorney to learn how their personal legal issues will affect their business. In addition, a general practice attorney may know how the overlap of family law and criminal issues may affect a case, especially one involving children.

Where Do I Find a General Practice Lawyer Near Me?

If an individual is wondering, “where do I find the best general practice attorney near me for my needs?”, they need look no further than LegalMatch. An individual can present their legal issue to LegalMatch attorneys in about 15 minutes.

Once an individual presents their issue, LegalMatch matches the case to lawyers in the individual’s location who practice in the area of law involved. After an individual presents their case, pre-screened LegalMatch attorneys will receive email notifications.

Within 24 hours, a local attorney will review the case and determine if they may be able to assist the individual. An individual can either choose to conceal their identity until they choose a lawyer to contact or they can have that information displayed so the attorney can call them immediately.

The individual will receive responses from interested lawyers that will include a personal message as well as a full attorney profile including:

• Their relevant experience;
• Fee structure;
• Background; and
• Ratings from other LegalMatch clients.

An individual can review each response and choose the attorney who best fits their needs and budget. In many cases, an attorney will offer potential clients a free consultation, or first meeting.

If free consultations are available, an individual is free to schedule multiple consultations prior to choosing their lawyer.

Do I Need a General Practice Attorney?

A general practice attorney may be helpful in many situations. If you have multiple legal issues which need addressing, a general practice attorney may be able to assist you with all of them.

If you are unsure what type of attorney you need for your specific legal issue, a general practice attorney may be a good place to start. A general practice attorney will be able to provide you with legal advice on many different issues and areas of law.