You Need More Than "Just" an Attorney

Most of us have walked into a public library at some time in our lives. Shelf upon shelf, maybe floor upon floor, of books, magazines and newspapers. Most of us have not walked into a law library. The same number of books, if not more, all dedicated to jurisprudence. This is why it’s a bad idea to represent yourself when going to court. It’s also a bad idea to rely on your cousin Vinny for just anything. But what kind of lawyer do you need? The answer depends on your reason for needing one. What you don't want is to hire one that doesn't specialize in the kind of help you need. There are many and varied specializations within the overall legal profession, here are just a few:

Personal Injury

We’ve all heard the pejorative term “ambulance chaser” applied to these lawyers. But really, that’s an unfair characterization for the vast majority of these practitioners. There are different ways you can be hurt through no fault of your own that can cost you a lot of money, pain and aggravation. A drunk driver hits your car, you fall through stairs your landlord didn’t maintain, you slip and fall on a wet floor in a store, the list just goes on. You need to find someone who knows the law and the area where you live. If you’re in SoCal, for example, the Pines Salomon Injury Lawyers could be just what you’re looking for. If you live elsewhere, there are ways to find help in your area.

Divorce

Creating a union can be a joyous time. The planning, the bridal shower, the wedding day and the reception (not to mention the bachelor and bachelorette parties) can be a whirlwind of fun. Breaking up that union? Less joyous, more stressful. While we’d like to hope it would be an amicable split, in too many cases it isn’t. You’re going to need an advocate, let’s look at a few things for which you’ll need lawyers:

• Child custody

• Marital home

• Investment division

• Alimony

• Child support

The number of little details goes on, which is why you need a specialist. Your neighbor may be fine for drawing up contracts and the like, but for something you’ll be dealing with for many years, maybe even the rest of your life, you need someone who knows what they're doing.

Tax law

Do you have trouble with the IRS? Guess what? You need an attorney -- one who really only practices in the area. Not want, need! To say the United States tax laws are complicated is quite an understatement. If you work a 9 to 5 every day and fill out a 1040A each year with few deductions you may not notice it so much. However, corporations and international conglomerates, even small business owners to an extent, need experts. Accountants and tax-preparers to get everything ready to file, and when they receive that certified letter from the IRS, lawyers are a necessity.

These are just a few examples of legal specialties out there. Others include criminal, bankruptcy, disability and probate but even that list is far from exhaustive. The point being, when you interact with our court system you want somebody who knows all about your situation. You don’t want your representative using a hacksaw on your behalf, you want them wielding a laser scalpel.