A lawyer who specializes in civil law is known as a civil lawyer. Civil law has many fields including business laws, corporate laws, intellectual property laws, family laws, personal injury laws, probate laws, real estate laws, tax laws, etc. Civil law is a branch of law dealing with disputes between individuals and/or organizations, in which compensation may be awarded to the victim. A civil lawyer not only represents the client in a legal proceeding but also provides legal advice to the client in civil transactions.
Civil law encompasses all law that is not criminal law. Civil law seeks to resolve non-criminal disputes such as disagreements over the meaning of contracts, property ownership, divorce, child custody, and damages for personal and property damage. Civil lawyers handle lawsuits that involve individuals, businesses, and even the government.
Civil lawyers will generally choose one or more areas of law to specialize in. If you need assistance with tax laws, you should go to a civil lawyer who specializes in tax laws. If you have been injured in an accident and you want to file a law suit seeking damages, you will need the services of a civil lawyer specializing in personal injury lawsuits. If you are filing for divorce or seeking custody of your child, a civil lawyer specializing in family law will be able to help you out.
A lawyer can also help you if you are running a business by giving you timely advice that can save you from costly civil law litigation. A civil lawyer specializing in business laws can advise you on the regulations your business needs to comply and the licenses required by your business. He can even help you obtain the licenses. Laws regulating the functioning of corporations are complex. There are civil lawyers who specialize in corporate laws. In a real estate transaction, a lawyer specializing in real estate laws can make sure that the transaction is being conducted in the proper way, the necessary documents are properly executed and the sale proceeds properly paid out and accounted for at closing.
There are no special qualifications for becoming a civil lawyer. Like all lawyers, they must have a JD degree from an American Bar Association accredited law school and must have cleared the state bar exam. Before a lawyer can practice in a state, he must pass the state bar exam.
