Legal Issues Descriptions


Abuse (includes domestic & sexual) Abuse is physical, sexual, emotional, economic or psychological actions or threats of actions that influence another person. Sexual abuse is the infliction of sexual contact upon a person by forcible compulsion or the engaging in sexual contact with a person who is below a specified age or who is incapable of giving consent because of age or mental or physical incapacity.
Accidents - Automobiles & Motorcycles A car accident, also referred to as a “traffic collision,” or a “motor vehicle accident,” occurs when a motor vehicle strikes or collides another vehicle, a stationary object, a pedestrian, or an animal. While some car accidents result only in property damage, others result in severe injuries or death.
Administrative/Government Administrative law governs the activities of administrative agencies of government, including rule-making, adjudication or the enforcement of regulations. You might need this type of lawyer if you have an issue involving the rules or regulations related to a city, town, or other kind of local law.
Agriculture Agriculture law governs legal issues affecting the farming and ranching industries, such as  the use of pesticides, land use and zoning, environmental issues, and patents on genetically modified seeds; as well as environmental, safety, and employment regulations.
Adoption All adoptions must be handled and approved by an adoption court to provide proper notice for all parties and ensure that all the legal requirements are met. A lawyer can help with agency adoptions, independent adoptions, international adoptions and open adoptions, where adoptive parents meet and possibly stay in touch with birth parents.
Alternative Dispute Resolution Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) refers to any means of settling disputes outside of the courtroom. Mediators are individuals trained in negotiations, who bring opposing parties together and attempt to work out a settlement or agreement that both parties accept or reject. Sometimes these resolution methods are voluntary and can be used as an alternative to litigation, and sometimes they are mandatory and required by the Court.
Animal Animal law encompasses companion animals, wildlife, and animals used in entertainment, research, and raised for food. Lawyers can help people with animal custody disputes in divorces and separations, veterinary malpractice cases, housing disputes, "no pets" policies, damage cases involving the wrongful death or injury to a companion animal, enforceable trusts for companion animals, domestic violence and anti-cruelty laws.
Antitrust Antitrust law aims to protect trade and commerce from unfair restraints, monopolies and price fixing. Smaller corporations and businesses may be involved in antitrust issues, as they often file complaints about unfair competition with the FTC and attorneys help ensure that the process for filing a complaint is followed and to help make the most persuasive case for government action.
Appeals An appeal is a request for a higher court to review a lower court's decision. An appeals lawyer handles cases on appeal when a party loses or wants to challenge a part of a decision made by the lower court.
Aviation Aviation lawyers represent people who have been in or been injured as a result of a commercial or private aviation accident. They can also help with legal issues affecting aircraft and airport operations, including aircraft navigation and maintenance, air traffic control safety, and pilot licensing requirements.
Banking & Finance Banking and finance-related lawyers often represent banks to ensure they are adhering to regulations. They also help consumers in cases such as when individuals may have their bank accounts compromised by financial institutions that fail to follow federal regulations, help with acquiring a loan, or more complicated banking matters.
Bankruptcy  Bankruptcy refers to the legal status of a person or business that cannot repay the debts owed to creditors. The bankruptcy process is normally initiated by the debtor, however formal bankruptcy proceedings do not begin until there is an official court order by a United States Bankruptcy Court.
Business Litigation Business litigation results when there is a legal dispute or court case involving your business, such as breach of contract.
Business/Corporate Business and corporate Law focuses on aspects such as forming a company, shareholder rights, and basic commercial contracts.
Cannabis Cannabis law attorneys assist cannabis businesses in the growing list of jurisdictions that now regulate its use for medicinal and/or recreational purposes. Lawyers can help business such as growers, distributors, processors, and investors on tax issues, banking, real estate, intellectual property and employment law. This new highly regulated business area involves navigating state compliance regulations, as marijuana is still prohibited at the federal level.
Civil Rights  Civil rights are an expansive and significant set of rights that are designed to protect individuals from unfair treatment. Lawyers can help if you are being treated unfairly by the government, a private organization, or person because of your race, gender, religion, national origin, physical or mental disability, age, sexual orientation, or gender identity.
Class Action A class action is a lawsuit that allows a large number of people with a common interest in a matter to sue as a group, on matters such as pharmaceutical, defective products, environmental issues, and other consumer claims.
Commercial Commercial law focuses on the sale, lease, and distribution of goods, as well as financing of certain transactions.
Construction Construction law involves any legal issue related to the construction of a building or other structure. Common construction-related legal disputes include workplace injuries and accidents, construction defects, contract issues, and problems with obtaining the proper planning or building permits.
Consumer Consumer laws are laws on the rights of consumers, designed to prevent businesses from engaging in fraud or unfair practices and to protect individuals from fraudulent behavior by businesses. Many consumer protection laws also involve credit, banking, and related financial matters.
Creditor/Debtor Rights Consumer creditor and debtor rights attorneys primarily represent individuals facing wage garnishing, property repossession, asset investigation, outstanding payments litigation, distressed loans, liens, rental disagreements, and other consumer debt disputes. Common clients include individual debtors, victims of identity theft or misallocated debt, collection agencies, or consumer creditors.
Criminal Defense Criminal law broadly refers to federal and state laws that make certain behavior illegal and punishable by imprisonment and/or fines. Criminal cases are generally categorized as felonies or misdemeanors based on their nature and the maximum imposable punishment.
Debt The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) is a federal law that provides debtors with protection from abusive debt collection practices. The types of debts covered by the FDCPA are any family, household, and personal debts, which includes medical care.
DUI/DWI  Driving under the influence of alcohol or other impairing drugs is a crime in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, but DUI law varies by state. For the purposes of DUI law, generally you are "impaired" if your ability to safely operate a motor vehicle is appreciably affected by having consumed alcohol, illicit drugs, or prescription medications.
Education  Schools and education attorneys assist clients such as school boards or children and their families; some attorneys advise within specific types of education law, such as laws surrounding special education or higher education. Others may specialize in representing plaintiff or defense clients in education-related litigation.
Elder Law Elder law attorney help people prepare advance health care directives, file Social Security and disability claims and appeals, help manage property and financial assets, and prepare estate-planning documents. They can also help locate government services and funding and offer input on care for patients needing support, and represent clients in cases involving appointing guardians, power of attorney, rights of an older person, and other disputes. Elder law specialists can also help when a person suspects their loved ones are experiencing nursing home neglect or abuse.
Labor & Employment Labor and employment law typically covers things such as hiring, firing, employment contracts, employment benefits, working conditions, wages, and overtime, as well as laws that prohibit employers from punishing job applicants or employees for asserting their rights against things such as discrimination and harassment.
Entertainment & Sports Entertainment and sports law covers a wide range of professions and media, including visual entertainment, performing arts, media, and both professional and amateur sports. Attorneys who practice this area of law typically provides legal services such as contract negotiation, agent representation, labor law, merchandising, and licensing.
Environmental Environmental law covers laws designed to protect the environment and the health and safety of U.S. residents.
Estate  Planning & Probate Estate planning lawyers help people who want documents (for example: last will & testament, trust, family partnership) that set out your wishes for managing your property and finances. They also help when a person has an issue involving the court process used to decide the inheritance, management, or division of the property of someone who passed away or who transferred their property to a fiduciary.
Family Family law encompasses civil procedures and legal matters that involve family members' financial responsibilities, custodial rights, eligibility, and other obligations. Family law topics include marriage and cohabitation, divorce and alimony, child custody and child support, adoption and foster care, guardianship, parental liability and emancipation, and reproductive rights.
Franchise Franchise lawyers advise and represent individuals and businesses on legal issues that involve franchising a business, preparing, filing and renewing registrations, buying a franchise, and litigation involving the franchisor and franchisee relationship.
Government Contracts Government contracts law is comprised of all the statutes, cases, rules, regulations, and procedures with which any company must comply to do business with the government, including the bidding process.
Guns & Hunting Gun law includes local municipalities that interfere with your right to possess a firearm; helping you establish and obtain a Federal Firearms License (FFL) or defending you against ATF; licensing manufacturers and import/export issues or representing local gun clubs contending with zoning issues. Hunting law includes any occurrence when a person is injured during actual hunting activities. Any incident that causes injury or death of any person(s) as a result of the discharge of a firearm or bow during actual hunting activities.
Healthcare Federal and state healthcare laws cover a wide range of areas related to medical care, patient records, and available treatment methods, as well as Medicare and Medicaid issues.
Human Trafficking Human Trafficking can include: recruitment, transportation, transfer, harboring or receipt of persons; threat or use of force, coercion, abduction, fraud, deception, abuse of power or vulnerability, or giving payments or benefits to a person in control of the victim, for the purpose of exploitation.
Identity Theft Identity theft law provides the legal rules governing crimes in which access to sensitive personal information belonging to the victim is gained, and used to commit fraud. The stolen information may consist of the victim's financial records or personally identifiable information, such as credit card and bank account numbers, social security number, date of birth, etc.
Immigration Typical immigration services that an attorney can help with include immigration consultation and representation for individuals as well as businesses who employ immigrants to ensure adherence to laws. Immigration attorneys represent employees, refugees, or other persons seeking immigration or naturalization status and sometimes their families.
Insurance Insurance coverage attorneys represent business or consumer clients in legal matters involving dispute about what an insurance policy covers.
Intellectual Property Intellectual property laws grant intellectual property owners a set of exclusive rights. The law views intellectual property rights as a form of property, commonly referred to as intangible property. The most common types of intellectual property rights are copyrights, patents, trademarks, and trade secrets.
Juvenile Juvenile courts hear cases dealing with juvenile delinquents, incorrigible youth or status offenders, and issues of child neglect, abandonment or abuse.
Landlord/Tenant Landlord/tenant law covers the rental or lease of residential or commercial property. Landlord-tenant attorneys can typically work on the following matters: rental and lease agreements, rent and security deposit issues, tenant dispute, and tenant eviction.
Libel/Slander Lawyers who specialize in libel/slander can help you if You want to bring a lawsuit against someone who made a false public statement about you, or if you need to defend against an accusation of libel or slander. If the statement is made in writing and published, the defamation is called "libel." If the hurtful statement is spoken, the statement is "slander."
Litigation Litigation broadly includes any legal issue or dispute that’s been submitted to a court, and these attorneys advise in a broad range of litigation encompassing both civil and criminal matters.
Mass Torts Also known as "class action," mass torts generally happen when a number of people have suffered the same or similar injuries. In mass torts, people are often seeking justice for injuries caused by defective products or damages from consumer fraud, corporate misconduct, securities fraud, and employment practices.
Media Media law encompasses all legal issues affecting the media and telecommunications industries. These issues include free speech issues, copyright, and censorship. There are also issues involving privacy and whether content may be printed, broadcast over the air, or published online.
Medical Malpractice Medical malpractice lawyers can help if you want to bring a lawsuit against a doctor, dentist, nurse, or other type of medical service provider who harmed you.
Professional Malpractice Professional malpractice attorneys specialize in lawsuits based on claims of malpractice against professionals, including accountants, architects, engineers and real estate brokers or if you want to defend against a lawsuit accusing you of professional malpractice.
Mergers & Acquisitions Mergers and acquisitions is a general business term used to describe the consolidation of companies or assets through various types of financial transactions, including mergers, acquisitions, consolidations, tender offers, purchase of assets, and management acquisitions.
Military/Veteran Law Attorneys in this area specialize in military law, consisting of the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) and other statutory provisions for members of the U.S. Armed Forces. These include rules related to the discharge process, crimes of insubordination, absence without leave (AWOL), and desertion.
Nursing Home Litigation Nursing home litigation includes legal action taken against a nursing home regarding the care of residents. Most victims/families of victims file civil lawsuits for compensatory damages. Types of abuse can include physical, resident-to-resident abuse, psychological, gross neglect, sexual abuse and financial exploitation.
Oil & Gas Oil and gas law governs oil and gas production. Oil and gas laws determine who owns the right to mine for oil and gas. It determines conditions for harvesting oil and gas.
Personal Injury - General Personal injury attorneys specialize in civil complaints against another person, business, corporation, or government agency, alleging that they acted carelessly or irresponsibly in connection with an accident or injury that caused harm. Includes injuries that occur on another person's property.
Personal Injury - Products Personal injury product plaintiff attorneys represent injured persons seeking compensation for injuries sustained as a result of an alleged faulty or poorly designed product. Personal injury defense attorneys represent organizations fighting liability for injuries sustained as a result of a faulty or poorly designed product.
Pharmaceuticals Pharmaceutical law provides regulatory control on availability, marketing, and supply of medicines, and related litigation.
Property/Real Estate Real property/real estate attorneys can typically work on the following matters: real estate litigation, buying and selling commercial or residential real estate, leasing, construction contracts, homeowners' associations, real estate financing, foreclosure, real estate investment compliance, and zoning, planning and land use.
Reproductive Law Reproductive law is also known as surrogacy law, gestational law, or ART law (assisted reproductive technology law).
Schools & Education Schools and education attorneys represent clients like school boards or children and their families.
Securities & Corporate Finance Securities and corporate finance attorneys advise corporations or individual investors on regulatory compliance and risk factors of business transactions such as mergers and acquisitions, public stock and bond offerings, and Securities and Exchange Commission reporting.
Slip and Fall Attorneys who specialize in this area can help if you want to bring a lawsuit against someone who owned property where you injured yourself by slipping or falling, or if you want to defend against allegations of a slip and fall injury on your property.
Social Security Disability Social security attorneys help claim social security benefits upon a certain age, and workers who have paid into Social Security and become disabled before retiring and may be able to collect Social Security disability insurance benefits.
Surety Surety attorneys specialize in construction and development situations that involve a financial guarantee issued by a contractor through a third party that a contract will be fulfilled.
Tax Business tax attorneys advice businesses on tax implications surrounding bond and stock issuance, offshore accounts, supply chain partnerships and pricing agreements, charitable donations, audits, initial public offerings, mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures. Consumer tax attorneys advise individuals on IRS filing complications, payment agreements, donation structures, foreign income and account structures, and investment planning.
Traffic Traffic attorneys specialize in representing people with tickets resulting from traffic violations which can lead to fines or penalties, losing your driver's license, or appearing in court. They can also help if you want to bring a lawsuit against someone who caused a car or truck accident, or defend against an allegation of causing a car or truck accident.
Trucking & Accidents Trucking accident law covers personal injuries sustained by occupants of a passenger vehicle as a result of a collision with a commercial truck, includes 18-wheelers or "big rigs."
Workers' Compensation A workers' compensation lawyer can help you file a claim, answer your questions, and represent you at hearings if you have been injured at work. There are often disputes in workers' compensation cases about what injuries were work-related, the level of disability, the amount of benefits, and whether medical treatment is needed.
Wrongful Death A wrongful death claim is usually filed by a representative of the estate of the deceased victim, on behalf of survivors who had a relationship with the victim. In all states, a spouse may bring a wrongful death action on behalf of his or her deceased spouse, parents of minors may also bring a wrongful death action if one of their children is killed, and minors can collect compensation for the death of their parents.