We see them in courtrooms, defending the honor of some accused person. They’ve been called horrible names and are given a nasty reputation, but are lawyers really all that bad? These busy people do more than just defend would be criminals. Depending on their specialization, lawyers deal with license agreements and copyrighting, environmental cases, discrimination, personal injury cases, bankruptcy issues, and many other branches.
License Agreements and Intellectual Property
If you create some sort of intellectual property, a work of art, a piece of music, or a book for example, you’re going to want to make sure you protect it as much as possible. Consulting with a specialized lawyer will help to keep your work from being misused. If you’re applying for a patent, good attorneys can help make the process much quicker and help you understand the terms of the patent — some only last 20 years and have limited terms while some last indefinitely. Trying to register a trademark with the federal registry can take a long time (over a year) and the process can be grueling, but with a good attorney, you won’t be fighting the battle alone. Once your trademark or patent is registered you might want to expand your business. An attorney can draw up license agreements that specify what rights each party has.
Environmental Law
We all know the environment could use some more protection. Almost half of America is worried about the air quality both indoors and outdoors, as they should be. By reducing the toxic emissions from industrial plants over 5,000 lives could be saved each year and thousands of heart and respiratory problems would be prevented. Environmental protection lawyers work constantly to try to reduce these emissions and protect the environment and everyone living in it.
Discrimination
As much as we don’t want to admit it, discrimination is still going strong. About one-third of black Americans say they’ve been discriminated against in the past year alone. At the grocery store, at work, and everywhere in between, discrimination is alive. Discriminating at the workplace is not only immoral, but it’s illegal — violating the Civil Rights Act of 1964. There’s no reason 50% of black Americans should face discrimination while trying to make a living. There are lawyers to make sure justice is served and those hurt get the compensation they deserve.
Personal Injury
Did you slip and fall at the supermarket? Did you get into a terrible car accident? Getting a lawyer will help you chances of getting compensation. If you’re worried about the time it’ll take, the majority of these cases, 95%, are settled before the trial.
Bankruptcy
Finances are a topic that seems to scare people. Lawyers are there to explain everything you need to know if you want to file for bankruptcy. In February of 2015, there was an average of 3,500 bankruptcy filings — medical expenses being the cause of the majority of the personal filings. Since the laws and regulations regarding bankruptcy have tightened considerably, you’ll need to find a successful lawyer who has had experience with the specific chapter you want to file.
Lawyers do more than just stand up for thieves and murderers in court. Whatever your legal needs, don’t do it alone, hire a competent lawyer. Your chances of succeeding are much higher.
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