We are independent & ad-supported. We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links.
Advertiser Disclosure
Our website is an independent, advertising-supported platform. We provide our content free of charge to our readers, and to keep it that way, we rely on revenue generated through advertisements and affiliate partnerships. This means that when you click on certain links on our site and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn more.
How We Make Money
We sustain our operations through affiliate commissions and advertising. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission from the merchant at no additional cost to you. We also display advertisements on our website, which help generate revenue to support our work and keep our content free for readers. Our editorial team operates independently of our advertising and affiliate partnerships to ensure that our content remains unbiased and focused on providing you with the best information and recommendations based on thorough research and honest evaluations. To remain transparent, we’ve provided a list of our current affiliate partners here.
Procedures

Our Promise to you

Founded in 2002, our company has been a trusted resource for readers seeking informative and engaging content. Our dedication to quality remains unwavering—and will never change. We follow a strict editorial policy, ensuring that our content is authored by highly qualified professionals and edited by subject matter experts. This guarantees that everything we publish is objective, accurate, and trustworthy.

Over the years, we've refined our approach to cover a wide range of topics, providing readers with reliable and practical advice to enhance their knowledge and skills. That's why millions of readers turn to us each year. Join us in celebrating the joy of learning, guided by standards you can trust.

What does an Attorney do?

Malcolm Tatum
By
Updated: May 16, 2024
Views: 85,999
Share

Attorneys-at-law are persons who are licensed to practice law within a given geographical jurisdiction. The types of legal services provided by an attorney may vary, with many attorneys choosing to focus his or her practice on a particular portion of law. Still, there are some basic functions that help to define lawyers no matter which type of law practice they choose to embrace. Here are a few of the actions that all attorneys utilize in their practice of law.

One of the primary responsibilities of an attorney is to act as the advocate for the client. This involves providing legal counsel that will help serve the best interests of any person or entity that engages legal services. At the same time, the aim of the attorney is to present the case of the client to the legal system in such a way that the best possible resolution available under the law is reached. This dual purpose is best served by an attorney who obtains full disclosure from the client, and couples that with a strong working knowledge of the law. When these two elements are combined, the chances for equity and justice to emerge are greatly enhanced.

The attorney is often expected to excel in a given area of the law. For example, an attorney may choose to focus on criminal law, while another attorney chooses to build a practice around family law. This degree of specialization helps to make it easy for clients to find the laywers who have a solid knowledge that will prove helpful with a given set of circumstances. While countries such as the United States tend to classify all practitioners of law under the title of attorney, some countries have developed a tradition of creating titles that help to identify the area of expertise. The use of the terms of barrister and solicitor in the United Kingdom is one example of designation based on function.

In many situations, the work of an attorney has to do with helping to arrange the affairs of private citizens. Persons go to an attorney to create a will, and often rely on the attorney to make sure the will is probated at the proper time. An attorney is also often required to make temporary arrangements, such as creating powers of attorney, establishing a bankruptcy for a client, or creating a trust fund for a loved one.

An attorney may be called upon to draft business contracts, rental contracts, or employee contracts for businesses. In the event of the sale or merger of a company, the attorney will be on hand to draft documents required to acknowledge the sale and complete the transfer of assets in an orderly fashion. The attorney will ensure that all things are done in a manner that fully complies with the laws that govern the transactions, so there is no question about the legality of the actions.

In short, the work of the attorney can be summed up as making sure that any and all transactions, whether personal or business related, are conducted in a manner that is in full agreement with the laws of the land, and can be considered proper and binding. All the while, the attorney works to ensure that the best interests of the client, and the letter and intent of the law, are observed and respected.

Share
MyLawQuestions is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about our commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.
Malcolm Tatum
By Malcolm Tatum
Malcolm Tatum, a former teleconferencing industry professional, followed his passion for trivia, research, and writing to become a full-time freelance writer. He has contributed articles to a variety of print and online publications, including MyLawQuestions, and his work has also been featured in poetry collections, devotional anthologies, and newspapers. When not writing, Malcolm enjoys collecting vinyl records, following minor league baseball, and cycling.
Discussion Comments
By anon187227 — On Jun 17, 2011

as said, yes people do approach attorneys with a hope that they would get support.

sometime back we approached william muhr for my personal injury claim and all went well.

By nelsonstan — On Jan 01, 2011

i really want to know more about divorce.

By anon76030 — On Apr 08, 2010

I am looking for an attorney to bring my appeal back

on track and also looking to go to trial as well.

There is big money involved.

By anon33057 — On May 31, 2009

Good explanation.

By dart318 — On Dec 22, 2008

hate to beat a dead horse. lie cheat and steal they're very good at it.

Malcolm Tatum
Malcolm Tatum
Malcolm Tatum, a former teleconferencing industry professional, followed his passion for trivia, research, and writing...
Learn more
Share
https://www.mylawquestions.com/what-does-an-attorney-do.htm
Copy this link
MyLawQuestions, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.

MyLawQuestions, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.