What Lawyers Do

• Lawyers work inside and outside of courtrooms to help people deal with legal issues.
• They can give you advice about how to handle a legal situation.
• They can negotiate with the other party or go to court for you if the issue cannot be resolved outside of court.

Lawyers help people with legal problems. For example, a lawyer may:

• defend people charged with a crime
• prepare a Will
• complete the sale or purchase of a home
• help people deal with family law matters such as divorce, parenting, and support
• review a contract before their client signs it

Although lawyers do appear in court, a lot of their work is outside the courtroom. Lawyers often work with people before there is a problem. This can help to avoid future troubles. A properly drawn up Will can prevent disputes over an estate when someone dies. Having a lawyer look at a contract before you sign it can prevent unpleasant surprises. Negotiating a business deal or lease through a lawyer can help protect your interests.

Lawyers will look at your situation and tell you about the law that applies to your case. They may outline a number of different options for you. They can advise you about the risks and benefits of each. They can negotiate with another party to try to find a way to resolve an issue. For example, they may try to have criminal charges dropped or have the case dealt with outside of court. In family law cases, they may help the parties reach an agreement so that they do not need to go to court.

When lawyers do go to court for their clients, they are there to protect the interests of their client. If it is a criminal case they will make sure their client’s rights are protected. They will present evidence to court and question the evidence and witnesses for the other side. They will summarize the case for the judge and make arguments for their side.