Providing an effective SEO service for solicitors, lawyers and law firms requires a reasonable amount of knowledge about the services a solicitor / law firm can provide. This article explains the most common reasons why you might need a lawyer / solicitor or law firm and also provides information on how they can help.
Most of us will need to take legal advice at some point in our lives, and the legal experts we are most likely to need to consult are solicitors. Solicitors are the most common type of lawyers in the UK and they deal with many of the legal issues that occur most often.
A solicitor is a type of lawyer who can advise you on the right course of action when you have a legal problem and who can perform legal services on your behalf. In order to practice in the UK, your solicitor will need to be certified by the Solicitors Regulation Authority. Certified solicitors must be properly qualified and insured for your protection, and they must follow the SRA’s Code of Conduct, which ensures that you are treated fairly. You should be able to see the SRA practising certificate displayed in your solicitor’s office. Some solicitors also have additional accreditation from the SRA or the Law Society which shows that they are experts in a particular field of law.
Although you might need a different type of legal expert in some cases, such as a barrister to represent you in court, generally if you are looking for a lawyer, you will need a solicitor. Solicitors can provide legal services and advice to help resolve a wide range of legal issues, although some solicitors choose to specialise in a particular area or law, such as divorce cases or personal injury suits.
When you see a solicitor, for any reason, you should expect to receive clear advice on the legal options that are available to you. Your solicitor will help you to decide what you want to do and make sure that you understand what steps they will take on your behalf. Once you have instructed a solicitor to work on your behalf, he or she can perform a range of different legal tasks for you. These might include gathering information and researching similar cases, drawing up contracts and other legal documents, completing forms and filing court papers, and negotiating with other lawyers. When you first meet your solicitor, he or she will make sure that you understand the costs involved and your rights if you have any complaints. He or she will then keep you informed as the case progresses and you will have plenty of opportunities to ask any questions you might have.
Although you might find yourself needing a lawyer unexpectedly, many of the most common reasons for seeing a solicitor are to do with the major life changes and decisions that many of us will make at some point. If you are moving house, signing a contract, or preparing for your family’s future, then you might need a solicitor.
One of the most common reasons for seeking a solicitor’s help is that you are in the process of buying a property. This process can be complicated and time-consuming, and it involves a number of legal documents. Your solicitor can conduct a search to check for legal disputes, planning constraints, or other legal issues linked to the property, and help you to deal with the results of the survey, including any negotiations on the price. The legal transfer of the property, known as conveyancing, can also be managed by your solicitor, who can help you to understand the process, make sure you are protected, and resolve any problems along the way. Your solicitor can help with the contracts, arranging the transfer of funds, and the payment of stamp duty, and will register you as the new owner with the Land Registry. If you are buying the property with someone else, your solicitor can advise you on your rights and help you to protect yourself.
Solicitors can also help tenants and landlords, by drawing up rental contracts or by representing either side if a dispute arises. If you are renting out a property, you can get a solicitor to draw up a tenancy agreement. If you are the tenant, you can consult a solicitor if you have any doubts about the agreement you have been asked to sign or if you simply need an expert opinion. A solicitor can also help you to take legal action if you have a problem with your tenant, or with your landlord.
If you are setting up your own business, you might want to seek a solicitor’s advice on which type of business structure will be right for you. Your solicitor can also give you some important advice on how you can prevent any legal issues from arising in the future. You can get help from your solicitor with applying for business licenses, choosing the right insurance, and understanding your responsibilities to your employees. You can also get advice on protecting your intellectual property rights, which might require help from a specialist patent and trade mark attorney. Once your business is up and running, your solicitor will be able to help you when you are drafting and signing contracts, or tackling complex transactions with other businesses, such as mergers or acquisitions. Your solicitor can also assist with any business disputes that might arise, and help you to make plans if you want to sell your business or pass it on to a family member.
Even when the end of a marriage is amicable, talking to a solicitor can be a good idea. Your lawyer will be able to help you to navigate the legal process, which could be particularly complicated if you have any children. Your solicitor can file the necessary forms to start the divorce action and help with any legal issues or disagreements. If possible, your lawyer will help you to reach an agreement with your spouse on how your property will be divided, but if necessary they will be able to present your case in court. If there are children involved, your solicitor can help you to make decisions about where they will live, how much contact each of you will have, how the children will be supported financially, and how you will make important decisions about issues such as holidays and schools in the future.
Creating a will can be a difficult process, particularly if you have a large estate or a complex family situation. Your solicitor can advise you on the decisions you need to make and help you to create a will that ensures your estate is disposed of according to your wishes after you die. You can use your will to ensure that your home, investments, money and possessions go to the right people. You can also make arrangements to look after your dependents, such as naming a legal guardian or setting up a trust for your children, or to determine what will happen to your business. You will need to name one of more executors to administer your will, and you can choose your solicitor as one of these. If you don’t make a will, your estate will be divided according to set rules, which might not provide for the people you would prefer to inherit your home or other possessions. You might also need to see a solicitor if someone you know dies, either for advice when you are acting as an executor, or to arrange probate if they have died without a will.
A solicitor can help you to make arrangements to protect yourself in old age, in addition to drawing up a will. You might want to set up a power of attorney so that a relative will be able to make financial decisions on your behalf if you are unable to, or to make your medical wishes clear in a living will, although this won‘t be legally binding. The same arrangements can be made for an older relative, if you are the carer, but you can also ask a solicitor for help if your relative is unable to make these decisions any more. Your solicitor will be able to advise you on the best options for taking care of your relative, which might include applying to the Court of Protection so that a deputy can be appointed to make decisions.
When you buy a product or service, whether you do it online or offline, you have certain rights. If you feel that these have been breached, for example because the goods are faulty or the seller refuses to provide a refund you should be entitled to receive, you can turn to a solicitor for advice. Your solicitor can advise you on your options and help you to pursue compensation or help you to sue if necessary.
You have rights when you are an employee, so if you are treated unfairly at work, you can get help from a solicitor. Your solicitor can advise you on your options if you have suffered discrimination or been unfairly dismissed. If you can’t come to an agreement with your employer, your solicitor can help you to approach an employment tribunal, which will have the power to award compensation, to improve your working conditions, or to take other action.
When an accident results in an injury or in property damage, it may be possible for you to claim compensation from the individual or company that was at fault. A solicitor can advise you on your rights and help you to make a claim. Your solicitor will contact the person or organisation that is at fault, as well as seeking expert or medical opinions if necessary. A settlement will be made out of court, if possible, but your solicitor can also help if you have to take the case to court.
If you are suspected or accused of a crime, a solicitor’s advice can be invaluable. You should seek legal advice as soon as possible and you are entitled to have a solicitor present, free of charge, if you are questioned at a police station. You can ask for your own solicitor or consult the duty solicitor. Your solicitor will protect your rights and advise you on your options. If the case goes to court, your solicitor will gather evidence, interview witnesses and talk to experts to build your defence. Your solicitor can also find a barrister or solicitor advocate to present your case in court.
Sometimes it can be useful to consult a solicitor when you are moving into or out of the UK, even if the move is only temporary. Your solicitor can help you to navigate visa and immigration requirements, as well as providing any legal advice you need on buying a home overseas or setting up a business abroad. Generally, you will need to speak to a solicitor in the country you are moving to, but a solicitor in the UK may still be able to provide you with some useful advice or an overseas contact if you are emigrating. A solicitor can also help if you are claiming asylum in the UK. Your solicitor will be able to advise you and help you to prepare your case. This might include helping your to write formal statements, to apply for release if you have been detained, and to gather information to support your claim, including medical and expert statements, as well as representing you if you need to appeal.
Solicitors can also help you with other kinds of legal arrangements, particularly when you need a legally binding document drawn up. Your solicitor can help with court orders, pleadings, deeds of trust, and all kinds of legal contracts. As well as ensuring that any document you signs represents your interests, your solicitor can also help you to understand what it means and to ensure that it will be legally binding. If witnesses or a notary are required, your solicitor can also help to arrange this.
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