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The easiest description of a solicitor’s work is that he/she solves legal problems and then gives the client the answer. A solicitor in private practice can be described as a general practitioner in law. However, as law has become more complex, specialisation has become more prevalent. A solicitor’s work may fall broadly into one or perhaps a number of the following categories:
Advising Private Clients – covering the whole range of personal and business life and including such matters as marital problems, consumer complaints, disputes with neighbours, planning enquiries and many more matters.
Commercial – the business world of trade and commerce, companies, contracts, insurance and banking. Solicitors act for a full range of business interests from the owner of the corner shop to the boards of major public companies, advising businesses on the numerous and detailed provisions of company, partnership and insolvency law.
Litigation – raising or defending actions in the civil courts or by reference to arbitration or settling such claims or disputes “out of court”. Solicitors can appear in the Sheriff Courts in Scotland and also appear at Tribunals.
Conveyancing – the buying and selling of property and the arranging of loans, the preparation of Title Deeds, leases and other legal documents. In addition, some solicitors specialise in the buying and leasing of commercial properties such as factories, shops and hotels.
Criminal Law – for solicitors in private practice this involves advising and appearing on behalf of accused persons in the courts across the complete range of criminal law, from minor motoring offences to serious crime. Procurators Fiscal investigate and prosecute crime.
Estate Work – the management of landed estates in rural areas.
Financial Services – advising on mortgages and investments.
Wills, Executries and Trusts – advising on and preparing wills, the administration and distribution of funds passing on death, or contained in a trust and the settlement of tax liabilities.
What sort of day does a solicitor have?
A solicitor can be in the office, answering the telephone, seeing clients, drafting letters and technical documents, conducting negotiations, going out to court to defend clients, inspecting properties and visiting other solicitors for meetings.
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