Due to the expansive nature of law in England & Wales, most solicitors have a specialism, rather than practicing all aspects of the law. Having a specialism means that a solicitor is able to know that sector of the law inside out, so that they are able to give their clients as much help and support as possible. Here is some general information on various specialist solicitors which can be found practicing law in England & Wales:

Employment solicitors

Employment solicitors seek to represent the rights or either employers or employees. From an employer’s perspective, an employment solicitor can help a company to ensure that they are acting within the bounds of the law, in regard to their employees.

From an employee’s point of view, an employment solicitor can help to represent their rights and interests in any cases where an employer may have broken a law relating to the client’s employment. A solicitor may also be able to act as a mediator between the two parties, to avoid the scenario becoming more serious.

Cases which an employment solicitor may become involved in can include cases of unfair dismissal, changes in employment contracts, instances of discrimination or harassment in the workplace, and issues relating to salary.

Divorce solicitors

The break up of ones marriage often brings heartache and pain but in many cases a divorce unfortunately leads to disputes and arguments. Often the innocent children of divorcing couples may become embroiled in disputes which can makes matters extremely volatile and this is one reason why divorce solicitors are called upon. Hopefully with the assistance and guidance of a specialist divorce solicitor they will be able to bring about an amicable resolution for everybody involved.

Commercial law

Commercial law solicitors largely work with businesses, rather than with individuals. For larger businesses, commercial law solicitors may work as part of a team of solicitors. Commercial law solicitors may be expected to understand many different aspects of the law, and how these laws relate to businesses, rather than how they relate to individuals.

Those who work as part of a larger commercial law team may have their own specialism within that team. Commercial law solicitors will often be responsible for such things as drawing up legal contracts and finalising negotiations.

Immigration solicitors

Immigration solicitors represent the interests of people who are seeking to move from one country to another. In order to operate successfully, these solicitors must have a good understanding of the immigration, asylum and migration laws which are in place in the UK, and sometimes those which are in place in other countries.

Although many people who are immigrating to the UK can afford to pay for their own solicitor, some of the work which is done by these solicitors may be funded by external agencies, such as migrants’ rights charities. Immigration solicitors are often hired to make sure that all documentation and paperwork has been filled out correctly, before being submitted to the authorities.

Family law

Family law solicitors help to support clients in matters that relate to family life. This can include dealing with matrimonial issues, child custody, divorces and matters relating to joint estates. Negotiation can play an important part in family law, so it is important that these specialist solicitors have great negotiation skills.

In areas such as divorce proceedings, solicitors have to tactfully make clients aware that they may not be able to have it all, and that making some sacrifices can allow them to make gains elsewhere. Good conflict resolution skills help solicitors to create reasonable and realistic solutions for their clients and any dependants who are also involved.

Injury claims solicitors

Injury claims solicitors support clients who have sustained an injury in an accident which was not their fault, whether at work, in a public place, or at home. If this injury has caused pain, suffering, loss of earnings, medical bills or any other financial problems for the victim, an injury claims solicitor can help to secure compensation for the victim.

Wills and Probate solicitors

Solicitors who deal in Wills and Probate are experienced at dealing with everything to do with wills (or lack thereof). People can create wills to describe what they would like to happen to their assets and estate after they die. Alternatively, some people create living wills, to state what they would like to happen with their health, their medical treatment or with important decisions about their financial assets if they become incapacitated for any reason.

When people are creating wills, it is the solicitor’s responsibility to ensure that procedures are followed to ensure the legality of the will. Once the will maker is deceased, the solicitor must ensure that the will is correctly administered.