Casualty Insurance - The area of law dealing with insurance coverage for loss or liability arising from a sudden unexpected event such as a hurricane, earthquake, fire, flood, theft, accident.
Civil Trials - Civil trial law is the practice of law dealing with litigation of civil controversies in all areas of law before state courts, federal courts, administrative agencies and arbitrators. In addition to actual pretrial and trial process, civil trial law includes evaluating, handling, and resolving civil controversies prior to the initiation of suit.
Commercial Litigation - The area of law that provides assistance in the preparation and presentation of a lawsuit or other resort to the courts to determine a legal question or matter in "commercial" situations. Commercial law involves the legal rules and principles bearing on commercial transactions and business organizations. This area of the law is often times governed by the Uniform Commercial Code.
Consumer Protection - The area of law that focuses on the remedies available in most states and the federal government which have enacted laws and set up agencies to protect the consumer from inferior, adulterated, hazardous or deceptively advertised products, and deceptive or fraudulent sales practices.
Criminal Defense - In most cases being charged with a crime is simply an allegation that you may have committed an offense prohibited by law. There are consitutional procedural protections granting your rights before you can be convicted of a crime. In a criminal case, your lawyer acts as an interpreter, to express your concerns to the court and prosecuting attorney, and to explain the charges filed against you. Your attorney can explain or interpret documents, meetings, or hearings that may be needed to resolve your case. Your lawyer will investigate certain facts pertaining to a criminal case that are not allowed to be given to the defendant directly, without a court order. Sometimes a defendant will not actually be aware of certain facts which may prove he or she is legally innocent, or lead to an acquittal if taken to trial. Your lawyer can assess the facts, compare them to applicable laws and penalties to determine what strategy to use for your defense. Once you know your options you will feel more comfortable, and then you, in cooperation with our law firm can determine options and resolutions for the disposition of your case. This may be as simple as making court appearances without you appearing in court, so you can work, avoiding the possible loss of your job. Giving you the ability to make informed, knowledgeable choices, it will make being involved in the criminal process much easier for you.
Divorce (Dissolution of Marriage) - The act of terminating a marriage (does not include annulment). Child custody and support.
Dram Shop Law - The area of law referring to liability of establishments arising out of the sale of alcohol to obviously intoxicated persons or minor who subsequently cause death or injury to third-parties as a result of alcohol-related crashes.
ERISA - Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 - A federal law passed to protect pension rights. ERISA sets minimum standards for pension plans, guaranteeing that pension rights cannot be unfairly denied to or taken from a worker. ERISA provides some protection for workers in the event certain types of pension plans cannot pay the benefits to which workers are entitled, and ERISA requires that employers provide full and clear information about employees' pension rights.
Personal Injury - The area of law that involves civil law cases designed to obtain compensation for injury to your person. The personal injury attorney usually tries to negotiate with the opposing party or their insurance company. If necessary, and if the attorney thinks you have a good chance of winning, the case may go to trial. The main concerns in a personal injury case are negligence and liability. Before you can collect an award, your attorney will have to prove that the defendant is liable. To prove liability, the attorney must establish negligence. If there is a failure to exercise reasonable care to prevent injury or damage then there may be negligence. Once liability and negligence have been established, the judge or the jury may award money to compensate for medical costs, lost wages and lost future earnings as well as for pain and suffering.
Products Liability Law - The area of law focusing on the liability imposed on a manufacturer or seller of a defective and unreasonably dangerous product (see also personal injury law).
Social Security/Disability Law - The area of law assisting those who, due to a disability, require a program of public provision for the economic security and social welfare of the individual and his or her family.
Traffic Violations - The "right to drive" is a privilege, which is governed by the individual states. Traffic violations are a mix of regulatory and penal (criminal) offenses based on violations of state statutes and city ordinances relating to the operation of vehicles.
Workers Compensation Law - Law that focuses on the remedies and compensation for injury to an employee arising out of and in the course of employment that is paid to the worker or dependents by an employer whose strict liability for such compensation is established by statute.
Wills/Trusts - Regulate the rights of others over one's property or family after death. Arrangement of property (including real, tangible and intangible) managed by one person (or persons, or organizations) for the benefit of another.