Law Office

Every lawyer has his or her own unique way of doing business. However, most law offices have a number of similar characteristics in terms of how they do business. Law offices range in size from sole practitioners (one practicing lawyer), small firms, mid-sized firms, and large firms.

1. Sole Practitioners Sole practitioners can be excellent lawyers. The potential benefits of a sole practitioner include: taking on smaller cases. A sole practitioner may be more inclined to take on smaller cases than a big firm; direct one-on-one relationship. Your case is not going to be handed off to another attorney; lower fees and costs.

law office юридическая фирма как учреждение, организация, (law firm - юр. фирма по роду деятельности)

2. Small Law Firms

Small law firms are typically characterised as law offices with two to ten lawyers. The benefits of working with a small law office include many of the benefits mentioned for a sole practitioner plus:

• more experience and expertise in a particular practice area. In a small firm, lawyers are typically able to develop areas of expertise. In many cases, small law offices are called "boutique" firms because they tend to specialise in a given area;

• a small law firm can handle a broader range of legal matters. Some cases are simply too complex for a sole practitioner to handle;

• better coverage. It's difficult for one lawyer to be available all the time, so a benefit of a small law firm is having other lawyers help out on a matter;

• joining of knowledge. It's helpful on complicated legal matters to talk to other lawyers and pick their brains on legal strategies.

3. Mid-Sized Law Offices

Mid-sized law offices are typically characterised as firms with ten to fifty lawyers. The benefits of hiring a mid-size firm include:

• a mid-sized firm may have many of characteristics of a small law office, yet at the same time, have the legal resources to do battle with the big firms;

• a mid-sized firm may be able to provide broader legal representation in every major practice area;

• the larger law firms have usually been together for a number of years, and typically carry a good reputation.

4. Large Law Offices

Large law firms are typically characterised as firms with fifty or more lawyers. The benefits of hiring a large firm include:

• the firm usually has the resources to handle legal matters for public companies, governments, and other large organisations;

• lawyers have high levels of expertise and have been educated at the most prestigious law schools;

• you are a strong opponent if you have a large law firm on your side;

• almost all large law firms have offices in metropolitan areas. Many of these firms have offices worldwide.

Task 5. Focus on the following questions:

1. How do law offices range in size?

2. What are the advantages of a sole practitioner?

3. How large is the staff of a small law firm?

4. What are the benefits of working with a small law firm?

5. How many lawyers do mid-size law offices usually employ?

6. What are the advantages of hiring a mid-sized law office?

7. How many lawyers are usually employed by a large law office?

8. What do the benefits of hiring a large firm include?