Civil litigation is a wide-ranging and complex practice area, practiced in both state and federal courts. A civil litigation lawyer may specialize in a particular type of litigation, or represent only a certain type of client.

Types

The American Bar Association Section of Litigation has committees that represent many different types of civil litigation cases, including antitrust, aviation, business torts, class actions, commercial, construction, consumer, environmental, international, mass torts, product liability and professional liability, among others.

Taking Sides

In addition to focusing on a specific type of litigation, such as those cited above, many attorneys also focus primarily or exclusively on either plaintiff representation or defendant representation.

National Professional Organizations

Membership in a professional organization is one indication whether a civil litigation lawyer represents primarily plaintiffs or defendants. The American Trial Lawyers Association (ATLA) members are the top 100 civil plaintiff (and criminal defense) lawyers in each state. The Association of Defense Trial Attorneys (ADTA) members are the top litigation defense lawyers in each city.

Fee Structure

Attorneys for plaintiffs in civil litigation generally use a contingency fee agreement, which is a set percentage of the settlement or verdict recovered. Attorneys for defendants in civil litigation generally use an hourly fee agreement.

Warning

Before hiring a lawyer, a potential client should research her background. One research tool is Avvo.com. Avvo rates and profiles more than 90 percent of attorneys in the United States. It includes client reviews, lawyer disciplinary histories and peer endorsements.

Source:

American Bar Association Section of Litigation

The American Trial Lawyers Association

Association of Defense Trial Attorneys

More Information:

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