- What are the functions of a lawyer?
- 1. Defend the benefits and interests of citizens who hire their services
- 2. Guide and assist their clients in the negotiations of purchase, sale and rental of their goods
- 3. Represent their clients in negotiations and contracts with public or private entities
- 4. Prepare and manage the procedures related to inheritances and successions
- 5. Manage copyright procedures
- 6. Act in commercial procedures
- 7. Provide legal advice to companies or legal persons
- 8. Defend the rights of its clients in case of personal or work-related accidents
- 9. Represent their clients before the courts or public bodies
- Lawyer service guarantees
- References
A lawyer is a person who studied law and trained as a legal professional. He is an expert in legislation, ordinances, statutes and legal codes, therefore he is qualified to represent, assist, advise, defend and manage procedures before public and private organizations, in attention to the rights and interests of citizens who request his services.
In addition to studies in legal matters, during his training process he takes subjects such as philosophy, history, economics, politics, among other general knowledge, which make it easier for him to work in both the public and private sectors.
That is why various public positions are held by lawyers in State institutions, notaries, courts, registries, police forces, etc.
Similarly in the private sector in law firms or offices that provide services to individuals. That is, they assist and defend citizens and legal entities, they also advise companies on legal matters and represent corporations, among others.
The lawyer specializes in a specific legislative area, be it commercial, acting in civil, administrative, financial, commercial, labor matters. Also in criminal matters, which deals with judicial matters, for faults or breaches of the law.
In the performance of their profession, values such as honesty, the spirit of service, respect for professional secrecy, known as the Code of Ethics, as well as freedom of decision to take a case or not must prevail.
What are the functions of a lawyer?
Although the laws are not the same for all countries, the functions of the lawyer are similar, offering multiple benefits to the order of justice, offering their services related to those presented below.
1. Defend the benefits and interests of citizens who hire their services
In legal proceedings, whether in the civil area: marriages, divorces; criminal justice: complaints or arrests; administrative commercial: collections, sales.
2. Guide and assist their clients in the negotiations of purchase, sale and rental of their goods
Lawyers intervene when a person wishes to carry out one of these negotiations with their furniture and real estate, houses, apartments, farms, plots, as well as the management and preparation of necessary legal documents and procedures.
They defend the assets and interests of their clients in urban developments in the rural and urban sector, acting as managers of premises, warehouses, shopping centers; complying in all acts with the necessary legal requirements.
3. Represent their clients in negotiations and contracts with public or private entities
These negotiations can be employment relationships, public and private works, equipment leases.
They are also in charge of advising, preparing and declaring the tax obligations of their clients, such as payment of taxes, declarations of assets, request for resources and claims against the effects of state patrimony funds.
4. Prepare and manage the procedures related to inheritances and successions
These procedures refer to wills, declarations of assets, heirs and partitions.
The lawyer formalizes the separations of benefits or assets that the spouses deserve, before contracting marriage, as well as separations of bodies and assets to process divorces, defending and protecting the rights of children, adolescents and women, complying with the rules of equality of genres.
5. Manage copyright procedures
It is about registering the possession of rights over a product, formula, trademarks, rights of possession and authorship, when the person or company has created said product and deserves to protect it from copies and plagiarism.
6. Act in commercial procedures
Lawyers can manage and represent their clients in commercial procedures, such as expropriations, evictions, negotiation with state entities, as well as procedures for obtaining licenses, credentials, authorizations and grants for foundations before state agencies.
7. Provide legal advice to companies or legal persons
Activities include the following: forming, managing and terminating companies, companies, foundations, commercial and civil partnerships, shareholder reorganization procedures, merger and separation of firms, legal advice of the company, financial, commercial, labor and tax commitments..
In addition, they are able to claim, collect and settle payments, debts, commitments, obligations, whether with financial entities, companies or individuals.
Advising, representing and attending meetings such as partner meetings, owners meetings, shareholders' meetings, etc., recording the points to be discussed and the established agreements are also part of the functions of the business lawyer.
On the other hand, it also participates as a mediator in situations of conflicts and contradictions, be they family, commercial, labor, financial or business, to solve problems with equity.
8. Defend the rights of its clients in case of personal or work-related accidents
The lawyer represents his client before those responsible, be it the employer, public institutions or insurance companies.
Manages and claims contractual, labor and social security benefits, such as wages and salaries, bonuses, collective hiring, job security, work environment, unjustified dismissals, pensions, retirements, sick leave.
9. Represent their clients before the courts or public bodies
When a person receives a sanction or punishment as a result of incurred faults, breach of obligations, overdue payments, among others, he has the right to be represented by a lawyer.
He can represent his clients before complaints in the public prosecutor for violation of rights, medical malpractice, sexual harassment, abuse of power, acts of violence, robbery, assault, among other offenses, either to accuse or defend the parties involved.
Lawyer service guarantees
The services provided by a lawyer in defense, representation and advice of the rights and benefits of his client, has a set of endorsements or guarantees, in terms of his training, his ethical standards and his responsibility towards said clients.
- Training guarantee or guarantee: The lawyer studied at a University for a Bachelor of Laws or Law, it is also part of a system of updating his knowledge, through permanent training, thus guaranteeing his clients good advice.
- Endorsement of labor standards: The lawyer is governed by a set of norms and values that guide his performance or Code of Ethics, by means of compliance he identifies himself with his union grouped in a Bar Association, to which he must be associated.
- Guarantee or guarantee of commitment: It is mandatory that you take out a civil liability policy, to guarantee that you will repair the damages and losses to your clients as a result of errors or mistakes in the procedures due to professional negligence.
References
- Advocacy Law Office. Recovered from: abogados-lawoffice.com.
- Code of Ethics. Illustrious Bar Association of Tudela - Navarra. Recovered from: icatudela.com.
- The Functions of a Lawyer. Recovered from: enzyinearticles.com.
- Torres, C. (2013). Icajaen: Functions of the lawyer. Recovered from: icajaen.es.
- Vanderbilt, A. (1954). The Five Functions of the Lawyer: Service to Clients and the Public . American Bar Association Journal 40, No. 1.