Types of Law Firm
Most law firms fall into one of the following categories.
General Practice
This will involve working in a small to medium sized firm, normally with less than 20 partners, and involved in offering legal advice to the local public. Lawyers working in this type of firm will typically work on drafting wills, looking into compensation claims for those who have been injured, dealing with the sale and purchase of property, representing workers at employment tribunals and individuals in family law disputes.
Commercial Firms
Often based in London these firms are specialists in advising large corporations on major transactions or disputes which run into the millions of pounds. These firms are usually very large and able to spread themselves across the country and even abroad, and also offer to advice to companies in various areas of law including banking, large scale litigation, commercial, IP and corporate finance.
Niche Practices
These firms specialise in a particular area of law, e.g. media where they will be representing celebrities negotiating new contracts or sponsorships, or sports law which could involve representing football clubs or players. PFI and construction are other examples of niche areas within the legal profession.
Legal Aid Firms
These deal with cases for clients who could not otherwise afford to hire solicitors, and are mainly concerned with advising on child care and divorce law, housing, immigration, crime and fraud.