The resolution of a legal dispute can take place in a courtroom, or lawyers can negotiate and settle differences out of court. Also, a lawyer sometimes acts as a counselor and advisor in planning future conduct to avoid legal disputes.
Lawyers vary in the kinds of legal questions they handle.
Some specialize in criminal law, representing clients accused of crime. Other lawyers specialize in tax law, giving advice about the wide variety of taxes collected by state and federal government. Intellectual property attorneys represent clients who wish to obtain or protect rights in patents, trademarks, copyrights, or trade secrets. Still others specialize in property law, advising clients on buying or selling a house or in estate law, making wills and trusts, for example. The same habits of mind and temperament that make a good professional also make a good lawyer.