A general law practitioner is one who practices in broad arears of the law and can guide the clients on varied subjects of law. They are not limited to one particular legal field. They provide legal advice on subjects like family law, property, criminal and civil law, adoption, and law on wills etc.,
“If the attorney lacks knowledge in a particular area of the law, he may confer with other lawyers to ensure the client is provided adequate representation. General practice attorneys generally prepare paperwork, meet with clients, and represent clients in court. They may also gather evidence, interview witnesses, or provide mediation for two or more parties.”[1]
They also tend to take care of a family’s legal requirements, in relation to property, legal heir and succession. They draft contracts and negotiate agreements and also represent a client in court of law. In the field of legal arena. General practitioners are usually not good at one particular field of law. They, however, possess exceptional skills in any given area. Contrary statements? Yes, that is due to the fact that they are what we call “Jack of all trades and Master of none.”
This may at times act as a disadvantage as bigger clients tend to prefer a recognized law firm or solo practitioner who is well versed in their respective field. “Daliah Saper, a recognized legal voice through television and other media, started as a general practitioner but realized it wasn’t working. She was taking whatever came in the door, and she was not getting good at anything. “That’s when I made the affirmative decision to stop telling people I was a lawyer and instead, stated the kind of lawyer I was. “[2]
In addition to this, if you do not specialize in one particular law, you tend to work on all varieties of cases. Gaining exposure in fields, that may prove to be more beneficial to your overall CV. General Practitioner tend to have broad range of exposures in this case. This way, you tend to not limit yourself or your practice to any specific field of law. You can either act as a paralegal or consultant and even a legal advisor. In addition to this, you could carry out business or estate planning, criminal, or civil law.
If you are a person who loves to seize opportunity domestically and internationally. As well as personally develop and expand your knowledge, general practitioner is the right place to start. “Just because you are a general practitioner, it does not mean that the services you offer are any less effective than the service offered by a specialized practitioner. By choosing general practice you provide for specialized support in varied fields, continuity and a stronger relationship with the clients. Apart from this, you have an edge of gaining more potential clients by meeting with a wide range of community need.”[3]
Every field of law has its own hardships and rewards. Cases that are highly taxing might not be your cup of tea which would require an in-depth knowledge or in general just losing your sleep. The Law being vibrant and varied in nature and ever-changing, it is important that you keep yourself updated from time to time. This could either be sharpening your current affairs, knowledge on key business and economic issues, the laws that are passed its changes and amendments etc., “As a general practitioner, you might need to hire and retain more staff, to be able to manage and track the different cases.”[4]
[1] https://legaldictionary.net/general-practice-lawyer/ [2] Pros and Cons of Being a General Practitioner - FindLaw [3] PRACTICE OF LAW - GENERAL VERSUS SPECIALIZED - Vakilsearch [4] Ibid. Refer Footnote 3.
