Which lawyer wins most cases?
Gerry Spence
2009 Inductee
Spence Law Firm
Gerry Spence is widely considered one of the most successful trial and criminal attorneys in America. He has never once lost a criminal case — either as a prosecutor or a defense attorney — and he hasn’t lost a civil case since 1969. Spence is the founder of the nationally acclaimed Trial Lawyers College which established a revolutionary method for training lawyers for the people. He served as a legal consultant for NBC during the O.J. Simpson trial, and eventually went on to host a talk show on MSNBC for a short time. He has appeared on some of the largest talk shows in television history, including The Oprah Winfrey Show, Larry King Live, and Geraldo. Among his most famous cases are his success in suing McDonald’s for $53 million for breach of contract and winning $33 million for a client in an insurance bad faith trial. Spence has authored 16 books during his career.
“I would rather have a mind opened by wonder than one closed by belief.”
The Spence Law Firm, LLC
430 W. Main Street, Dothan, AL 36301
© 2017 Trial Lawyer Hall of Fame
What does PC stand for in law?
A professional corporation (abbreviated as PC), also known as a professional service corporation (abbreviated as PSC), is a type of corporation established by state statute that permits owners of certain licensed professions, such as attorneys, architects, engineers, accountants, and dentists, to own shares in a corporation organized to render services in that profession. An owner of a professional corporation remains liable for their own negligence or malpractice, but will not be personally liable for the negligence or malpractice of other owners. Professional corporations are commonly identified by adding “PC” or “P.C.” to the end of their name.
[Last updated in April of 2022 by the Wex Definitions Team]
What is the most common lawyer?
When you become a lawyer, one of the first decisions you’ll have to make is which area of law you want to focus on. There are dozens of practice areas you can pick from, and each comes with its own particular advantages and disadvantages. Your choice will depend on your interests and what you want your career to look like.
Below, we’ll discuss some of the most common types of lawyers and practice areas.
- Personal injury attorneys: help accident victims get the compensation they’re owed for their pain and suffering. They can work on a wide variety of personal injury cases, including car accidents, medical malpractice, wrongful death, and more. They negotiate with insurance companies for a fair settlement and take them to court if that’s what it takes to get the money their client deserves.
- Estate planning lawyers: help clients arrange how their assets will get passed on after their death. They can help clients create a will or set up a trust and ensure that their final wishes are realized once they’re gone. They can even help clients decide how to divide their assets and arrange for donations and other special circumstances.
- Bankruptcy lawyers: guide clients through the process of declaring bankruptcy. These lawyers advise clients on whether they’re eligible for bankruptcy and whether it’s the best choice for them. If they decide that bankruptcy is the best option, a bankruptcy lawyer can help them choose which type of bankruptcy is right for them.
- Intellectual property lawyers: help their clients protect their rights to the intellectual property they create. For instance, if you come up with a new product or design that you need to copyright or trademark, they can guide you through that process. They can also help clients file lawsuits if someone else tries to steal their intellectual property.
- Employment lawyers: mediate the employer-employee relationship and clarify any issues that may arise. In some cases, they work with employers who are having problems with an employee. In others, they represent employees who have received unfair treatment at the hands of their employer. They interpret the terms of the employment contract and advise each party on the best way to proceed.
- Corporate lawyers: focus less on employee-specific challenges and more on incorporation issues. They can help business owners decide if incorporation is the best choice for them and help them navigate that process. They can also help businesses manage compliance issues and organize their governance structure.
- Immigration lawyers: guide clients through the complex process of immigrating to another country. They can assist with visa applications, citizenship applications, asylum petitions, and more. These lawyers also protect immigrants against exploitative work situations and other such risks.
- Criminal lawyers: deal with people accused of crimes and can work on either side of the law. Some criminal lawyers work as prosecutors, building a case against the accused party. Others defend accused individuals.
What is the best website to find lawyers?
Google is the best place to get potential clients because it helps people find almost any service professional. But when it comes to finding a legal professional, people look in more places than just relying on Google because a lot is at stake. They turn to established legal websites known for having reputable lawyers with high credibility. In this article, we’ll discuss all the trusted websites that your prospects go to when looking for exceptional attorneys and law firms.
Let’s start by understanding good reviews can be a game changer for you. See, even if your prospects receive a word-of-mouth referral for you, they’re likely to check you out online to see what your clients are saying about you. But they’re not just looking for any law firm reviews—they want to see the positive ones, preferably in significant numbers. Attorney at Work conducted a survey and 30% of participating law firms stated that client reviews are extremely important for them. The more reviews you have, the more experienced you appear, and the stronger your reputation becomes. As a result, your prospects are more likely to contact you.
But at the same time, negative reviews can harm your business reputation. For instance, a negative review from an angry client may push a good lead away. Addressing it proactively while demonstrating your perspective can keep your prospects from dismissing your legal services based on such reviews. If we talk about Google reviews, anyone can leave a review on your GMB profile. And just so you know, sometimes, negative reviews may even be posted intentionally to damage your law firm’s reputation. Focusing on reputation management along with actively obtaining reviews can help.
To get reviews from your prospects, build a review and rating system into your workflow. It can be as simple as asking for a review during the offboarding process or as soon as you finalize the documents. But it may not be enough because people might forget or may not prioritize it due to their busy schedules. So, your job here is to follow up with them and make it easier for them to leave a good review so you can get maximum value out of it.
So, first, set up automatic reminders like sending an email to your satisfied clients one week after you finish working with them to leave a review if they haven’t. This way, you don’t have to remember to ask them yourself. As a part of your review collection process, explain to your clients what a good review looks like and give them a short list of questions to answer in their review. This makes it simpler for them because they don’t have to write a review from scratch. Also, give them a direct link to leave a review. This should be super easy – just one click. You can send them this link by email or with a QR code they can scan.
Here’s a list of all the legal websites that you can use to get online reviews from your clients and attract some leads as well. Avvo is a highly regarded lawyer directory that people use to find good attorneys.
What is a lawyer’s GP?
Students who plan to become general practitioners may benefit from taking courses in these subjects:
- Practical experience through summer clerkships or part-time work
- Serving as prosecutors or defense lawyers in the university’s Traffic Court
- Participating in moot court and mock trial competitions
- Getting involved in student organizations
Students pursuing a career as a general practitioner learn from a faculty with diverse scholarship interests and professional backgrounds.
For questions about how to develop your course plan, contact Melanie Daily, clinical associate professor, at [email protected].
Full faculty list