Wednesday, June 16, 2010

What you can expect from a commercial property solicitor

A very popular and interesting path for a trainee solicitor would be to consider a Commercial Property Solicitor job. This is a rapid moving and dynamic field and although the current climate following the credit crisis has led to a general decline in the commercial property sector, there are still opportunities left for commercial property solicitors. Those working as commercial property solicitors can advise on transactions and act for a range of clients, including investors and developers, landowners and local authorities. You might work in-house for large property developers or companies with a large land holding, or more commonly within private practice.

Transactions can involve everything from offices and homes to retail developments and industrial units.

In general, the legal issues dealt with by a conveyancing solicitor include acquisitions and disposals of commercial property, landlord and tenant issues, leases, sales, development agreements, planning applications for insolvency and liability issues arising from environmental law. The work involves new ways of transacting, through financing and development or co-investment. In the years before the bust, there was a marked increase in workload in provincial practices fuelled by the development sector. In a growing and upward moving property market, the work of many developers can be plentiful - but it tends to be limited in time and sometimes stressful.

Those who have a career as a commercial property solicitor could fall very roughly into two camps, business winners and technicians.It is the second set that commands a higher salary, and for this particular type of solicitor, the solicitor needs to be highly focused, and work towards obtaining the business goals of its clients. To be a successful business winning Commercial Property solicitor, customer wining and dining plays a big role, so shrinking violets may be wise to avoid the demanding role of marketing activities. Hours can be long, so aspiring solicitors may consider back-office or support roles, where the work-life balance tends to be more reasonable. In general, the commercial property sector remains busy and junior solicitors can enjoy more autonomy at an earlier stage of their career compared to other areas.

There are other related areas such as planning and construction. Although in the past, these disciplines have been covered by a commercial property division, they now regarded as separate areas. Those who take part in the work of a construction solicitor often fall into those of real estate, specializing in non contentious work, and commercial litigation specializing in construction litigation disputes. Although solicitors can work in both fields, generally they will focus on one or the other. Those working in contentious practice are often ideally suited to play the role of mediator, and most construction contracts have this form of dispute resolution built in. Planning law can be complex and demanding and applications for a large development can often take many years. House solicitor usually work in private practice or in local government. Planning legislation and government guidelines are constantly evolving and the ability to stay one step ahead is an important contribution to success in this field.

Saturday, June 12, 2010

Asbestos and Mesothelioma Lawyers



An Asbestos claims lawyer can help you to win compensation if you have contracted diseases caused by asbestos exposure in the workplace. Some of the most common life threatening diseases that you can develop due to asbestos include mesothelioma, lung cancer, asbestosis and pleural thickening. These diseases develop gradually and are usually only diagnosed after decades have passed since the patient was first exposed to asbestos. Of all the conditions related to asbestos, mesothelioma is considered to be the most devastating disease. A malignant tumor, mesothelioma attacks the thin membrane lining surrounding the lungs, and in less frequent cases, the abdominal cavity. It invariably results in death.



Asbestos claim lawyers represent clients who were exposed to asbestos whilst working at or attending schools, in steel mills, shipyards, and other places. The family members of those workers may also become a victim of Mesothelioma

or other asbestos-related conditions due to household exposure caused by contaminated clothing, which had asbestos fibres trapped within its layers after having been worn in the workplace. Since the disease usually only emerges after a few decades, cases of mesothelioma are often very complex. It therefore becomes necessary to find a good lawyer specializing in claims arising from asbestos-related conditions.



A major challenge that asbestos claims lawyers face in the proceedings is the asbestos product identification by name and manufacturer of asbestos products that caused, for example, mesothelioma. Due to the passage of time, victims may forget having dealt with asbestos containing materials. Further, the parties responsible for providing employers’ liability insurance to the employer responsible (this would often be the party that reimburses the victim) may have been long since forgotten. Victims have often lost contact with their previous colleagues, who may be useful in providing evidence of the degree of asbestos exposure that occurred in a particular workplace. To make this information easier to identify, lawyers often keep a database of asbestos containing materials in addition to a list of previous employees of major industrial companies and a record of known employers’ liability insurance providers.



In England & Wales, a victim can file an Asbestosis claim within three years of the date on which they first discovered the asbestos-related disease and identity of the proposed defendant. In other words, lawyers can file a claim for asbestos from the date of diagnosis of mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases. Asbestos claim lawyers may also represent the widows and dependents of workers who have died of mesothelioma to pursue a solution or settlement. These claims are also subject to limitation provisions, which typically run for three years from the date of

asbestos-related death.



Most asbestos and Mesothelioma Lawyers

will try to work on a no win no fee basis. Before choosing a mesothelioma lawyer, it is important to confirm that he / she has experience in solving such cases. It is also necessary to ask questions like how often the lawyer will update you on the progress of litigation and what other options you have. A good lawyer will recognize that time is of the essence in Mesothelioma Compensation claims and strive for early conclusion of the claim if desired by the client, such as by settling with the other side long before the dispute would be resolved through the courts. At any time, you can always change your lawyer if you are dissatisfied with their services or there is a lack of progress.


Thursday, June 3, 2010

Get Start Learning About Commercial Property Lawyer

If you are interested in becoming a London lawyer specializing in commercial property, the following article explains everything you need to know. Perhaps you have had work experience in a law firm or have experienced buying and selling real estate before, and it is an area that interests you.

What does a commercial property solicitor do?

For a lawyer specializing in commercial property, work mostly involves the sale, purchase and lease of property like lease shops for use as commercial premises. This includes offices, industrial units, units of retail and production facilities. Their role is to examine the legal issues surrounding such real estate. Specifically, they focus on matters such as rules of land registration, rent, property licenses and deeds.

What attributes do commercial

property solicitors have?Due to the nature of legal work, commercial real estate solicitors London must be able to cope under pressure and must be able to meet demanding deadlines. They must be commercially aware and able to handle large volumes of data quickly, which requires strong analytical skills. They work in teams, which means good communication and interpersonal skills are essential requirements. It may be that the customer needs more legal services than initially anticipated, making flexibility very important.

What are the requirements for becoming a commercial property solicitor?

Generally, candidates will be expected to have attained an Honours degree at 2:1 level or above. Those with a Foundation Degree or HND only will not usually be taken into account for direct entry to the profession, but can enter a training program through other routes such as by first qualifying as a Legal Executive. Although admission is open to graduates from all disciplines, those who do not have a law degree will need to undertake a conversion course of a year, known as the common professional examination (CPE) or Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL). It is not usually disadvantageous to the candidates to have a degree in another discipline to the law; indeed many companies appreciate the vast experience and knowledge that comes with different life choices.

After taking either a law degree or BA CPE / GDL qualification, candidates must take the one year Legal Practice Course (LPC) before starting a training contract of two years with a law firm. With strong competition for training contracts, work experience within a law firm will stand those looking to become a commercial property solicitor in good stead. If you are at university or college, you should approach as many companies as possible to achieve a placement in the academic holidays.