Legal Consultants Key Terms

Understanding legal consultant certifications and provisions

A legal consultant is someone who assists your business by providing advice for a given situation. It may be someone associated with a law firm that provides legal guidance or an on-site legal consultant as an employee of your business. Additionally, a legal consultant may be an expert in a specific field that analyzes data for court proceedings.

It's important to understand the key terms associated with the help a legal consultant provides. Additionally, if you have interest in becoming a legal consultant, you might need to understand the terms associated with obtaining certification.

 

Litigation

Litigation is another name for a lawsuit or other court proceeding in process. Usually, litigation entails the filing of a petition by one of the involved parties, detailing the dispute in writing. You may need a legal consultant to explain your rights and advise you on how to proceed.
Try: Visit Free Advice for more information on litigation.

Expert

When it comes to legal matters, an expert must have more than just experience in a field. If you intend to consult an expert for a legal matter and wish to use his or her analysis as testimony in the case, then that expert must meet certain requirements. He or she may need to have certification within a specific industry (such as a doctor having certification specializing in emergency room care) or maintain certification as a consultant.
Try: The American Academy of Pediatrics clarifies how an expert witness differs from a witness of fact in medical malpractice cases.

Discovery

Discovery is a main part of the litigation process. Usually discovery includes interrogatories (written questions that one party sends to the other), depositions (videotaped or transcribed interviews with either party or witnesses), or requests for the provision of documents associated with the case. It is the legal right of each party to ask for these things and a legal consultant will help to guide you in these requests.
Try: Find more examples of legal discovery through Nolo.

Retainer

If you consult with an attorney and decide to hire him or her to represent you, then he or she may ask for a retainer, depending on the specifics of your case. A retainer is a fixed amount of money that you pay the attorney to ensure representation. Attorneys typically bill against the retainer at an hourly rate and start sending you a bill once the retainer funds run out.
Try: The Lawyer Retainer Fees website explains this concept in much more detail.

Voir dire

Some legal consultants may assist you with certain aspects of the trial for your case, including voir dire. Voir dire, used in jury trials, is the selection of jurors by asking a series of questions of the individuals called in for jury duty. Both parties ask questions and the goal is to select individuals that give the impression they would side with you in trial. Consultants will help you to ask the right questions in order to make these determinations.
Try: The American Jury website, createded by the Constitutional Rights Foundation of Chicago, provides a run-through of the voir dire process.

CPC designation

CPC stands for certified professional consultant. Obtaining a CPC is an essential element of choosing consultation as a career path. You can specialize in any field, but businesses and individuals may be more likely to use your services if they know you have the proper training.
Try: Find out more about what obtaining a CPC entails from the International Guild of Professional Consultants and Coaches.

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