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What is a Civil Litigation Lawyer?

Dena Standley | May 25, 2023

Dena Standley
Legal Expert, Paralegal
Dena Standley, BA

Dena Standley is a seasoned paralegal with more than 20 years of experience in legal research and writing, having received a certification as a Legal Assistant/Paralegal from Southern Technical College.

Edited by Hannah Locklear

Hannah Locklear
Editor at SoloSuit
Hannah Locklear, BA

Hannah Locklear is SoloSuit’s Marketing and Impact Manager. With an educational background in Linguistics, Spanish, and International Development from Brigham Young University, Hannah has also worked as a legal support specialist for several years.

Summary: United States laws distinguish between criminal offenses and other wrongdoings. Civil cases occur when two or more parties disagree on an issue. The aggrieved party goes to court to seek monetary compensation or a particular action from the defendant. An attorney representing clients in non-criminal cases is a civil litigation lawyer or a civil litigator. SoloSuit can help you represent yourself in a civil case, saving your the time, money, and stress of finding a civil lawyer.

Which lawyer should you consult for the legal matter you are experiencing? That is the first question you must ask yourself because different lawyers handle specific lawsuits. For example, you would not hire an attorney specializing in domestic crimes to represent you in a debt collection lawsuit. Instead, a civil litigation lawyer would be the ideal choice.

However, civil litigation lawyers specialize further by dealing with specific laws for a particular offense. For instance, you will likely build a solid slip-and-fall case if you hire a personal injury attorney rather than a probate attorney.

Let's see what a litigation lawyer does, the type of cases they handle, and how they can help you.

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What does a civil litigation lawyer do?

Civil litigation lawyers, sometimes called litigators, prosecute or defend lawsuits to resolve disputes between two or more parties. In civil litigation, one or both parties seek monetary compensation or want a particular action addressed.

Let’s take a look at an example how a civil lawyer works

Example: Mona defaults on her credit card account. The credit card company decides to sue her. They hire a civil litigation lawyer who files the lawsuit and serves Mona with the court papers. Mona can hire a civil litigator specializing in consumer law to advise and defend her in court, or she can represent herself by learning how to win a debt collection case. SoloSuit makes it easier to represent yourself in a debt collection lawsuit—and win!


Unlike criminal lawyers who represent clients in offenses against society, civil litigation lawyers focus on breaches of contracts, business disagreements, and family law, among others. They can represent individuals, companies, or other entities in a civil dispute.

In what areas of practice do civil litigation lawyers specialize?

Civil litigation lawyers handle a variety of cases. They specialize in one or more of the following:

  • Family law
  • Personal injury law
  • Probate
  • Environment law
  • Landlord and tenant law
  • Corporate law
  • Business and finance law
  • Employment law
  • Real estate law

It's essential to seek a skilled attorney specializing in your legal issue to increase your chances of receiving a favorable outcome.

Civil litigation lawyers provide a variety of legal services

People hire litigation lawyers for their expertise. Some of the services civil litigators provide include the following:

  • Staying up-to-date with current laws and rulings: Clients depend on civil litigation lawyers to advise them on their rights and use current laws for the best possible outcome. For civil lawyers to be competent, they must stay current on changes in legislation and pertinent regulations.

  • Communicating with and on behalf of clients: When you hire a civil litigation lawyer, they handle most or all communication with the other party, the court, and witnesses. They will also update you on the lawsuit's progress and answer your questions.

  • Drafting legal documents: Court documents must follow a legal format. For example, in answering a court Summons, you should not just take a piece of notebook paper, scribble your story in paragraph form, and submit it. Civil litigation lawyers understand what each document should look like. They help their clients draft legally proper paperwork.

  • Settlement negotiations: Clients who want to settle disputes out of court can hire lawyers to represent them in the negotiations.

  • Gathering evidence: The discovery stage of the lawsuit may involve interviewing witnesses, experts, and even the client. Litigators take this step seriously if they are to build a strong case.

  • Arguing the client's case in court: It is their job to argue your case before the judge or jury. They attend hearings, present the evidence they gathered, cross-examine witnesses, and file motions on your behalf.

The skill and knowledge required to win a civil court case lead many people to hire a lawyer who is well-versed in the law. It also saves time because you must keep up with work and other family obligations.

That being said, hiring an attorney can be expensive and may even cost more than the claim against you. Luckily, services like SoloSuit can empower you to represent yourself in court—and win!

Represent yourself in a civil lawsuit

The high cost of hiring lawyers can make it hard to find legal representation, especially for civil cases with a small monetary claim. In these cases, it might be in your best interest to represent yourself.

For example, if a debt collector sues you and you cannot hire a lawyer, SoloSuit can help you draft and file an Answer to your debt lawsuit. Our software helps you personalize your Answer document to your case, and using SoloSuit can increase your chances of winning by 7x.

Watch the following video to learn how to sound like a lawyer in your debt lawsuit:

Do you need a civil litigation lawyer?

Ultimately, it’s your choice to hire a civil lawyer or not.

People hire civil litigation lawyers to save time and get advice on the best course of action. In addition, some complex legalities may mean you cannot represent yourself efficiently in court, even if you want to. An experienced attorney is also better placed to handle high-value lawsuits that involve large amounts of money.

Civil litigation lawyers help everyday clients maneuver the legal system. They gather evidence, tackle paperwork and communication, negotiate settlements, and represent clients in court. These lawyers may not attract the attention (and drama) criminal lawyers do, but they serve a significant role in the legal system.

Is hiring an attorney out of your budget? Be your own lawyer with the help of SoloSuit.

What is Solo?

Solo makes it easy to resolve debt with debt collectors.

You can use SoloSuit to respond to a debt lawsuit, to send letters to collectors, and even to settle a debt. SoloSuit's Answer service is a step-by-step web-app that asks you all the necessary questions to complete your Answer. Upon completion, we'll have an attorney review your document and we'll file it for you.

SoloSettle can help you contact your debt collector or creditor and negotiate the debt to settle for less, all online. It simplifies and streamlines the process to settling your debt.

No matter where you find yourself in the debt collection process, Solo is here to help you resolve your debt.

>>Read the FastCompany article: Debt Lawsuits Are Complicated: This Website Makes Them Simpler To Navigate

>>Read the NPR story on SoloSuit. (We can help you in all 50 states.)

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