Civil Litigation: A Special Type of Legal Practice

1. Civil Litigation: A Special Type of
Legal Practice
By Douglas Borthwick, J.D.

2. ● Civil litigation is a specific type of dispute
procedure between two or more parties that
seeks monetary compensation, rather than
criminal justice.
● Typical areas of civil litigation that many
people will find themselves involved in at
some point include landlord/tenant disputes,
intellectual property disputes, worker's
compensation claims, and breach of contract
disputes.

3. ● Civil litigation also includes most areas of
environmental law, personal injury litigation,
medical malpractice suits, and other
proceedings where a party or parties is
seeking an action or a sum of money from
another party as recompense, rather than
pressing criminal charges.
● Civil litigation is a very broad area of legal
practice, and often a lawyer will further
specialize in the area, choosing to represent
clients in certain types of civil cases rather
than every type.

4. ● Because civil litigation always pits parties
against each other head-on, attorneys who
practice civil litigation must thrive on debate
and be unafraid of controversy and conflict.
● It is important that they love the work they do,
as they often end up working long hours while
representing their clients, and lawsuits
sometimes last for years before a resolution is
achieved.

5. ● A good civil litigation lawyer will exhibit a
strong knowledge of relevant areas of the law,
be a concise communicator and a captivating
public speaker, and be a “people person” with
excellent interpersonal skills and a knack for
negotiation.
● Lawyers with these skills have the best
chance of winning the cases they represent in
civil court.

6. ● About the author: Doug Borthwick, J.D., is a
civil litigation lawyer, and the owner and
President of his own firm, the Law Offices of
Freeman and Borthwick. He has extensive
experience representing both corporate and
individual clients in California civil court.
● This site is designed for general information
only. The information presented should not be
construed to be formal legal advice nor the
formation of a lawyer/client relationship.

7. ● About the author: Doug Borthwick, J.D., is a
civil litigation lawyer, and the owner and
President of his own firm, the Law Offices of
Freeman and Borthwick. He has extensive
experience representing both corporate and
individual clients in California civil court.
● This site is designed for general information
only. The information presented should not be
construed to be formal legal advice nor the
formation of a lawyer/client relationship.