Lee R. Schroeder is an Ohio licensed attorney with Schroeder Law LLC in Ottawa. He limits his practice to business, real estate, estate planning and agriculture issues in northwest Ohio. He can be reached at lee@leeschroeder.com or at (419) 523-5523. This article is not intended to serve as legal advice, and specific advice should be sought from the licensed attorney of your choice based upon the specific facts and circumstances that you face.
It takes specific qualifications for an attorney to be referred to as a “specialist” in a field of law. Many may have more experience in one field or realm than others, but reaching “specialist” status is a technical designation and requires a few steps. There may not even be a specialist certification for specific types of law in certain states. Attorneys in general are trained in all areas of the law and are able to practice in a wide variety of contexts, but may have more education or experience in certain topics.
In most professions, there are specialties. For example, some doctors focus on pediatrics or cancer. Similarly, construction contractors may be plumbers, drywallers or masons.
My clients know that I seldom go to court and I never defend people accused of crimes. Instead, my practice is generally limited to business, real estate, estate planning and estate administration. Usually, my clients are farmers or small business owners, and almost all of my clients are rural folks. Thus, I have a lot of personal and professional experience in agriculture. Additionally, I actively participate in and support the agriculture industry, including speaking at an Ohio State University Women in Agriculture series meeting this week. However, I am not an “expert” or “specialist” in agriculture law.
Read more about specialization and attorneys in Lee’s article in the Lima News, “Attorneys who specialize or limit their practice areas,”
Source: LimaOhio.com, Attorneys who specialize or limit their practice areas,” by Lee R. Schroeder, November 17, 2016