What Does a Civil Rights Lawyer Do?

When your civil rights have been violated, you can benefit greatly from hiring a skilled attorney to represent your interests. Civil rights lawyers are dedicated to protecting your rights and recovering damages on your behalf.

A civil rights attorney works to get you the damages you deserve when your rights have been violated. They thoroughly investigate your claim in order to build a strong case against a defendant. Your attorney should offer support and guidance throughout a lawsuit, regardless of how long it takes. If an individual or an institution has discriminated against you or otherwise violated your rights, you may have the right to sue. A skilled civil rights lawyer can help you file a lawsuit and recover sufficient compensatory damages as quickly as possible.

The Law Office of Andrew Shubin is dedicated to protecting your rights. Our team will work to hold a defendant accountable for infringing upon your civil rights. Call the civil rights lawyers at The Law Office of Andrew Shubin today for a free case evaluation at (814) 826-3586.

The Job of a Civil Rights Attorney

A civil rights attorney’s sole job is to stand up for your rights and fight for your interests. They’re skilled individuals dedicated to helping you maintain the civil rights that you’re entitled to. After you hire a civil rights attorney, they will investigate your claim, build a case, and try it in your best interests. These professionals will also negotiate settlements and offer support throughout a lawsuit.

Investigating a Case

If your civil rights are violated in any way, an experienced attorney can investigate your claim. For example, suppose you allege that an employer discriminated against you based on your gender. In that case, your civil rights attorney may investigate your claim by looking into communications between you and your employer. They may also interview witnesses to harassment or any instances of discrimination that infringed upon your civil rights.

During the investigation state, a civil rights attorney, like those at The Law Office of Andrew Shubin, will compile evidence of discrimination. When you experience an infringement on your civil rights, maintain any documentation that validates your claim. This can be very helpful to your case should you intend to sue a defendant for violating your civil rights.

Building a Case

A massive portion of a civil rights attorney’s job is to build a case. During this stage, your attorney and their team will compile the evidence they’ve gathered and order it properly to help your claim against a defendant. As your civil rights attorney builds your case, they will research legal precedents that support your allegations against a defendant. This can be a lengthy process since your civil rights attorney’s goal is to eventually present a strong case against a defendant in a civil lawsuit.

Going to Trial

A significant part of a civil rights attorney’s job is to try your case. Depending on several factors, your civil rights lawsuit can go to trial, or you and a defendant may decide to settle. Nevertheless, your attorney should prepare a strong case against a defendant. If your attorney does, a defendant may be more inclined to settle, which can shorten the process and help you receive compensatory damages sooner.

Negotiating a Settlement

If your legal team and a defendant’s counsel agree to settle a civil rights lawsuit, your attorney will negotiate terms on your behalf. This is yet another reason why hiring a skilled civil rights attorney, like those at The Law Office of Andrew Shubin, is so important. Practiced civil rights attorneys have experience negotiating settlement amounts that their clients will be happy with. Negotiating a settlement is an essential aspect of a civil rights attorney’s job, as cases don’t always go to trial.

Supporting You

If your civil rights were infringed upon by an employer, stranger, or neighbor, you might feel violated. It’s a civil rights attorney’s job to support their clients throughout a lawsuit. The right attorney should keep you updated on important happenings and explain why you’re entitled to compensation. If you don’t feel comfortable with your civil rights attorney, they aren’t doing their job well.

When Do You Need a Civil Rights Attorney?

Hiring a civil rights attorney is important if you feel your rights have been violated. An attorney can inform you of various civil rights violations and explain the best path to compensation. Without a civil rights attorney, you may be unable to recover sufficient damages on your own.

Civil rights attorneys, like those at The Law Office of Andrew Shubin, are skilled and experienced individuals with a history of trying similar cases. These attorneys are learned in civil rights laws and are passionate about standing up for your rights. Civil rights attorneys can thoroughly investigate your claims and work hard to build a solid case against a defendant.

If you feel like your civil rights were violated, speaking with an attorney is wise. Explaining your experience to a lawyer can validate your feelings and help you understand how to file a lawsuit.

Don’t wait to file a civil rights lawsuit. Laws surrounding filing guidelines can change from state to state, so having an attorney file your case properly is important. You may also have to pursue your case through agencies first before you can go to court. Your civil rights attorney can guide you through this process.

What Should You Do Before You Hire a Civil Rights Attorney?

Before you hire a civil rights attorney, you should do a few things. First, collect evidence. Having documentation of an infringement upon your rights, like emails, photos, etc., can help your attorney build a successful case against a defendant. Speak up about the wrongs done to you, too. When it’s time to hire an attorney, find one that you feel will represent your interests well.

When you experience a violation of your rights, take note of it. Keep records of inappropriate emails or other correspondence that supports your claim. If discrimination happens in the workplace, report it to the necessary channels. You can speak to colleagues or peers about your experience as well. Having a record trail that shows clear discrimination can help once you hire a civil rights attorney.

Don’t settle for less than you deserve when you’re ready to hire a civil rights attorney. Choose a legal team that makes you feel comfortable and validated and is dedicated to helping you recover damages. For example, the civil rights attorneys at The Law Office of Andrew Shubin are passionate about helping victims get the damages they’re entitled to. Civil rights lawsuits call for experienced attorneys who genuinely care about their clients.

Once you hire an attorney, and if you choose to file a lawsuit, take note of any further discrimination from the defendant. Any attempts to harass or intimidate you because you are filing a claim could constitute additional civil rights violations under rules about retaliation.

Types of Civil Rights Violations

Civil rights violations can take many forms, and they aren’t always clear. Learning different types of civil rights violations can make you feel confident in your belief that another person or institution has infringed upon your civil rights.

Here is a list of some common civil rights violations:

• Discrimination based on gender
• Sexual harassment or abuse
• Discrimination based on race
• Discrimination based on religion
• Unreasonable searches and seizures
• Police brutality
• Employment discrimination
• Education discrimination
• Housing discrimination
• Retaliation for a civil rights claim

An institution or an individual can be held responsible for violating your civil rights. For example, if you believe you were subject to an unreasonable search by police officers, your civil rights may have been violated. If you were harassed or unfairly treated by your employer because of your gender, you might be entitled to file a civil rights lawsuit. Schools and universities can also be held liable for violating your civil rights by mistreating you based on race or religion. Some states even have laws that consider sexual assault or harassment a violation of your civil rights.

People in positions of power, like employers, may mistreat workers and violate their civil rights. It does not matter whether or not your rights were violated because of neglect or intent. What matters is that it happened to you, and you deserve damages because of that.

What Types of Civil Rights Violations Can You File a Lawsuit For?

If you are a victim of a civil rights violation, you can file a lawsuit. That means that if you experienced any of the violations above, you could be entitled to sue a defendant. Don’t let an employer or institution frighten you into staying quiet; you deserve compensation for the wrongs done to you.

You may be able to file a lawsuit for any civil rights violation. There’s no need to figure out which of your specific rights were violated before you consult with an attorney. Your attorney will assess your situation and apply the correct response.

For example, say you believe you were fired because you took maternity leave. That’s considered sex-based discrimination, and you could be entitled to file a lawsuit to seek justice against an employer. Or, for instance, say you believe you were denied entry into a university based on your sexual orientation. In that case, you may be able to sue for infringement upon your civil rights.

There are many types of civil rights violations, and a lawsuit may be your best option to get compensation. In some cases, you might be required to file a claim through various government agencies first. Your attorney can guide you through this process.

There are also instances where you cannot file a lawsuit. For example, the right to freedom of speech and assembly only applies on public property. You could still face legal consequences for trespassing on private property during a protest. A civil rights attorney can help you determine whether your rights were violated in complex situations like this.

How Long Do Civil Rights Lawsuits Take?

Your civil rights case may take several years to complete depending on your situation. Not all cases go to trial. Sometimes you have to file through agencies first, going through hearings and negotiations with the agency before you can even bring a claim against the parties who violated your rights. Sometimes a defendant and a plaintiff may agree to enter into settlement negotiations, speeding up the process. Regardless of your case’s path, it can take several months or even years for a case to finalize.

Civil rights cases tend to take long because defendants rarely want to admit fault. If a company or institution is responsible for a civil rights violation, it can garner bad attention from the media. Because of this, a defendant’s legal counsel may fight against heading into trial and prolong settlement negotiations.

This is yet another reason why having an experienced civil rights attorney is helpful. Skilled civil rights lawyers, like the team at The Law Office of Andrew Shubin, have the stamina and dedication to continue representing your interests, no matter how long it takes. Whether your civil rights lawsuit takes one month or one year, your passionate attorney can stay vigilant, fighting for your interests the entire time.

What Is the Average Settlement in a Civil Rights Case?

Many factors go into settling a civil rights case. If your case does not go to trial, your lawyer must negotiate on your behalf for the proper settlement amount. Because there is such a wide variety of civil rights lawsuits, there is no one average for settlement amounts.

That being said, your lawyer will fight to get you the settlement amount you deserve. Usually, settlement amounts will reflect the degree of the violation and the available evidence. If a defendant doesn’t believe they will win if the case goes to trial, they may be more willing to settle at a higher amount. Because of this, your civil rights attorney must spend time thoroughly investigating and building your case. All of the work done beforehand can help you recover greater compensatory damages.

If you were wrongfully terminated, perhaps your civil rights attorney will factor any wages you have lost into the settlement amount. However, it is difficult to quantify a settlement for a civil rights lawsuit in some cases. Emotional damages are hard to place a number on. Your civil rights attorney will attempt to recover significant damages on your behalf to help you heal and move forward after a civil rights violation.

Our Lawyers Can Help You File a Civil Rights Lawsuit Today

If you believe your civil rights have been violated, don’t hesitate to reach out to an attorney to learn your options. Call the civil rights lawyers at The Law Office of Andrew Shubin today at (814) 826-3586.