Best Berkeley Discrimination Attorneys

Discrimination in the United States can arise in many settings and involve a wide range of issues, including:

• Workplace discrimination/employment law/employment discrimination
• Failure to make reasonable accommodations
• Failure to grant medical leave or recognize a medical condition
• Wrongful termination and layoffs
• Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) hearings and investigations
• Hostile work environment and hostile co-workers
• Civil rights violations (related to Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964)
• Equal pay issues
• Racial discrimination/race discrimination
• Disability discrimination (in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act), including situations related to mental disability
• Pregnancy discrimination
• Housing discrimination (including violations of the Fair Employment and Housing Act)
• Lending discrimination
• Education discrimination

Use FindLaw's attorney directory to find a local discrimination lawyer to ensure you are treated equally and that you receive the protection you are granted by anti-discrimination laws.

Consider the following when speaking with an employee rights lawyer, employment discrimination lawyer or attorneys who handle other forms of discrimination cases:

Comfort Level

- Are you comfortable telling the lawyer personal information? Does the lawyer seem interested in solving your problem?

Credentials

- How long has the lawyer been in practice? Has the lawyer worked on other discrimination claims similar to yours?

Cost

- Does the law firm offer a free consultation? How are the lawyer's fees structured - hourly or flat fee? Can the lawyer estimate the cost of your case?

City

- Are their law offices conveniently located?

Many people who need to find a lawyer in California have never hired a lawyer before. Talking to a lawyer may be a new experience and you might want some help getting started. Here are some questions you may want to ask a lawyer before deciding who to hire.

• What is your main practice area?
• How many years of experience do you have in California with cases like mine?
• How often do you take cases to trial or settle them out of court?
• Can I take my case through mediation or arbitration?
• Do you offer a free consultation?
• What are your fees and costs?
• Will you be the attorney primarily handling my case?
• How will I be kept up-to-date about my case?

In order to practice law in California, attorneys have to both pass the California bar exam and be admitted by the State Bar of California. Most attorneys in California graduate from an accredited law school but some lawyers are admitted through on-the-job experience for a minimum of 4 years and through passing an additional legal exam. After a lawyer is admitted to law practice in California, they can practice in almost any area of law.

Lawyers in California are held to strict ethical guidelines known as the Rules of Professional Conduct. Attorneys may have duties and limitations in:

• Attorney-client confidentiality
• Duty of client advocacy
• Conflicts of interest
• Duty of candor
• Limitations in soliciting clients
• Restrictions on handling a client's money

Many people avoid calling a lawyer because they are worried it will be too expensive. In many cases, a lawyer can end up saving the client money. This includes getting an increased award, recovering additional damages, avoiding financial problems in the future, and avoiding future disputes and litigation. Some legal areas even allow the lawyer to recover legal fees from the party at fault.