A defamation lawyer typically represents people who have been accused of making or publishing false statements that are malicious and damaging to another person’s reputation. On behalf of the person accused of making these statements, a defamation lawyer may be hired. He will defend the accused in such a case. However, in some defamation of character cases, a defamation lawyer will work on behalf of the plaintiff to obtain compensation. In some cases, he may even give clients advice on how to avoid making statements that could expose them to defamation lawsuits.
When a defamation lawyer represents a party accused of defamation of character, he usually works to either reach a satisfactory settlement or ensure that the defendant does not have to compensate the plaintiff in any way. If the plaintiff and defendant are unable to reach an agreement outside of court, the plaintiff will usually present evidence and persuasive arguments to help the defendant win the case. There are defenses to this type of accusation in many jurisdictions. This can usually be used as a defense if the defendant’s statements were true or presented as an opinion, for example. Similarly, a defamation lawyer may defend his client claiming that he felt obligated to provide the information.
A defamation lawyer may also represent a person whose reputation has been slandered. He could file a lawsuit on the plaintiff’s behalf and negotiate a settlement with the defendant. If the plaintiff and defendant are unable to reach an out-of-court settlement, the defamation attorney will gather the evidence necessary to prove the plaintiff’s case in court. In most cases, his arguments and evidence will have to show not only that the defendant made false, malicious statements, but also that these statements caused harm to the plaintiff. For example, he might try to show that the plaintiff lost business clients as a result of the defamation.
A defamation lawyer may occasionally offer his clients advice on defamation law and how to avoid lawsuits. If a person is writing a book about another party, for example, a lawyer can advise him on whether his statements are defamatory. He could give such advice to individuals or work as a legal advisor for businesses and organizations.