Karen Dawson

Barriseter

Legal advice is the application of abstract principles of law to the concrete facts of the client’s case in order to advise the client about what they should do next. In many countries, only a properly licensed lawyer may provide legal advice to clients for good consideration, even if no lawsuit is contemplated or is in progress. Therefore, even conveyancers and corporate in-house counsel must first get a license to practice, though they may actually spend very little of their careers in court. Failure to obey such a rule is the crime of unauthorized practice of law.

In other countries, jurists who hold law degrees are allowed to provide legal advice to individuals or to corporations, and it is irrelevant if they lack a license and cannot appear in court. Some countries go further; in England and Wales, there is no general prohibition on the giving of legal advice. Sometimes civil law notaries are allowed to give legal advice, as in Belgium. In many countries, non-jurist accountants may provide what is technically legal advice in tax and accounting matters.

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Working as a lawyer involves practical application of abstract legal theories and knowledge to solve specific individualized problems.

Practice Areas

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Food Law, Practice Areas
Ingredients

Classification, regulatory options & routes to Turkish Market
Borderline issues
Authorisation
Biotech

Food Law, Practice Areas
Food Contact Materials

In-House training materials for compliance
Specific measures for substances and materials
Requirements on declaration of compliance
Traceability & Labelling

Food Law, Practice Areas
Food Law Compliance and Crises Management

Directors’ liability
Rights and obligations within the supply chain
In- house training materials
Public relations
Post crises issues

Food Law, Practice Areas
M&A Transactions

Food product liability due diligence
Licensing and regulatory compliance matters
Crossover issues such as medicinal products and chemicals regulation