Legal glossary for comparing legal options.

Attorney-client relationship

A formal professional relationship where a lawyer agrees to represent or advise a client on a legal matter.

Contingency fee

A fee arrangement where a lawyer is paid a percentage of a recovery, often used in injury or certain claimant-side cases.

Retainer

Money paid upfront or an agreement that secures legal services under defined terms.

Flat fee

A fixed legal fee for a defined service, document, filing, or representation scope.

Hourly rate

A billing model where legal work is charged by time spent.

Statute of limitations

A deadline for starting a legal claim or court action. Missing it can prevent recovery or enforcement.

Demand letter

A written request asking another party to pay, stop conduct, perform an obligation, or resolve a dispute before escalation.

Cease and desist letter

A letter demanding that someone stop alleged harmful, infringing, defamatory, or unlawful conduct.

Defamation

A false statement presented as fact that harms a person or business reputation, subject to jurisdiction-specific rules.

Libel

Written or published defamation, including online posts, articles, reviews, or other fixed statements.

Slander

Spoken defamation, subject to proof and damage rules that vary by jurisdiction.

False review

A review that may be fake, misleading, conflict-driven, competitor-posted, or not based on a genuine customer experience.

Takedown request

A request sent to a platform, host, search engine, or publisher asking for content to be removed or deindexed.

DMCA notice

A copyright takedown notice used to report allegedly infringing online content under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act.

Trademark

A brand identifier such as a name, logo, slogan, or symbol used to distinguish goods or services.

Copyright

Legal protection for original creative works such as writing, images, music, software, video, and art.

Patent

Legal protection for certain inventions, processes, designs, or plant varieties, subject to strict filing and examination rules.

NDA

A non-disclosure agreement that restricts sharing or use of confidential information.

Non-compete agreement

A contract term restricting work with competitors or in a market after employment or business separation.

Non-solicitation agreement

A clause restricting solicitation of customers, employees, vendors, or business contacts.

Severance agreement

A contract offered at separation from employment, often involving pay, release of claims, confidentiality, or restrictions.

Wrongful termination

A termination that may violate employment laws, contracts, public policy, discrimination rules, or retaliation protections.

Workplace discrimination

Unlawful adverse treatment based on protected characteristics, subject to specific local and federal rules.

Harassment

Workplace conduct that may be unlawful when based on protected characteristics and severe or pervasive enough under applicable law.

Unpaid wages

Wages, overtime, commissions, final pay, or benefits allegedly owed but not paid according to wage laws or agreements.

LLC

A limited liability company, a business entity often used to separate business obligations from owner personal assets.

Operating agreement

An LLC governance document covering ownership, management, voting, profit splits, exits, and disputes.

Registered agent

A person or service designated to receive legal and official documents for a business entity.

Articles of organization

Formation documents filed with a state to create an LLC.

EIN

An Employer Identification Number used by businesses for tax, banking, payroll, and reporting purposes.

Business license

A permit or approval required to operate certain businesses in specific locations or industries.

Contract review

The process of checking a contract for obligations, risks, missing terms, unfair clauses, and negotiation points before signing.

Indemnity clause

A contract term shifting responsibility for losses, claims, damages, or legal costs between parties.

Limitation of liability

A clause limiting the amount or type of damages one party may owe.

Breach of contract

Failure to perform a contract obligation without legal excuse.

Independent contractor agreement

A contract defining work scope, payment, IP ownership, confidentiality, taxes, and contractor status.

Power of attorney

A document authorising someone to act for another person in financial, legal, healthcare, or other matters.

Last will

A document directing how property should be distributed and who should handle an estate after death.

Living trust

A trust created during life to hold or manage assets, often used in estate planning.

Probate

The court-supervised process for administering a deceased person’s estate.

Executor

A person named to administer a will and handle estate duties, subject to court and legal requirements.

Beneficiary

A person or entity entitled to receive assets, benefits, or distributions under a will, trust, policy, or account.

Prenuptial agreement

A contract entered before marriage addressing property, finances, and rights if the marriage ends or a spouse dies.

Divorce petition

A filing used to start a divorce case, subject to local court requirements.

Child custody

Legal and practical arrangements about decision-making and care for a child.

Child support

Financial support for a child, usually calculated under state or local rules.

Mediation

A dispute-resolution process where a neutral mediator helps parties try to reach agreement.

Restraining order

A court order restricting contact, conduct, proximity, or behaviour in certain circumstances.

DUI

Driving under the influence, a criminal or traffic offence involving alcohol, drugs, or impairment.

Arraignment

An early court hearing where charges may be read and pleas or next steps addressed.

Bail

A release condition or financial assurance connected to criminal court proceedings.

Plea bargain

An agreement in a criminal case where charges, penalties, or outcomes may be negotiated.

Expungement

A process that may seal, clear, or limit access to certain criminal records depending on eligibility and law.

Personal injury claim

A claim seeking compensation for injuries caused by another party’s alleged fault.

Negligence

Failure to use reasonable care, potentially causing harm to another person.

Settlement

An agreement resolving a claim or dispute without a final trial judgment.

Medical malpractice

A claim involving alleged professional medical negligence causing injury.

Premises liability

Legal responsibility for injuries connected to dangerous conditions on property.

Workers compensation

A system for workplace injury benefits, medical treatment, lost wages, and related claims.

Bankruptcy

A legal process for addressing debts under court supervision, including Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 in the U.S.

Chapter 7 bankruptcy

A liquidation-style bankruptcy process for eligible debtors, subject to means tests and exemptions.

Chapter 13 bankruptcy

A repayment-plan bankruptcy process, often used to manage debts over time or address foreclosure risk.

Foreclosure

A process where a lender seeks to take or sell property after mortgage default.

Debt settlement

Negotiating with creditors to resolve debt for less than the claimed balance, with risks and tax implications.

Wage garnishment

A legal process where money is withheld from wages to satisfy a debt or order.

Green card

A document/status showing lawful permanent residence in the United States.

Visa

Permission or documentation allowing a person to seek entry or stay for a purpose under immigration rules.

Asylum

Protection sought by someone fearing persecution, subject to deadlines, evidence, and legal standards.

Deportation

Removal proceedings or government action seeking to remove a noncitizen from a country.

Naturalization

The process of becoming a citizen after meeting legal requirements.

Lease agreement

A contract defining rental terms between landlord and tenant.

Eviction notice

A notice beginning or warning of a landlord-tenant removal process, subject to local rules.

Security deposit

Money held by a landlord for defined rental obligations and potential deductions.

Closing

The final stage of a real estate transaction where documents are signed, funds transfer, and ownership may change.

Title defect

A problem affecting legal ownership or transferability of real property.

Identity theft

Unauthorised use of personal information for fraud, accounts, credit, benefits, or other misuse.

Chargeback

A payment-card dispute process where a consumer asks the card issuer to reverse a transaction.

Lemon law

Consumer protection rules for defective vehicles that meet statutory repair or defect thresholds.

Class action

A lawsuit where representative plaintiffs bring claims on behalf of a larger group.