Which Type of Lawyer Do You Need?

General-practice attorneys handle a range of matters and are common in smaller towns. Specialists focus on one practice area (PI, family, criminal, IP, etc.) and bring deeper expertise to that area. For complex or higher-stakes matters, a specialist usually outperforms a generalist; for simple matters, a generalist often handles the work at lower cost.

Many attorneys handle adjacent practice areas (e.g., estate planning plus business law, or family law plus real estate). For unrelated practice areas (e.g., criminal defense plus immigration), it is more common to be referred to a specialist. This tool surfaces the typical practice-area match; an initial consultation confirms whether the attorney you contact is the right fit.

State bar association referral services, your local bar association, and credentialed directories (Martindale-Hubbell, Avvo, Super Lawyers) are standard starting points. Reviews from past clients, a free or low-cost initial consultation, and clear written fee agreements are reliable quality signals. Avoid attorneys who guarantee outcomes; reputable attorneys never do.

For most matters, yes. Attorneys are licensed by state, and state laws vary significantly in family, criminal, real estate, employment, and consumer-protection matters. Federal matters (immigration, federal criminal, IP) involve federal courts but state-licensed attorneys. This is general information, not legal advice.

Yes, and you should. The right type of lawyer assessment is stateless, so a future retake produces a fresh result based on whatever has changed. A useful habit is to take it once now and once again at a clearly defined future point. The contrast between two right type of lawyer results is often more informative than either one alone.

The factors personal injury attorneys typically evaluate include injury severity and treatment, clear fault on the other party, timing within applicable deadlines, the insurance situation, and how well the events are documented.

The most useful urgency markers are: a court date or response deadline in the near term, an active arrest or law-enforcement matter, evidence at risk of being lost or destroyed, safety concerns, and active financial exposure (wage garnishment, lien, foreclosure).

Self-representation is more workable for uncontested or simple matters where both sides agree (uncontested divorce, name change, small claims under the jurisdictional limit), and where you have time and comfort with legal forms.

Mediation uses a neutral mediator to help both spouses negotiate the agreement, with attorneys reviewing the final document.

State lemon laws typically require the manufacturer to refund, replace, or repurchase a vehicle (or sometimes a major appliance) when the same defect cannot be fixed in a reasonable number of repair attempts (often 3-4) or the product is out of service for a defined number of days (often 30 cumulative days).