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What Type of Attorney Do I Need?
Choose a broad situation and receive neutral descriptions of practice areas that may be useful starting points for further research.
Explore attorney typesFree attorney selection toolkit
Tools for Choosing an Attorney
Move from “where do I begin?” to a more informed attorney search, comparison, and first conversation.
These practical tools help you research common practice areas, confirm licensing through official sources, compare information you collect, and prepare questions. They do not recommend a particular lawyer or evaluate a legal matter.
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General information only: these tools are not legal advice, do not create an attorney-client relationship, and cannot determine whether a lawyer is qualified for your specific circumstances.
Four useful checkpoints
Research, verify, compare, and interview
Use one tool on its own or follow the complete sequence before deciding whom to hire.
Official sources
State Bar Verification Finder
Select a U.S. state or the District of Columbia and open the relevant official attorney-licensing search or authority.
Find a licensing searchCompare consistently
Attorney Comparison Worksheet
Place information for up to three attorneys side by side, including licensing checks, experience, fees, staffing, and communication.
Compare attorneysPrepare to ask
Attorney Interview Question Builder
Create a tailored, printable checklist covering experience, approach, fees, staffing, communication, and next steps.
Build an interview checklistA more deliberate search
A four-step attorney selection process
The details that matter vary, but following the same basic checkpoints can make candidates easier to evaluate.
- 1Identify a starting areaLearn which broad practice-area labels may relate to the kind of help you are seeking.
- 2Verify independentlyCheck license status and available public records through the appropriate state authority.
- 3Compare the same detailsRecord experience, proposed fees, staffing, availability, and communication consistently.
- 4Ask focused questionsUse a prepared checklist and request written clarification before agreeing to representation.
What these tools can and cannot do
A structured process can help you collect comparable information and remember useful questions. It cannot replace your own judgment, an official licensing check, or advice from a qualified attorney who has reviewed your circumstances. Practice-area labels also overlap: the most appropriate starting point may depend on the parties, location, documents, procedural stage, and goals.
When a situation involves immediate danger, arrest or detention, an approaching court date, threatened eviction, possible deportation, or another urgent deadline, contact an appropriate attorney, court, legal aid service, or emergency service promptly rather than relying on a website tool.
Tool information and official-resource links reviewed August 19, 2026.