The law is so complex that effective legal representation is best left to trained professionals. To avoid unnecessary costs and time delays, it is helpful to understand the way that attorneys work before hiring one. Many attorneys specialize in a particular area of the law. For example, some attorneys only work on criminal defense cases, or patent cases, or personal injury cases.
Many law firms have several different specialists.
Other attorneys may be capable of taking on more than one type of case. General practitioners offer representation on the widest assortment of cases, but even they do not agree to represent all clients. Attorneys decide what cases to take based on any number of factors. An attorney may have a personal preference for certain types of case, or she may be employed by a firm that has chosen to specialize in a certain area of the law. Some attorneys work only as trial attorneys, and some attorneys do not do trial work.