Find an Attorney in California

California has more lawyers than any other state and its own rules on shared fault, medical malpractice, and workplace rights — so it pays to have someone who practices here.

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Tell us what happened and a California attorney will take a look. Or call 1-833-WELEGAL.

What kind of case is it?

Pick the one closest to yours to see California’s rules, deadlines, and typical fees — and the California attorneys who handle it.

01Animal IncidentCalifornia holds dog owners strictly liable for bites — the owner pays even if the dog had never bitten anyone before.

02Business DisputeCalifornia bans most non-compete clauses, which shifts the leverage in partnership and employment disputes.

03Car AccidentPure comparative fault means even partially at-fault drivers can recover — an attorney protects your share against insurer pushback.

04Consumer ProtectionCalifornia’s consumer-protection and unfair-competition laws give consumers some of the strongest claims in the country.

05Criminal DefenseCalifornia’s criminal code, Three Strikes law, and newer resentencing rules require counsel who knows the local DA office.

06Defective ProductCalifornia pioneered holding manufacturers strictly liable for defective products — and still leads on consumer-protective doctrine.

07EmploymentCalifornia’s state civil-rights agency and worker-protection laws give employees more leverage than federal law alone — if filed on time.

08Family LawCalifornia is a community-property state, and the law traces separate-property contributions back through the marriage — math matters here.

09ImmigrationCalifornia has the largest immigrant population in the U.S. — and immigration courts in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and San Diego each run on different timelines.

10Lemon LawCalifornia’s Lemon Law lets you recover up to 2x actual damages plus attorney fees from the manufacturer.

11Medical MalpracticeCalifornia recently raised its medical-malpractice caps on pain-and-suffering damages, and they now rise each year — a reform that re-opens cases the old cap discouraged.

12Personal InjuryA 2-year filing deadline and pure comparative fault frame every California PI case — the math of your recovery starts here.

13Slip and FallCalifornia premises liability turns on notice and reasonableness — courts have set clear rules for how often stores must inspect for hazards.

14Social Security DisabilityCalifornia’s SSA hearing offices (Oakland, Los Angeles, San Diego) handle some of the country’s longest waits — an attorney accelerates and strengthens your claim.

15Workers’ CompensationCalifornia’s workers’ comp division runs hearings statewide — and the state’s medical-evaluator process can make or break your impairment rating.

Why You Need an Attorney in California

California has more courts, more lawyers, and more of its own rules than any other state — and those rules often favor injured people more than you’d expect. You can still recover even if you were partly at fault, but only if your attorney knows how to argue your share down. Add caps on some medical malpractice claims, strong consumer and employment protections, and courts in Los Angeles that run nothing like courts in Fresno, and it pays to have someone who works here every day.

Not sure where your case fits? Send it anyway — a California attorney reviews it free.

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How we match your case in California

When you submit a case in California, we route it through a national network of independent partner firms and put it in front of the one that fits best — based on the kind of case it is, what it is likely to involve, where it has to be handled, and who has capacity to take it on now.

Case type

A workers’ comp claim, a truck crash and a green-card petition call for different specialists. Practice area is the first filter.

Size and complexity

Some firms are built for catastrophic injury and multi-party litigation; others resolve straightforward claims quickly. We weigh what your matter is likely to involve against how each firm actually works.

Jurisdiction and licensing

Your matter is decided under California law, so it goes to an attorney licensed in California who regularly appears where your case would be heard.

Capacity and fit

Availability, conflicts of interest and language all matter. If the best-fit firm cannot take your case, we route it to the next one that can — or tell you plainly when no one in the network is the right answer.

Every partner reviews your case for free. Injury and workers’ compensation matters are handled on contingency — no fee unless you win. Other matters are quoted upfront, before you commit to anything.

DearLegal provides marketing and matching services and is not a law firm, and is not a State Bar-certified lawyer referral service. Submitting a case does not create an attorney-client relationship. Matches depend on case type, jurisdiction and firm availability. How DearLegal works

Attorneys by city in California

Find a California attorney near you — pick your city for the courts, deadlines, and firms that are local to it.

Common questions about California attorneys

Two years from the date of injury for most personal-injury claims. Claims against government entities must be filed as an administrative claim within 6 months before you can sue. Medical malpractice has its own clock — generally 3 years from injury or 1 year from discovery, whichever comes first.

California uses pure comparative fault. Even if you’re 90% at fault, you can still recover 10% of your damages — California is one of only 13 states that allows this. In most other states, being more than 50% or 51% at fault bars recovery entirely. The jury assigns a percentage to each party, and your award is reduced accordingly.

No — with very narrow exceptions. California law voids almost all non-compete clauses against employees, and recent changes require employers to notify workers that existing non-competes are void. The narrow exceptions cover sale of a business and dissolution of partnerships. This makes California one of the most worker-friendly states for employment mobility.

It depends on the practice area. Personal injury, car accidents, and most workers’ comp cases run on contingency (33%–40% of recovery, no fee if you don’t win). Family law, criminal defense, and most business disputes are hourly with a retainer. SSDI is capped federally at 25% of past-due benefits. Lemon Law and consumer-protection cases often shift fees to the defendant — meaning the manufacturer pays your attorney if you win.

Yes. To represent you in California courts, an attorney must be admitted to the State Bar of California (or get special one-case permission). The State Bar is one of the largest in the country with over 260,000 active members. Out-of-state attorneys can occasionally appear with local counsel, but for the vast majority of matters — divorce, custody, immigration filings in California USCIS offices, state criminal charges — you need someone admitted here.

DearLegal is a legal referral service, not a law firm. We connect individuals with licensed attorneys who can evaluate their case. Nothing on this page constitutes legal advice. Results vary based on individual circumstances.

Find an Attorney in California

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Why You Need an Attorney in California

How we match your case in California

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Size and complexity

Jurisdiction and licensing

Capacity and fit

Attorneys by city in California

Common questions about California attorneys

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