Find a Lawyer in DFW
Browse vetted attorneys and law firms across Dallas, Fort Worth, Plano, Frisco, Arlington, and the rest of the Metroplex.
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Attorneys & Law Firms in Dallas–Fort Worth
Browse attorneys and law firms across the Dallas–Fort Worth Metroplex. All listed professionals have been reviewed through our editorial process. Featured listings include established DFW advocates such as Gina Giblin, Nathan Whittenburg, Benton Law, Aldous Walker, Wooley Law, John Teakell, Nichole Fisher, and Shreedhar Patel.
MyLegalWin selections are made through a documented research process. Read how selections work →
For First-Time Clients
How to Choose a Lawyer in Dallas–Fort Worth
If you've never hired an attorney before, the process can feel overwhelming. Here's what to look for, what to ask, and what to watch out for.
What to Look For
When evaluating an attorney in the DFW area, focus on three things:
Experience with your type of case
A lawyer who handles car accidents may not be the right choice for a medical malpractice claim, even though both involve personal injury. Ask how many cases like yours they've handled in the past year and whether they routinely take cases to trial if a settlement isn't fair.
Years practicing in Texas
Texas law has specific procedures, filing deadlines, and damage rules that differ from other states. An attorney licensed in Texas and practicing in Dallas or Tarrant County courts will know the local rules, judges, and opposing counsel.
A clean disciplinary record
You can check any Texas attorney's disciplinary history through the State Bar of Texas at texasbar.com. Look for any history of suspensions, reprimands, or disciplinary actions.
Questions to Ask in a Consultation
Most DFW attorneys offer a free initial consultation for personal injury matters and initial consultations for other areas. Use it to ask:
- 1.How many cases like mine have you handled in the last year?
- 2.What was the outcome of your most recent case like mine?
- 3.Will you be handling my case personally, or will it be passed to an associate or paralegal?
- 4.What’s your fee structure — contingency, hourly, or flat fee? What percentage or rate?
- 5.What costs will I be responsible for even if we win (filing fees, expert witnesses, court costs)?
- 6.How long do you expect my case to take?
- 7.What’s the likelihood of settling vs. going to trial?
How Legal Fees Work
Contingency fee
The attorney gets paid a percentage of your recovery only if you win. Common in personal injury and medical malpractice cases. Typical range in Texas: 33% if the case settles before trial, 40% if it goes to trial. You may still be responsible for case costs (filing fees, expert witness fees, court reporting) regardless of outcome \u2014 ask which costs are separate from the fee.
Hourly rate
You pay for the attorney's time, usually billed in 6-minute or 15-minute increments. Common in family law, business disputes, and complex litigation. In DFW, hourly rates typically range from $250 to $500 per hour depending on attorney experience. Ask for the hourly rate for the attorney AND for any paralegals or associates who will work on your case, and request an estimate of total hours.
Flat fee
One set price for the entire matter. Common for simple wills, uncontested divorces, and specific criminal defense matters (like a first-offense DWI). In DFW, a first-offense DWI flat fee typically ranges from $2,500 to $7,500. Basic estate planning packages range from $500 to $2,500. Ask what's included and what would trigger additional fees.
Red Flags
Guaranteed outcomes
No attorney can guarantee a specific result. If someone promises you'll win or promises a specific dollar amount, walk away.
Pressure to sign immediately
A reputable attorney will give you time to think about and review the representation agreement. High-pressure tactics are a sign of a volume practice, not quality representation.
Won't put fees in writing
Every fee arrangement should be in a written representation agreement. If it's not in writing, it doesn't exist.
Can't explain the process
A good lawyer should be able to tell you, in plain language, what happens next, how long it takes, and what to expect at each stage.
Verify an Attorney's License
Before hiring any attorney in Texas, verify their license and disciplinary record through the State Bar of Texas attorney search at texasbar.com. Search by name or bar number to confirm active licensure and check for any disciplinary history.
Find a Lawyer
Common Legal Needs in DFW
Browse attorneys by practice area. Each section explains what an attorney in this field does, what to expect, and how long you have to file under Texas law.
Personal Injury
If you’ve been injured in a car accident, truck crash, slip and fall, or workplace incident, a personal injury attorney can help you recover medical costs, lost wages, and compensation for pain and suffering.
What to expect
Your attorney will investigate the accident, gather medical records and evidence, negotiate with the insurance company, and file a lawsuit in Dallas or Tarrant County district courts if the insurer won’t offer a fair settlement.
How long you have to file
Texas generally applies a two-year limitations period to personal-injury actions under Civil Practice and Remedies Code section 16.003. Health-care liability, government, minor, and other claims can follow different rules or notice requirements.
How fees work
Fees vary by lawyer, matter, and agreement. Ask whether billing is contingency, hourly, flat-fee, retainer, statutory, or another structure, and how case costs are handled.
Criminal Defense
If you’ve been charged with a crime — from a DWI to a felony — a criminal defense attorney protects your rights, challenges the prosecution’s evidence, and negotiates plea deals or takes your case to trial.
What to expect
Your attorney will review the charges and evidence, file pretrial motions, negotiate with the prosecutor, and represent you at trial if necessary. In Dallas County, criminal cases go through the criminal district courts at the Frank Crowley Courts Building. In Tarrant County, through Tarrant County criminal courts. Federal cases go to the Northern District of Texas.
How long you have to file
There is no deadline for a defendant to hire counsel — but the faster you hire a lawyer, the more time they have to build your defense and preserve critical evidence. Do not wait.
How fees work
Fees vary by lawyer, matter, and agreement. Ask whether billing is contingency, hourly, flat-fee, retainer, statutory, or another structure, and how case costs are handled.
Medical Malpractice
If you’ve been harmed by a doctor, hospital, or other medical provider’s negligence, a medical malpractice attorney can help you recover damages — but Texas law places strict limitations on these cases.
What to expect
Texas caps non-economic damages (pain and suffering) at $250,000 per defendant in medical malpractice cases. Your attorney will need to obtain medical records, hire a qualified medical expert witness (required by Texas law), and prove that the provider’s care fell below the accepted standard.
How long you have to file
Texas health-care liability claims generally must be filed within two years measured under Civil Practice and Remedies Code section 74.251, with a ten-year statute of repose. The statute uses occurrence, treatment-completion, or hospitalization-completion rules rather than a general discovery rule, subject to limited exceptions.
How fees work
Fees vary by lawyer, matter, and agreement. Ask whether billing is contingency, hourly, flat-fee, retainer, statutory, or another structure, and how case costs are handled.
Family Law & Divorce
Note: Our DFW directory is actively expanding in this practice area.
If you’re facing a divorce, custody dispute, or need to modify child support, a family law attorney guides you through the legal process and protects your legal and parental rights.
What to expect
Texas is a community property state, meaning assets acquired during marriage are generally split in a “just and right” manner. Your attorney will help identify and value marital property, negotiate custody and support terms, and represent you in court. Divorces in Dallas County go through the Family District Courts.
How long you have to file
You must be a Texas resident for at least 6 months and a county resident for 90 days before filing. Once filed, Texas mandates a 60-day waiting period before a divorce can be finalized.
How fees work
Fees vary by lawyer, matter, and agreement. Ask whether billing is contingency, hourly, flat-fee, retainer, statutory, or another structure, and how case costs are handled.
Estate Planning & Probate
Note: Our DFW directory is actively expanding in this practice area.
If you need a will, trust, power of attorney, or are handling a loved one’s estate after death, an estate planning attorney ensures your wishes are carried out and guides your family through probate.
What to expect
For estate planning, your attorney will draft documents based on your financial assets and family needs. For probate, they will file the will with the county probate court, inventory assets, resolve claims, and distribute property. Texas probate is handled through county probate courts.
How long you have to file
Texas probate deadlines can depend on the estate, the instrument, and procedural posture. A will generally should be offered for probate promptly, and special rules can apply after four years.
How fees work
Fees vary by lawyer, matter, and agreement. Ask whether billing is contingency, hourly, flat-fee, retainer, statutory, or another structure, and how case costs are handled.
Immigration Law
Note: Our DFW directory is actively expanding in this practice area.
If you need help with a visa, green card, citizenship application, or deportation defense, an immigration attorney guides you through federal immigration rules and USCIS filings.
What to expect
Immigration cases are handled under federal law through USCIS offices and immigration courts. Your attorney will prepare applications, gather documentation, represent you in interviews, and defend you in deportation proceedings if required. The USCIS Dallas Field Office handles cases across DFW.
How long you have to file
Visa and green card applications carry specific filing deadlines and priority date windows. If you receive a Notice to Appear in immigration court, consult an immigration attorney immediately.
How fees work
Fees vary by lawyer, matter, and agreement. Ask whether billing is contingency, hourly, flat-fee, retainer, statutory, or another structure, and how case costs are handled.
Texas Law
What to Know About Texas Law
These core legal rules affect most civil and criminal cases in Dallas, Fort Worth, and across Texas.
Statute of Limitations
A statute of limitations sets a filing deadline, but accrual, notice, tolling, and repose rules can change the date for a specific claim.
| Type of Case | Texas Deadline |
|---|---|
| Personal injury (car accidents, slip & fall) | 2 years from date of injury |
| Medical malpractice | Generally 2 years under CPRC § 74.251; 10-year repose |
| Property damage | 2 years from damage date |
| Breach of written contract | 4 years from breach date |
| Breach of oral contract | 4 years from breach date |
| Fraud | 4 years from discovery date |
| Wrongful death | 2 years from date of death |
Damage Caps
Texas limits statutory compensation in specific litigation categories:
Medical malpractice
Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code § 74.301 caps noneconomic damages at $250,000 per claimant against all physicians and individual health-care providers collectively. A separate $250,000 limit can apply to each health-care institution, with no more than two institutional limits; the statutory structure can therefore produce a maximum of $750,000 in noneconomic damages across those categories. Economic damages are not capped by § 74.301.
General personal injury
No caps exist on non-economic or economic damages.
Punitive damages
Capped at the greater of $200,000 OR two times economic damages plus up to $750,000 in non-economic damages.
Community Property
Texas is one of nine community property states. Under Texas law:
- •Assets and debts acquired during marriage belong equally to both spouses.
- •In a divorce, community property is divided in a “just and right” manner (at the judge’s discretion, not strictly 50/50).
- •Separate property (acquired before marriage, or received as a gift or inheritance) remains individual property.
At-Fault Auto Insurance
Texas is an at-fault state for vehicle collisions. The driver who causes an accident is financially responsible for resulting damages. Injured parties file claims directly against the at-fault driver's auto insurance policy.
Court System
Where Your Case Will Be Heard in DFW
Dallas County Courts
Civil, Criminal, and Family Courts: Main courthouse complex located at the Frank Crowley Courts Building, 133 N. Industrial Blvd., Dallas, TX 75207. Civil district courts handle personal injury and commercial suits; Family district courts handle divorce and custody; Criminal district courts handle felony charges.
Dallas County Courts →Tarrant County Courts (Fort Worth)
Civil, Criminal, and Family Courts: Main civil courthouse located at the Tom Vandergriff Civil Courts Building, 100 N. Calhoun St., Fort Worth, TX 76196. Handles Tarrant County litigation, domestic matters, and civil disputes.
Tarrant County Courts →Federal Cases
U.S. District Court, Northern District of Texas: Handles federal questions, federal crimes, and interstate litigation. Main Dallas division located at the Earle Cabell Federal Building, 1100 Commerce St., Dallas, TX 75242. A Fort Worth division operates in Tarrant County.
Northern District of Texas →Suburban Counties
Collin County (Plano, Frisco, McKinney) and Denton County (Denton) maintain separate county court systems. Incidents occurring in Collin or Denton counties are filed in those respective county seats.
Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
Resources
DFW Legal Resources
State Bar of Texas — Attorney Search
License and disciplinary verification
Dallas County Courts
Dallas County court portal and case search
Tarrant County Courts
Tarrant County court portal and locations
U.S. District Court — Northern District of Texas
Federal court information
Collin County Courts
Collin County court system (Plano, Frisco, McKinney)
Denton County Courts
Denton County court system
Texas Supreme Court
Highest civil court in Texas (Austin)
Texas Court of Criminal Appeals
Highest criminal court in Texas (Austin)
Coverage Area