A lot of lawyers specialize in one area of the law. General practitioners, however, have a wide range of matters that they handle. If your legal matter involves a specialized area of law like family, bankruptcy, taxation, or patent laws, then you need to contact a specialist. If you are dealing with a general matter, then a general practice lawyer should be able to help you. Make sure to ask your attorney whether he or she specializes in an area of law before you decide to hire them