I am not going to give detailed answers on your questions but I will provide a general principle which may avail a benefit for you: a layman (person who is not specialized in an area of religious sciences like fiqh) is free to practice taqleed by imitating specialized scholar in all of her affairs except in choosing whom he imitates.

 

He must imitate the one whom he trusts with regard to his faith and academic qualifications. When you assume the position of ijtihad by directly referring to sources and eliciting detailed rulings from, you do not then need to imitate other scholars.

 

Allah Almighty knows best.