No one wants to be in a position where they need a criminal defense attorney to defend you or a loved one in court, but what do you do if that happens? Do you go for the first lawyer you find? Not likely to be a smart move on your part.
Lawyers are like doctors. They also have their own fields of specialization. That is the part of the law that they have focused on and spent much of their time on.
What you need to find are attorneys who have focused on criminal law more than anything else. So how do you go about finding the right one? Here are some ideas:
1. Specialization is the name of the game. It means that for criminal lawyers, there are also some specializations within them that lawyers can delve into. Therefore, what you need is to find someone who has considerable experience and knowledge in the particular field of criminal law that concerns you.
2. You should think twice before deciding on a public defender, since on average they have more cases than legal experts recommend as recommended to be handled. If you have money to spend, you should try to get your own lawyer. It could be his freedom that would be at stake.
3. Decide what kind of qualities you would like to find in your lawyer. Do you want someone with extensive experience, but who is too busy to get too involved in your case? Would you prefer someone who has less experience, but is a hard worker?
4. Look for personal references from people you know. They may know of a good criminal attorney who can help you. Personal referrals are still the best way to find a service you need.
5. Find out if they belong to any criminal lawyer groups. Membership in regional and national criminal lawyer groups is a good indication that someone is genuinely interested in criminal law.
6. If you want to determine the position of a lawyer in the estimation of his colleagues, you should try to find out if he has ever held any position in any of the groups of lawyers to which he belongs. Having an office is a good indication that they are competent in their field.
7. Don’t be fooled by the ads and claims they have out there. They’d put anything in there to get you in. It is best to meet or speak with an attorney in person so you can decide if you really have what it takes.
8. Find out if the attorney has taught at a reputable law school. Teaching law is one of the marks that a lawyer is really something.
9. Find out about their rates. A lawyer may be good and all that, but he may not be able to afford it.
These are just some of the most important things to look for in a criminal defense attorney.