10 Things to Consider When Hiring a Criminal Defense Attorney
Aug 19, 2021 by Adler Markoff & Associates
As you embark on finding the best criminal defense attorney for your case, you will want to know how to go about doing so. It is vital to go through the necessary steps when choosing a lawyer for your criminal case. Your reputation and freedom are on the line. It doesn’t matter if you seek representation for a crime you didn’t commit or would like the charges dropped on a miscommunication – an excellent criminal defense attorney is vital to your future.
10 Tips for Hiring the Right Criminal Defense Attorney
Whether you are new to criminal law with a clean record or have a history of run-ins with the law, you will need a talented criminal defense attorney on your side. If you aren’t sure where to start in finding the right lawyer for your needs, take a look at this list of tips:
Read Reviews: You can find firsthand accounts from past clients from an easy google search. Use the internet as a resource and vet your potential criminal defense attorney. Use discretion in reading the reviews, determining which negative reviews may be a bitter client who lost a case.
Ask for Recommendations: If you have a friend or family member who has worked with a criminal defense lawyer, ask for their recommendations. A personal suggestion is a great way to find a lawyer for your case that you can trust. In addition, when you start a relationship with your lawyer with a friend in common, you can build trust more quickly.
Check Ratings: Look up lawyer ratings on popular sites to determine how people are rating their experience with the criminal defense attorney in question. These sites provide criteria for the ratings that help you prioritize what aspects of your lawyer are most important to you.
Find a Firm with Experience: Look up the law firm and find out how much experience they have in criminal law over the years. For example, how many years does each lawyer have? And if you are working with a team, what are the combined years of experience represented in the group?
Determine If You Will Work with a Team or an Individual Lawyer: Sometimes, when you interview a lawyer, they make it sound like they will solely be working on your case along the way. So you need to specifically ask if they will bring on a team to work on that case. If the answer is yes, ask to meet and learn more about the team members and their experience.
Choose a Firm that Works in Local Courts: A local law team to your community court will have a significant advantage in your case. When your lawyer knows the judges and how to navigate a criminal case at your courthouse, they will be able to make more progress in defending your case.
Check Their Current Bar Standing: Refer to the Oklahoma Bar Association to look up your potential lawyer picks and find details on their license. Then you can be prepared to ask tough questions that may regard past disciplinary action and see if they answer truthfully.
Choose the Lawyer that Communicates to Your Liking: Sit in on some of the lawyer’s current cases to see if you like their litigation style. They may be too forward or outspoken, and you may prefer to go with a kinder, softer lawyer. You can decide what kind of personality is most likely to win your case and find someone who meets those aspects. Along with communication style, consider communication frequency. It is imperative to find representation that is in constant communication. If your lawyer goes missing in action during your case, that is bad news. Look for a lawyer who will keep you up to date hour by hour if that’s what it takes.
Judge Off of First Impressions: Maybe you have been taught not to judge on first impressions. But when it comes to your criminal case, first impressions matter. If you perceive distrust from a potential criminal defense lawyer, you are likely not the only one to feel that way. If the lawyer takes a while to get back to you or seems too flustered, judge them by their actions instead of their empty promises.
Choose a Lawyer that Listens: Sometimes, you run into a lawyer with so much experience and success that they don’t even need to hear your side of the story. They just go on autopilot without asking for your input. No matter what experience they have, you want to find a lawyer that will hear what you have to say. Search for a lawyer that can relate to your experience and make you feel like your thoughts are valuable.
You will find that when you come prepared with what to look for, you can choose the best criminal defense lawyer for your case. If the law office has experience in your specific charge, you are even better off. Get as precise as you can with the expertise in your case so that you can whittle down the best lawyer for your case.
If a law office is experienced mainly in environmental law, taking on a few criminal cases per year, you will want to look elsewhere. You want to find a lawyer who knows the ins and outs of criminal law because they deal with pertinent cases every day. With so many criminal defense lawyers to choose from, there is no reason to obtain a lawyer outside of criminal law.
Contact AMA Law for a Trusted Lawyer
For help with your criminal case, AMA Law is here to provide you with a trusted criminal defense attorney that will fight for your freedom. If you want a criminal defense lawyer that will listen and show you respect, look no further. Do not hesitate to contact us for an initial appointment to discuss your case.