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Did you know there were north of 4.53 million arrests for all offenses across the U.S. last year?
If you ever face criminal law charges, the first thing you’ll want to do is contact a reputable criminal law attorney. But how do you find such a legal professional to counsel you?
“If you require a criminal law attorney, ensure the one you do retain actually focuses on criminal law,” says Rowdy Williams from Rowdy G. Williams Law Firm P.C. “In fact, it’s not enough to hire a lawyer specializing in criminal law. The lawyer you hire should also specialize in the particular area of criminal law that’s applicable to your situation.”
Continue reading to learn how to find the right criminal defense lawyer to represent you.
Set Up a Consultation
Before hiring a criminal law attorney, set up a consultation. The goal is to get a feel for whether or not to hire the legal professional. Ask any questions you have, and focus on whether or not the answers really address your questions. Focus on the dialogue between you and the lawyer, and determine if there’s a good fit. A criminal law case can last a relatively long time, so finding a legal professional you can work with is essential. After the consultation, you’ll have all the information you need to determine whether or not you wish to hire them.
Find a Criminal Law Specialist
You also need to ensure you find a criminal defense lawyer who specializes in criminal law. Drilling down further, the lawyer should have relevant experience in the area of criminal law that’s most relevant to the criminal law charges you face. If you’re charged with driving under the influence, you need to find a criminal defense attorney with experience representing clients facing such charges. You can go further and inquire about the success rate in court.
Ask About Who You’ll Be Working With
It’s also essential that you find out who you’ll be working with. Lawyers, particularly those working at larger law firms, have teams that assist them in serving clients. So, just because the lawyer you hire will represent you in court doesn’t necessarily mean other legal professionals won’t be involved at different stages of the process. You’ll want to know who will be assisting the lead lawyer, who you can contact if there’s an issue, and if you can contact the lead lawyer directly. Get answers to these questions ahead of time to know what to expect.
Ask for Referrals
You can also ask people for referrals. Do you know anyone who has had to retain a criminal defense attorney? If so, ask if they would recommend the lawyers who assisted them. Doing this can be a good way to get a list of legal professionals to research further. After you do a bit of digging, you can set up consultations.
Check Out Online Reviews
Another way you can find the sort of criminal defense lawyer worth patronizing is by looking for online reviews and testimonials from people who’ve had to hire such legal professionals. You’ll want the nitty gritty on criminal law attorneys — the good, the bad, and the ugly. While relying solely on online reviews and testimonials isn’t the best strategy, combing over some of them can be an important part of your research.
If you need a criminal defense attorney, consider the suggestions above. You must get the type of help you require to achieve the legal outcome you want. Finding a professional, reputable, and experienced lawyer will certainly help your cause.
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