If you have been arrested and are about to enter a legal situation which will possibly entail probation, incarceration or fines, your future freedom might be on the line. The first phone call you should make is to a seasoned criminal defence attorney, even if it’s just for a case where you’re under investigation and haven’t been charged with a crime. Protecting your rights with an attorney’s help is in your best interest. But, how can you make sure you choose a good criminal defence lawyer who can do the job meticulously? Here are a few key factors to look for when choosing an attorney to represent you.
Trial Experience
This is an important factor to pay attention to when looking for the right criminal defence attorney for your case. There are many attorneys have experience walking into a courtroom and negotiating a plea deal for their clients. A few of these attorneys are on good terms with the prosecutors as they visit these courtrooms very often. However, a lawyer who is friendly with the prosecutor will most likely be unwilling to fight aggressively as they may fear upsetting their relationship with the Crown, affecting future deals. But a criminal defence lawyer with ample trial experience will never be afraid to go toe-to-toe with a prosecutor. When you consider hiring a criminal defence attorney with trial experience, it doesn’t necessarily mean that the case will go to trial. But, it does mean that the attorney won’t be afraid of running a trial.
Accessibility
A common complaint regarding criminal defence lawyers is that they are hardly ever available. This is unfortunate as representing a client is among the most personal undertakings that a lawyer can experience. Proper legal representation means that the attorney should learn the facts from the client and try to understand how and why he/she is being accused. The attorney can try and meet the client outside the firm as an office may add barriers to communication. Hence, a good criminal defence attorney will make it a point to meet you outside of the firm. This will help create a bond and an understanding of the client’s case [replace with ‘It will often be helpful for counsel to provide his/her client with a cell number so that the clients can reach their lawyer outside of regular office hours.
Legal Competence
A good criminal defence attorney should be legally skilled in the best practice legal techniques. Just because an attorney is licensed doesn’t ensure that he/she is aware of all of the latest developments in the law.
When looking to hire a criminal defence lawyer, the above-mentioned factors can help you determine who the best fit is for your case. You may already be stressed out because of a pending case looming over your head but it doesn’t necessarily have to be a nightmare. Once you’ve found the right criminal defence attorney, they can help minimize the damage efficiently.