Finding the right attorney could be the most important decision you make about your case. The outcome can vary from attorney to attorney. It has been said that “the best defense is a good lawyer”, and it is true. The following are factors to consider in choosing your attorney:

1. Choose CRIMINAL Law Specialist
Criminal law is highly specialized and very different from other areas of law. You need to select an attorney who is a criminal defense specialist, i.e., an attorney who’s primary -if not exclusive practice- is dedicated to defending criminal cases. Don’t hire a family or real estate lawyer or some attorney who represented you in a civil matter. In fact, a knowledgeable civil attorney will refer you to a criminal lawyer. Not only should you hire a lawyer who specializes in criminal law, you should hire a lawyer who specializes in your type of case. Because the issues in many crimes sometimes widely vary, many criminal lawyers specialize in defending certain crimes. Obviously, it is in your best interests to hire an attorney who is most experienced in defending the type of crime that you are charged with.

2. Choose a lawyer you TRUST and can work with
You want to find an attorney that you can completely trust. It is imperative that you completely trust that your attorney will fearlessly work as hard as possible to represent your best interests. Your attorney is going to be your champion. S/he is going to be your advocate and your voice to speak for you. Choose someone that you are comfortable can play such an important role. Moreover, preparing a good defense requires an excellent attorney-client relationship. You and your attorney will be working together for a significant amount of time. It is important that you and your attorney communicate and work well together. Obviously, trust is fundamental to that.

3. Choose a HARD WORKING attorney
There are many different ways that an attorney can try a case. Often, to get the best result, an attorney needs to be tenacious and determined. Sometimes, because of competing concerns, some attorneys choose easier, less time consuming shortcuts to resolve a case. Since you don’t know the law or legal processes as well as your attorney does, you need to completely trust your attorney that s/he will work as hard as necessary to get you the best result.

4. Choose an EXPERIENCED attorney
You want to find a skillful, experienced attorney. Your attorney must be experienced in investigation, trial, negotiations and preparing motions in various stages of your type of case.

5. Choose an attorney with a respected REPUTATION
Since most cases are settled without trial, your attorney must be highly respected by the local judges and prosecutors with whom s/he will be negotiating your sentence.

6. Choose an attorney not with REASONABLE CASELOAD
Ask your attorney how many active cases s/he is currently working on. Because of external pressures, some attorneys take on too many cases at a time. Even the best attorney cannot do a great job if they are spread too thin dividing their attention between too many cases. Hire an attorney who will give your case their maximum personal attention and priority.

7. Choose an attorney who can START IMMEDIATELY
Do not delay. Time is not on your side. Certain actions need to be taken immediately to improve your odds at trial and/ or for sentencing. The sooner you get an attorney involved in your case; the better off you will be, regardless of whether you are guilty or completely innocent. Don’t hire an attorney who cannot work on your case until later choose an attorney who can start immediately.

8. Choose an attorney who is CREATIVE and “thinks outside the box”
Criminal defense is as much an art as it is a science. In the interests of standardization, prosecutors and courts often try to make charges and sentences consistent and the same for all situations. However, because of the complex nature of criminal matters, no two cases are exactly alike and often there are defenses and sentencing alternatives that a creative defense attorney can devise and, with enough persistence, get the prosecutor and court to accept. Sometimes, those sentencing alternatives are much better for you. Some clients want to avoid fines, others want to keep their driver’s license, others want to avoid jail, and others who are not citizens just want to remain in the U.S. If your attorney fully understands your needs and goals, s/he can often craft a solution that reflects your most important concerns.

9. Choose an attorney you can AFFORD
Price is the last consideration on your list. Your criminal defense is too important to skimp on the price. The outcome of your criminal case can affect your whole life and future. Having a criminal record can be very limiting and close important opportunities in your life. It can also mean high fines and serious time in jail or prison. How much is it worth to you to save spending time in jail, or keep a felony or misdemeanor off your criminal record?

Criminal attorneys are highly skilled, specialized attorneys who work very hard for their clients. Because criminal attorneys are the champion fighting for your rights and freedom, they are worth the expense. And if you absolutely don’t have enough money, it is worth borrowing the money from family, friends, credit cards or banks. Some attorneys may offer you a payment plan, but you can not waiver in paying your attorney. You want your attorney thinking about nothing other than defending you well you do not want your attorney to be concerned about whether they will get paid for their efforts it is very important to prioritize paying for your attorney.

Nevertheless, money is a real concern to all of us! Although we all put money away for rent, groceries and our kid’s education, it is true that no one budgets to buy a criminal defense. This is a most unexpected emergency expense. Thus you need to be upfront with your attorney about how much the representation will cost. Unlike most attorneys who charge hourly, criminal lawyers usually charge flat fees. This is so because most criminal attorneys have done such cases so many times, they are relatively certain how much work is involved in defending such a case. The flat fee is generally preferable to clients because clients know that they are locked in at a certain total cost and do not need to fear a future unexpectedly high lawyer’s bill. One caveat is that a flat fee may or may not include costs and expenses. Ask your attorney what “costs” are included and which costs are extra. Costs that usually are included in the flat fee include: photocopies, faxes, telephone charges, travel time, etc. Costs that are usually extra include hiring experts and investigators.
It is said that you should not seek to save money on brain surgery or parachutes; you can add criminal defense to this list. There is, however, one exception to justifiably save money - hire a good attorney who simply has low overhead.
10. SAVE MONEY! Choose an attorney with LOW OVERHEAD
There is one way that you can save significant money without sacrificing the quality of your attorney. That is by choosing a good attorney who has very low overhead. Have you ever gone into one of the big, prestigious law firms with marble floors, tall ceilings, fancy furniture, plenty of staff and employees? Do you know who pays for all those frills? You do!!! It simply stands to reason that attorneys who undertake high overhead costs need to charge higher fees to cover those costs and then still earn a profit. Some, lawyers believe that showing clients an affluent office environment allows them to charge clients a higher price, but the frills and perks of the law office usually benefit the attorney - not you! The best criminal defense lawyer in the world may work out of small, modest office. S/he may be more skilled and experienced than a lawyer at a big firm, but does not need to charge you a higher fee to cover overhead. If your attorney has a luxurious office - be aware that his clients -you- are paying for it!

Conclusion
Do not be shy to ask an attorney questions about all of the above factors before making your decision to hire. Don’t worry about offending the attorney or hurting their feelings. This is all about you - it’s your life and your defense. You are the one who will have to live with the verdict and the consequences. You are about to pay a large amount of money for an advocate who is going to protect your rights and your freedoms. You deserve the best. Choose wisely.