Ten Rules for Choosing a Criminal Defense Lawyer

Being charged with a crime is one of the most traumatic events a person can face. Trying to pick the right lawyer can often add to the stress. Unfortunately, it is almost impossible for a citizen untrained in the law to distinguish between a competent lawyer and the unscrupulous shyster looking to take advantage of a charged person's panic and desperation. We offer the following tips to help you choose the right Utah defense attorney. We hope it will help you find the right advocate who will stand by your side as you go through one of the most difficult processes you will ever deal with.

1.         A law firm is more than one person. Look beyond the label to see how many lawyers, paralegals or investigators actually work at the firm. Be wary of the law "firm" that has only one attorney.

2.         Good lawyers receive peer recognition. There are a number of organizations that grade lawyers and law firms based upon their reputations in the community.  An A/V rating on Martindale & Hubbell is perhaps the most respected rating for an attorney or firm. Super Lawyers, Best Lawyers in America, and Utah Business magazine all publish lists which reflect the ratings of other lawyers.  An attorney who has achieved results for clients should be listed on at least one list. The best lawyers and firms will be on all of them.

Martindale & Hubbell

Super Lawyers

Best Lawyers in America

3.         Good lawyers provide service to their communities and the Utah State Bar. Good lawyers are often be appointed to leadership positions and a client should expect an accomplished lawyer to have served in such positions.

4.         Experience matters. The Utah State Bar provides information to the public about its members including when each lawyer was admitted to the practice of law. There is no substitute for experience – you want the lawyer who has been in practice for several years, not the one who is learning the ropes at your expense. Before you hire a lawyer take the time to figure out how long they have been at it.

5.         Accomplished lawyers will have a long list of published cases. Lawyers who have been involved in many cases will be able to provide a long list of published opinions in which their work has been considered by an appellate court. Be wary of claims of experience when there is no record you can review.

6.         Experienced criminal defense lawyers will be members of criminal defense organizations. Any competent criminal defense lawyer will belong to the Utah Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (UACDL) as well as the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL). The best lawyers will have served in leadership positions.

NACDL

7.         You get what you pay for. Beware of the cheapest fee – it can be a set up for a guilty plea.  If the fee arrangement does not provide enough money for the lawyer to take the case to trial then it necessarily leads to a plea bargain. You may be much better off with a public defender than the private lawyer who needs you to plead guilty so that he can make a profit on the case.

8.         Don't trust the Internet. Anyone can claim competence and results in a web site and there are many false claims on the Internet. Check around for reputations and real results before believing what you read online.

9.         Personality matters. Lawyers are called counselors for a reason. The criminal justice system can be very harsh and getting through it is difficult.  You need to be comfortable with the person standing at your side. You need to be able to trust the judgment of your lawyer and know that he or she will be in the room with you when the tough decisions are being made. Be wary of promised results. You need honesty and reality from your lawyer not someone who will tell you what you want to hear just to get you in the door. No lawyer can guarantee a particular result and the one who does is generally not being fully honest.

10.       Hire a specialist in criminal law. Be wary of any lawyer who specializes in more than one area of the law.  The nature of law is that it's difficult to be good at all things and a lawyer who claims to be an expert at everything is sometimes not very experienced in any one area. Look for a history in criminal defense that shows a dedication to that field. Good criminal defense lawyers generally do not advertise seeking personal injury of divorce cases.