6 Things to Consider in Hiring A Colorado Criminal Defense Attorney
The decision to hire the right Colorado criminal defense lawyer may be the most important decision you will ever make in your life.
Anybody with a law degree can throw together a website and say they handle criminal cases. So how can you figure out the right criminal defense lawyer for you?
Whether you hire our firm or not, here are some things to think about when evaluating a criminal defense firm:
1. How Many Years of Total Experience Does The Colorado Attorney – Lawyer – Have?
Just because someone has a law degree doesn’t mean that they know what they are doing in court. A number of lawyers go into criminal defense law straight out of law school They don’t have any experience trying cases or knowing much more of the basics of criminal law. How can a consumer have more confidence in choosing their criminal attorney?
2. Do They Have Experience Prosecuting Cases?
Many of the best criminal defense lawyers used to be prosecutors. Why? Working for the district attorney’s office is one of the best training grounds for trial lawyers because they are forced to try many cases. They are trained by experienced prosecutors, and are shown what techniques the prosecutors use to win cases. The way you get better at trying cases is to try a lot of them.
There are no plea bargain-only prosecutors.
Working in the district attorney’s office also allows you to see how the plea process works from the prosecution standpoint, and helps an attorney become a more skilled negotiator.
Are their good defense attorneys who have never been prosecutors? Yes, but you may not know which ones, or whether they’ve received even the basic training that experienced chief prosecutors received. Some attorneys may brag that they’ve never been a prosecutor and have always worked in criminal defense. In our mind, that’s like bragging that you are missing some of your education.
That being said…..
3. How Many Years of Experience Do They Have in THE SPECIALTY OF Criminal Defense Law?
Prosecuting a criminal case is wildly different than defending it. It is a jarring transition for many prosecutors, and it takes time to get used to the different strategies used in preparing and defending a case.
It takes time for a great prosecutor to become a great criminal defense lawyer. Though former district attorneys may have a good sense of how the system works, it generally takes time for them to learn the best way to get the best results for their clients.
4. Is the Lawyer Available At A Moments Notice -24-7-365 ?
When an emergency happens, you want access to your attorney 24-7. Does the law firm have an experienced, knowledgeable attorney to help you at a moment’s notice? How available is the lawyer to your calls and your concerns?
Good lawyers have a reasonable case load where they can give each client’s case appropriate attention. If the firm takes on too many cases – or many different types of cases, your case might get lost.
5. Are They Great Communicators?
The best defense happens when there’s good back and forth communication with your lawyer. You are going to be interacting with this person, depending on them, so you need to feel comfortable with their experience, judgment and communication
To be frank, some lawyers are better with their knowledge of the law than they are talking to clients or acting as advocates.
6. Are You Comfortable With Their Fee Structure?
The worst way to hire a lawyer is to call random ones up and say “How much do you charge for__________”, and then hire the cheapest one. Discount lawyers make as much sense as discount eye surgery. Given how important criminal law matters can be to your liberty, livelihood and reputation, you do not want price solely to dictate your freedom.
You are not just paying for your lawyers’ time handling your case. You are paying for what they know and their skills.
Some firms may charge low prices because they churn large volumes of cases. This makes it hard to give personalized service.
Some lawyers will charge per setting but that approach can get very expensive as the legal process tends to go far slower than what most people like.
Call or Email H. Michael Steinberg for a Free Consultation.
Please do not delay. Often hiring a good criminal defense lawyer even before charges are filed can lead to a better result.
Other Articles of Interest:
- Finding A Job After A Colorado Criminal Conviction
- Colorado Felonies – Felony Theft By Receiving (18-4-410)
- Colorado Prostitution Related Crimes
- Colorado Felonies – Felony Theft (18-4-401)
- Law Resources
