Few situations are worse than being charged with a DUI. Hopefully, you will never have to face this reality, but if you do, the right lawyer can be decisive in determining how the next few months of your life will go. Of course, it’s easy to get lost in a sea of lawyers clamoring for your business, as DUI law is a reasonably lucrative area of the field. However, it’s essential to keep in mind a few key traits that distinguish a competent DUI lawyer from an incompetent one. Read on for some tips about how to look for the right DUI lawyer for you.
Choosing a DUI lawyer is generally a three-step process: the selection component, the consultation component, and the decision component.
The Selection Component
This step may be the most critical part of the process, as you’ll be vetting an array of lawyers to see who the best fit is for you and your case. Selecting the right DUI lawyer comes down to the relationships they have with the people they work with. This selection process includes their testimonials, relationships with judges and prosecutors, and their standing in their firm. If you can find a lawyer who has thumbs up across the board, that is an excellent sign. Another vital step in this part of the process is checking up on your prospective DUI lawyer’s expertise in the field. Usually, this includes their credentials, online reviews, and years spent practicing law. Of course, the more years they have under the belt and the higher ratings on this website, the better job your lawyer will do at attempting to win your case.
The Consultation Component
Once you have narrowed down your options to one or two lawyers, set up face-to-face meetings to see if their backgrounds match with an assertive, hardworking, and empathetic personality. Here you can discuss possible strategies for your case and how you would execute them. However, the most critical step in this part of the process is determining whether you want this lawyer to represent you. Even though these meetings will most likely be a little expensive, they are indispensable in helping you move forward with the right lawyer.
The Decision Component
So you’ve done your homework and met with some lawyers who impressed you. Now you have to decide which lawyer to choose. Experts recommend that you make this decision at home after you’ve met with them to avoid any feelings of pressure during the meetings. If you find that a prospective lawyer is pressuring you to choose them during the meeting, run in the other direction; this is a huge red flag. Any lawyer serious about his or her profession understands that selecting a lawyer is a very personal process that takes time. Go with your gut and choose the most honest lawyer (with the right credentials, of course) that you can find.
Speaking of reliable lawyers, leyba defense is one of the best DUI law firms in the business. Located in Seattle, Matthew Leyba has received a perfect rating on Avoo.com and was named a Top 40 Under 40 criminal defense lawyer by the American Society of Legal Advocates, an achievement less than 1.5% of American lawyers can boast.