7 Things to Consider in Hiring Texas Criminal Defense Attorney.

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 Are they Board Certified in Criminal Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization?

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?

To assist the public, The Texas Board of Legal Specialization ("TBLS") was founded. The TBLS is an independent non-profit organization established by the State Bar of Texas to " promote the availability, accessibility and quality of the services of attorneys to the public in particular areas of the law... and advance the standards of the legal profession. "

Here's a discussion of what an attorney must do to become board certified from the TBLS website http://www.tbls.org/About.aspx:

"The Board Certification process is rigorous and thorough with stringent, ongoing requirements after initial certification. In brief, an applicant must:

• have been in practice a minimum of five years with three years of substantial involvement in an area of law,
• complete TBLS-approved Continuing Legal Education course requirements,
• furnish at least 10 qualified, vetted references,
• provide extensive, relevant experience documentation and
• pass a comprehensive, daylong, specialty area examination."

Are there good attorneys who are not board certified in an area? Yes, but it may be difficult, especially for a non-attorney, to know who those people are.

If a criminal defense attorney has confidence in their experience and knowledge, they shouldn't have a problem going through the TBLS process. Ask if an attorney is Board Certified, and if they aren't, see what sort of excuse they give for why they are not. It's not an expensive process. And it isn't a time consuming process if you know what you are doing.

#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 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.

#5 Do They Have Sufficient Manpower?

When an emergency happens, you want access to your attorney 24-7. Does the law firm have an experienced, knowledgeable attorney to help you if your primary attorney is in trial, on vacation, injured or ill?

Good lawyers have a reasonable case load where they can give each client's case appropriate attention. If the staffing of the firm is insufficient, your case might get lost.

#6 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. You should never just hire a lawyer over the phone. You want to meet with them in person to see if they are someone that you can believe in, and someone you could see being good in front of a jury.

#7 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 Stradley Chernoff and Alford for a Free Consultation.

Want our help? Give us a call or email to set up a free consultation. Our experienced criminal defense attorneys want to help you get your life straight.

Please do not delay. Often hiring a good criminal defense lawyer even before charges are filed can lead to a better result.

For more information: Read Firm Bios, Testimonials: What Our Clients Say, What Does Board Certification Mean?, How NOT to Hire a Criminal Defense Lawyer.