What to Look For in a DUI Lawyer

At first blush, finding the right DUI lawyer seems about as easy as finding a red M&M in a bowlful of red M&Ms. Northern Virginia has one of the highest number of lawyers per capita in the country. Almost all these lawyers could handle a simple criminal case.

But there’s nothing “simple” about DUI. These cases usually involve multiple kinds of evidence, such as field sobriety test results and chemical test results. Furthermore, the direct and collateral consequences of DUI are much worse than other similar misdemeanors.

So, finding the right DUI lawyer is more like finding a perfectly round red M&M in a jumbo package of assorted M&Ms. Because of the aforementioned direct and collateral consequences, only the best Leesburg criminal defense lawyer should handle your case.

Availability

A Leesburg criminal defense lawyer should be readily available to defendants, both physically and professionally.

Physical availability usually means having a conveniently-located office that has wheelchair ramps, wide doors, close parking spaces, and other accessibility features.

Technology should supplement physical availability, not substitute for it. Phone conversations and Zoom meetings are certainly better than nothing. But these interactions cannot fully replace face-to-face meetings. Additionally, telephone and virtual meetings sometimes compromise attorney-client confidentiality.

Quite simply, professional availability means that your lawyer is your lawyer. Your attorney, not a less-experienced associate or non-lawyer paralegal, should do most of the work in your case. Professional responsiveness is important as well. As a rule of thumb, attorneys should respond to questions, comments, and other issues within one business day.

Dedication

If your stomach hurts, you should see a gastroenterologist, as opposed to a general practice doctor. Likewise, if you have a personal injury matter, a full-time Leesburg criminal defense lawyer should handle it, as opposed to a part-time lawyer.

Many attorneys take a few criminal defense cases on the side, mostly for friends, family members, and existing clients. These undedicated lawyers often look for a quick settlement or an easy way out, before the case mushrooms into something they cannot handle.

A dedicated criminal defense lawyer, who focuses on these cases, understands the nuances of these matters, is fully familiar with all procedural rules, and is with you until the end of the line.

Experience

We close this post with perhaps the most important quality of a good lawyer. Law schools teach students how to analyze legal problems and think like lawyers. Experience teaches them how to act like lawyers.

Bedside matter is important as well. Experienced lawyers know how to relay good news and bad news. They are also fluent in English as well as Legalese.

However, experience can also be deceiving. Many attorneys practice law for many years and have little or no trial experience. Granted, most cases settle out of court, so trial experience may be slightly overrated. Nevertheless, your attorney should be ready, willing, and able to go to the mat for you if necessary.

Rely on a Dedicated Loudoun County Lawyer

There’s a big difference between an arrest and a conviction in criminal law. For a confidential consultation with an experienced criminal defense attorney in Leesburg, contact Simms Showers, LLP, Attorneys at Law. Virtual, home, and jail visits are available.

Source:

americanbar.org/news/profile-legal-profession/demographics/