If you are being prosecuted in federal court, you should make sure that your criminal defense lawyer has extensive experience with the defense of federal criminal charges. It can be difficult to find a lawyer that has the necessary experience and that you work well with. Being charged with a federal crime is a serious situation, and you should spend time finding the attorney who will represent you the best in court. Here are a few helpful tips to ensure you hire the right federal criminal defense attorney.
Talk With Family & Friends
Opening up to friends and family about your legal troubles may open up resources for you that you might not have known you had. Your friends and family will provide you with moral support and may know of a potential criminal defense attorney for you. Avoid discussing your troubles in fine detail, though and do not discuss the facts of your case; anyone you talk to may be called as a witness.
Do Your Research
After receiving recommendations from friends and family, it’s time to do your own research. Start your search by looking up federal defense attorneys. Hiring a criminal defense lawyer with no experience with the federal system is not a wise decision. The federal system is complex and requires a lawyer who has the necessary expertise to successfully represent you.
Federal criminal charges usually have high statutory maximum sentences and large financial penalties, including fines and forfeiture. Unlike state criminal defense attorneys, federal prosecutors typically don’t work on a large number of cases at once. They can afford to spend significant amounts of time and resources working on a single case or investigation.
A few questions you should look to answer about an attorney include:
- How long have they been practicing?
- Are there any reviews of them?
- What is their success rate?
- Do they have a significant online presence?
- Do they have knowledge regarding the crime you are being investigated/charged with?
Meet Them
Once you have found an attorney you think will handle your case well, meet them. Many firms offer free consultations so you and the attorney can discuss your case and feel each other out. A federal criminal case can last a long time, so it’s imperative you work with an attorney who will communicate with you and with whom you feel comfortable.
Discuss Money
Money can be a difficult topic to approach, but it must be done. When justifying the cost of your attorney, consider the years of experience they have, their success rate, and how difficult of a case it is that they’re taking on. When consulting with different lawyers, ask for their retainer fee and then compare their relative experience, specialization, and success rate. You’ll start to get a good idea of which lawyer is priced too high, too low, and just right.
If you have been charged with a federal crime or are under investigation contact us today for a free consultation. We’re prepared to discuss your case with you and outline your best legal options.