Are you rummaging through your contacts trying to find a DUI attorney? Or perhaps you’re calling your friends asking if they know someone who knows a DUI attorney.
Whatever the case, one thing is clear: you’re in some DUI trouble. Maybe you were pulled over for suspected DUI and you resisted arrest. Or maybe you’re a repeat offender, and your license has been suspended or you’re facing the prospect of going to jail.
Here’s the thing. You’ve made a smart decision to hire a DUI lawyer. When the legal stakes are high, you need an experienced attorney on your team.
But how do you find the best attorney in your area? Read on to find out!
Create a List of 3-5 DUI Attorneys
There are probably tens or even hundreds of DUI attorneys in your region. While you could walk into any DUI lawyer’s office and hire them, that’s not a smart move. These lawyers aren’t created equal.
This is why your first step should be to create a list of about five attorneys. If you know someone who has had a DUI case in the recent past, call them and ask if they’d recommend the lawyer they hired.
If asking around isn’t your thing or no tangible leads are forthcoming, Google is your next-best friend.
A simple “DUI attorneys near me” search will lead you to multiple DUI lawyers. Click over to their websites and get the contact information. If you’re in Birmingham, AL, contact these DUI attorneys.
You can also head over to the website of your state’s bar association and use the search tool to find DUI lawyers. Other digital platforms you can use include the websites of the National College of DUI Defense and the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.
Armed with a list of lawyers you will potentially hire, you’re ready to proceed to the next step.
Evaluate the Professional Reputation of the Attorneys on Your List
Your goal is to zero in on the most ideal DUI attorney for your needs. Of course, they certainly are all licensed and qualified to represent you in a court of law. So, how do you separate the wheat from the chaff?
Start by assessing the professional reputation of those lawyers. Go online and look up their reviews. What are past clients saying about the quality of services offered by each lawyer? Take note of their star ratings on review websites like Yelp and Avvo.
If a lawyer has too many negative reviews and/or low ratings, that’s a big red flag. Strike them off your list.
If a lawyer has positive reviews only, don’t be too quick to fall for them. Dig further and see if you can find some dirt. These days, digital-savvy lawyers hire online reputation managers to clean up their reviews, which means a bunch of glowing reviews might not be an accurate representation of the lawyer’s reputation.
What if a lawyer doesn’t have any reviews?
They probably haven’t been in the profession long enough to get reviews. Keep in mind that a lawyer doesn’t need to have an online page to get reviews. Clients are free to review the lawyer on third-party sites. Cut such a lawyer from your list as well.
Consider DUI Experience
An attorney who’s passed the bar, in theory, can take your case and offer competent services. However, sometimes competence comes up short. Far too often, especially in high-stakes trial cases, it’s the lawyer’s experience that makes the difference.
Even if your DUI case doesn’t have any big consequences, it’s still advisable to go for an experienced lawyer. Losing a DUI case as a first-time offender only puts you in a worse situation since you’ll now become a repeat offender if you’re arrested for DUI again.
An experienced DUI attorney isn’t necessarily someone who’s been in the profession for decades. It’s someone who has handled a big volume of DUI cases in the past couple of years. In a vast majority of those cases, the outcome should be positive.
You can simply ask the attorneys remaining on your list about their experience. If you need some proof, don’t shy away from asking the attorney to refer you to their past clients.
At this point, only about two attorneys should be remaining on your list. What’s the decider?
Current Case Load
Every year, over 1.5 million drivers are arrested to face DUI charges. This means DUI lawyers are busy year-round.
Most experienced and sought-after DUI attorneys will always have several cases on their desks. While this is a testament to the confidence clients have in them, hiring a lawyer handling a ton of clients can put you at a disadvantage. It may mean they won’t have enough time to attend to your case, in which case they might delegate it to their assistants.
If there’s a lot at stake in your DUI case, you want a lawyer who has ample time to work on your case. That’s what will increase the odds of the case reaching an outcome that’s favorable to you.
Find a DUI Attorney Who Will Win Your Case
As a matter of self-discipline, you should never get behind the wheel when drunk or intoxicated. However, sometimes things happen, and you find yourself facing the full face of the law. Whether you’re guilty or not, you need a competent, experienced DUI attorney on your side.
With this guide, settling on the best attorney shouldn’t be a problem. Ensure they’re licensed to practice in your state, have a good reputation, are experienced, and have adequate resources to dedicate to your case.
Good luck and explore our blog for more helpful advice.