1. What guarantees can you make?
No lawyer, at least no one ethical, can make you promises about the outcome of any criminal case, be it in state or federal court. Years of experience may aid an attorney in representing clients charged with conspiracy, drug trafficking offenses, or other serious crimes, but it does not give him a crystal ball into the future. Clients have told me of other lawyers in Phoenix and around Arizona who have made such promises to clients, but as I tell them, if a lawyer is going to guarantee you an outcome, ask them to give it to you in writing and give them every penny they’re asking for. In 17 years of practice, no one has ever has every shown me a written guarantee.
2. What other areas of law do you practice?
If you have a heart problem, you don’t go to a foot doctor, right? That said, so many clients facing serious felony charges end up with “jack-of-all-trade lawyers” who dabble in many different areas of law, but don’t really do any of them well. Believe it or not, even DUI is its own separate area of practice and is very different from more series crimes like murder, fraud, or other white collar matters. At the end of the day, you want a Phoenix criminal defense lawyer who limits his or her practice to a defined and specific area of law.
3. Who in your office will handle by case?
One of the biggest complaints I hear from clients is that “the lawyer I met is not the lawyer who is representing me.” Too often, clients facing criminal charges meet with a “face man” or partner of the firm whose only job it is to have the client retain. While the client is assured that the partner will “supervise” junior lawyers who are assigned to the case, the reality is that these junior lawyers often lack the experience to handle the client’s complex criminal matter. Know that if you hire me as your criminal defense attorney, it will be me who is handling your case.
Call today to get started on your case with a reliable and seasoned defense attroney at the helm!