If you or a loved one is facing criminal charges, hire an experienced and qualified criminal defense lawyer all of your case. Your freedom, finances, and future are at stake, you’re putting your case in the hands of a competent attorney. A good place to start researching a criminal defense lawyer’s credentials is their educational background. Reputable criminal lawyers should have a law degree from an accredited university and should have graduated near the top of their class. Look up the law school they attended and check that it’s legitimate. Top tier law schools like Harvard, Yale, and Stanford produce many exceptional lawyers but attending a prestigious university isn’t necessarily a definitive indicator of quality.
Once you’ve confirmed where the lawyer went to law school, try to find out what kind of student they were. High grades and participation in Law Review (a legal academic journal) are positive signs. Board certification in criminal trial law from the National Board of Trial Advocacy is another mark of distinction to look for. Elite education and grades alone don’t guarantee someone will be a good lawyer, but they often reflect underlying traits like intelligence, work ethic, and competence.
Verify licensure
The finishing law school, attorneys must pass the bar exam in the state(s) where to practice. Check with your state’s bar association to criminal defense lawyer you’re considering is licensed to practice in your jurisdiction. Make sure their license is current, active, and in good standing. Disciplinary action on their record like suspension of their license is a major red flag. It’s also wise to check for licensure in the federal court system since criminal matters often involve federal crimes like mail fraud, drug trafficking, and firearms charges. Membership in a state’s association of criminal defense lawyers is another positive credential to look for.
Assess experience
An experienced criminal defense attorney who specializes in your type of top criminal lawyers in Mississauga case and is familiar with your jurisdiction’s laws, judges, and prosecutors is key. Ask how long they’ve been practicing criminal law and what percentage of their workload is devoted to criminal defense request specifics on their background handling cases similar to yours, like DUI charges or domestic violence. Be attentive to how many cases they’ve taken to trial. That’s a main factor that separates seasoned criminal defense attorneys from less experienced ones. Lawyers always accept plea bargains, but you want someone who won’t shy away from trial if it’s in your best interest. Also ask if they focus solely on criminal law or handle other legal fields like family law, personal injury, and civil litigation. Criminal law is complex, so dedicated criminal defense lawyers often have a strategic advantage.
Evaluate case results
It’s one thing for an attorney to tout years of experience handling criminal cases, but how successful are they in defending their clients? Trying to evaluate win-loss records be tricky since criminal defense lawyers take on cases at various stages. The strongest measure is to check reported opinions in legal databases like Westlaw and LexisNexis. This allows you to read the case details and outcome for clients whose cases went into litigation and appeals.
Online client reviews are another source for gauging case success. Clients appreciate criminal defense lawyers who get charges dismissed or reduced, pursue every defense possible, and treat clients fairly post-conviction. Pay attention to how a lawyer manages client expectations too.
