If you’ve been charged with a DUI (driving under the influence), you need a good defense lawyer to help you defend yourself in court. However, it can be challenging to know how to choose the right DUI defense lawyer when you’re already dealing with so many other issues. Follow these steps, and you’re sure to get an attorney who will fight for your rights.

How to Choose the Right DUI Defense Lawyer

Step 1: Make a List of Potential Lawyers

The first thing you need to do when searching for a DUI defense attorney is to get a list of lawyers who can handle your case. Remember that not every attorney is skilled at defending drivers charged with DUI offenses. There are many fields of law, so you’ll specifically need to narrow your choices down to those who have successfully defended DUI cases. There are several ways to find lawyers to generate your list.

Personal Recommendations

If you know someone who’s had to deal with a DUI in the past, chances are they used a DUI defense attorney in their case. It’s challenging to defend yourself in DUI cases, so most people do retain the services of an attorney to help them. The penalties for DUIs can be extremely harsh, so hiring an attorney is almost mandatory. Since you trust your friends’ or family members’ opinions, personal recommendations are a great way to start your list.

Attorney Recommendations

You may have had to deal with the legal system in other aspects of your life, so you may know some lawyers yourself. While these attorneys may not be experienced in DUI matters, it’s likely they’re familiar with some who are. In fact, your attorneys probably know the top names in the DUI legal field, as these attorneys are often well-known across the entire industry. Whether or not they’re affordable is another matter, but add them to your list anyway.

Association Recommendations

If you don’t know any attorneys personally, or you feel uncomfortable telling your friends that you need a DUI attorney, you can find recommendations from various legal associations. Most associations have websites that allow you to search for attorneys that are experienced in the field you need. Some of these associations include the following.

• The National College of DUI Defense
• The National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
• Your state’s Bar Association

The only drawback to these associations is that they may not have vetted the attorneys listed on their sites. It’s possible that there will be client reviews attached to the attorneys’ profiles, but you’ll still want to meet with any on your list in person before making a hiring decision. Just because one attorney worked out for someone who posted a review does not mean that attorney will be the right one for your case.

Step 2: Assess Each Attorney’s Qualifications

Once you have your list of potential DUI attorneys, you’ll need to narrow it down to include only the lawyers who are most qualified to take your DUI case. Even if they all have some DUI experience, you want the attorney who is most likely to get you a good result. Not every attorney will be able to do that, so select only those who can.

Select Only Licensed Attorneys

This may sound obvious, but you must ensure the attorney you hire is licensed in your state to practice law. If they are licensed in another state, that’s not good enough. Your attorney must be licensed in your state to be able to represent you in court. If you do hire an attorney who is licensed in another state, it’s possible for them to hire a lawyer in your state as co-counsel, but this is going to be expensive.

Check Ethical Records

For each licensed attorney you’re considering, make sure they have not had any disciplinary action taken against them in your state or any other. They should be in good standing with your state’s Bar Association. All records for attorneys are publicly available through your state bar association, so assessing their ethical record should not be difficult or time-consuming. Be cautious of hiring anyone who has a history of malpractice.

Hire an Attorney Who Deals Exclusively in DUI Cases

This is not mandatory, as there are some criminal attorneys who have extensive experience in handling DUI cases but do other legal work as well. However, the more DUI cases an attorney handles, the better off you’re going to be in terms of penalties. A lawyer who only handles DUI cases is going to know DUI law inside and out and will be intimately familiar with how to get you the best results possible within the bounds of the law.

Consider Where the Attorney Went to Law School

This may not be as important as experience, but you still want to check out each attorney’s educational background. Where they went to school may not be the deciding factor in your decision, but knowing that they went to an accredited law school can give you peace of mind.

Visit Their LinkedIn Profiles

Most attorneys have a LinkedIn profile that can provide you with their employment history and peer reviews. It’s always a good idea to see what other lawyers think about the attorneys you’re considering hiring. You can also get an idea of their experience through this platform as well.

Step 3: Meet Each Attorney 

After you narrow your list down to three or four options, you’ll want to meet with each one in person. This is going to give you the best idea of who is right for your case. To get the most out of your initial consultation, be sure to bring all documents related to your DUI with you so the attorney can examine them and explain what their strategy would be if they were to handle your case.

Don’t leave out any details of your case, since your attorney will only be able to properly defend you if they have all the facts. Discuss your attorney’s experience with DUIs, including their success rate, how many cases they have taken to trial, and how many cases he’s had dismissed. Be wary of any attorney who guarantees you an outcome, because this just isn’t possible to know until the case goes to court.

Step 4: Select the Attorney to Represent You

When you’ve finished meeting with each attorney, you’ll have all the information necessary to choose the one who’s right for your DUI case. Your selection should come down to who you felt most comfortable with during your consultation, which one has a communication style you like, who’s most confident about your case, and who you feel like you trust the most. While trust is a tricky thing after one meeting, you may have a gut feeling to help you decide.

Additionally, you’ll want to consider the attorney’s fees as well. Know that all fees are negotiable, and you have the right to have all fees written out in a contract before you hire an attorney. Fees will vary from attorney to attorney, so you’ll want to find out a general cost at your initial consultation to be able to compare among options. The fee structure should be determined in advance of you retaining the lawyer you ultimately choose.

No one wants to hire a DUI attorney, but if you find yourself in that position, these steps should help you find the right lawyer for your case. Contact Jameson Stone Law today to set up your initial consultation and find out how we can help you regain your freedom.