Matthew J. Ruff Criminal Law Blog on Lawyers.com

When a loved one has been arrested the world seems to stop and the worry and stress seems to be almost impossible to deal with.  Hiring a criminal defense attorney can help to alleviate the situation.  But the question presents itself- How do I go about the task of hiring a criminal defense attorney?

This question is best answered the same way we deal with the difficult task of hiring any professional.  You should get all the facts together about the case, research available lawyers in the area and start meeting with or talking to the attorney directly to get a feel for their experience and competence level.  But do not buy into the hype surrounding slick TV ads, internet sites or flashy websites advertising a certain lawyer.  Be aware that websites can give a false and misleading representation about an attorney just like any other marketing.  One Long Beach Criminal Attorney recommends looking the prospective law firm up on the state bar website to find out if the lawyer has any record of discipline with the authorities.

A second great resource is the better business bureau BBB which can offer information about the number of complaints consumers have made against the attorney.  The potential client should be wary however of "reviews" posted on the internet.  Many of these postings can be easily contrived and are often the product of a marketing firm employed to direct more business to the attorneys office.

Another resource would be to look into various trade organizations that focus on the area of law you need, these trade groups often list the names of members and this can be a great resource for those trying to find the most experienced lawyer in the area.  A potential client should avoid hiring a lawyer who is not located in the jurisdiction where the case will be heard says one Torrance Attorney that often lectures on how to find the best attorney for a given problem.  "Get a local guy (or gal) that knows the Court the Judges and the DA's" says  the attorney.  This will often give you an edge in negotiating and keep the costs low as the lawyer will not need to travel great distances to get to hearings.  Avoid hiring the traveling attorney who will not know the local customs of the court.

Most importantly though is to hire someone that focuses on the area of law you need.  If you have a DUI case, do not hire a lawyer that advertises doing personal injury or divorce.  The old adage about the "jack of all trades" is equally true in the legal profession.  Hire the lawyer that practices in the specific area every day, this way he or she will be up on the current laws and practices and will not need to reinvent the wheel on every issue says one Long Beach Attorney that runs a blog on legal trends and topics. 

The last and possibly most important tip on hiring a lawyer is to not hire someone based on price alone.  If you get the cheapest lawyer you will likely get what you pay for just as with anything else.  Be wise, exercise common sense and follow your natural instincts and the process will be painless.  Good Luck.