Choosing a DWI Lawyer
When last we heard of Mary, she was in quite a “pickle,” as they say. For violating the Zero Tolerance Law in Washington State, Mary now faces the burden of having to navigate the legal system with little knowledge of what she needs to do in order to fight her charge. In an instant, her life of near perfection was crumbling before her.
After making it home the night of her offense, her mom encourages her to call her cousin Vinny. The pros of hiring newly graduated, estate planner Vinny include: He is family, he may have fresh ideas learned in law school (about estate planning….yikes!), and he will give Mary a “swinging” deal. The cons of hiring Vinny include: He is family (you can’t fire family, right?), he is a newly graduated, estate planner, and despite his “swinging” deal, his lack of experience may leave you swinging in the wrong direction. If it sounds like I have a personal vendetta against Vinny, I don’t. I am sure his career in Estate Law will be successful…., I digress.
Mary, like many before her, turns to the internet to search for an Experienced Tacoma DUI Criminal Lawyer. Overwhelmed by the countless names that appear on the pages in her chosen search engine, Mary wants to narrow the playing field. What criteria should she follow in selecting the perfect attorney? How is she expected to comb through the various sites to find that one perfect Pierce County DUI Lawyer needed when all claim to be the best?
When researching for an attorney, there are many ways to narrow the playing field. The more traditional route might be to focus on the attorney’s level of experience practicing in this area of law, and the cost of representation? Furthermore, does the attorney in question have proper knowledge and experience of the courtroom from Arraignments all the way to jury trials? In addition, how extensively will the attorney chosen actually be handling the ins and outs of your case? For example, will it be the attorney with 20 years of experience or the attorney hired right out of law school getting their feet wet on your case? In addition, is the attorney someone that has a clean record as a lawyer? The list of questions could go on.
The above are more than valid questions to ask as you search for experienced Tacoma DUI Lawyers, but sometimes you may find yourself tossing aside your checklist of requirements once you meet an attorney face to face. According to criminal defense attorney James White, “Ultimately, a lot of the case goes on behind the scene, and you need to be able to trust and put faith in the hands of an attorney with whom you have a good rapport.” But do not let the good meeting make your decision for you. Do your homework, go through your checklist and then meet with the lawyer. Come meet the Tacoma DUI Defense Attorneys at The Law Offices of Smith & White, PLLC, just like Mary did and you will find yourself looking no further.