4 Tips For Hiring A DUI Attorney
Being arrested and charged with suspected DUI is something that should be taken very seriously. A DUI conviction can have long-lasting repercussions both legally and financially. If you have been charged with a DUI, the best thing you can do is hire an experienced and reputable DUI attorney to represent you. Use the following tips to hire the right DUI attorney:
Create a List of Potential Attorneys
Before hiring a DUI attorney, it is in your best interest to meet with several different attorneys so you can determine who you will be most comfortable working with. Thus, you will need to make a list of local attorneys in your area who specialize in criminal defense and DUI cases. While you can find potential attorneys by doing a simple internet search, you may also want to check out the online lawyer databases at the National College of DUI Defense or the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.
Set Up a Consultation
After you have created a list of potential attorneys, call their offices to schedule an initial consultation. In most cases, a DUI attorney will offer a short in-person consultation free of charge. During your consultation, it is important for you to be very honest about the situation and explain everything that happened during your arrest. You should also bring any legal paperwork that you may have, such as the police report, for an attorney to review during the consultation.
Know Who Will Be Handling Your Case
It is not uncommon for consultations to be handled by senior attorneys or even a firm's partner. But the senior lawyers and partners are not always the ones who actually handle the case-- your case may end up being assigned to a junior or associate attorney at the firm. During a consultation, it is very important to ask exactly who will handle your case if you hire the law firm. The last thing you want is to hire a law firm based on the attorney who you met with during the consultation only to find out later that someone else is handling the case.
Understand Fees
It is important to hire a DUI attorney who is very transparent about his or her fees. Before you sign a contract with a DUI attorney, know whether you will be charged a flat fee or an hourly rate. Your attorney should be able to give you a good idea of how much you can expect to pay in total. Attorneys like those at Law Offices of Daniel Aaronson can help.