Why Do I Need A Lawyer 

How to Hire a Good Criminal Lawyer

If you are accused of a white collar crime, you will definitely want to consider hiring a good criminal lawyer. While you have the right to a public defender, and one will be appointed for you if you cannot afford to hire an outside attorney, a good criminal lawyer is the best way to ensure that you are well represented in court. Since your liberty is at stake, hiring a good criminal lawyer is not something to take lightly.

Create a Short List

Start the process of choosing a criminal lawyer by creating a short list of good potential candidates. You can use online searches or the phone book to find some options in your area. Visit the websites of the lawyers you are considering, and see if they have expertise in the particular area in which you are being prosecuted. You can often find this information in the lawyer\'s biographical profile on the website.

Once you have a name, search for that name online. Do not visit the lawyer or firm\'s website again, but see if there is any other information about the attorney. Perhaps he has written some articles or been mentioned by others online. This can either provide comfort to you that you have chosen a good attorney, or help you avoid someone that is less than professional.

You can also visit your local paper\'s website to search the paper\'s archives for the lawyer or firm\'s name. This will allow you to see if the lawyer has had any publicity, good or bad, for recent cases.

Finally, if you have any special needs, such as a limited English vocabulary, consider searching for a lawyer who can cater to these. You need to be able to communicate effectively with your lawyer throughout your case.

These tips will help you narrow down your list to two to four lawyers. Once you have done this, you are ready to contact the lawyers directly to choose the right one from your short list.

Make a Phone Call

Once you have your short list, make a phone call to try to set up an interview with the lawyer. This may not always be possible, because good criminal lawyers are very busy people and may not have the time for an interview with a prospective client. However, calling the firm will give you a chance to get a feel for the staff. Make sure they treat you with professionalism and common courtesy.

If you can get an interview with the lawyer, take it. Do not tell him too much about your case until you have agreed to work with him, but ask him how he has handled cases similar to yours.

As the lawyer for references, and call those references. This is time consuming, but getting first-hand knowledge about how the lawyer works with people who have been in your shoes is invaluable.

Find out how he is paid, as well. Lawyers usually will be paid by the hour or through an upfront fee, and these rates can vary significantly from firm to firm, so you will want to know ahead of time how much to expect to pay for services. Keep in mind, however, that the cheapest lawyer may not be the best one for your case. On the other hand, the most expensive one may not be best either. Consider the cost as part of the overall picture of the lawyer, and choose the one you are the most comfortable about working with on a daily basis.

Make Your Choice

Make sure that you feel confident that the criminal lawyer Fort Lauderdale you have chosen will handle your case well. Your instincts are invaluable in helping you choose a good criminal lawyer. So do your homework, count the cost, and then go with your gut and hire the lawyer you feel the most confident in at the end of the process.

Full service law firm specializes in white collar crime, sex crimes, domestic violence, drug related offenses and motor vehicle crimes in Fort Lauderdale.

Videos

Lawyer News

NH jury deliberates federal drug liability case - BusinessWeek

NH jury deliberates federal drug liability case BusinessWeek "It literally burned her alive," Bartlett's lawyer, Keith Jensen, told jurors during closing arguments Thursday. "It burned 65 percent of the skin off her ... and more »

EXCLUSIVE: NJ Housewife Teresa Giudice's Lawyer Pushing For Private Sale of ... - Radar Online

EXCLUSIVE: NJ Housewife Teresa Giudice's Lawyer Pushing For Private Sale of ... Radar Online Her lawyer told RadarOnline.com exclusively that they are now hoping to conduct the sale privately. “We concluded that we do not believe that a public sale ... and more »

Gables mayor's race attracts retired diplomat and lawyer with political ... - MiamiHerald.com

Gables mayor's race attracts retired diplomat and lawyer with political ... MiamiHerald.com The former head of the US Interests Section in Havana -- who earned a reputation as an aggressive critic of President Fidel Castro during ... and more »

Big Madoff lawyer haul - New York Post

Big Madoff lawyer haul New York Post Hundreds of Ponzi king Bernard Madoff's victims yesterday challenged the latest mega-bill from his bankruptcy trustee -- which seeks $34 ... and more »

Family of Human Rights Lawyer Flees Iran - Ms. Magazine

AFP

Family of Human Rights Lawyer Flees Iran Ms. Magazine The wife and daughter of Iranian human rights lawyer, Mohammad Mostafaei, both arrived in Norway yesterday, where the family is seeking asylum. ... Joy for stoning lawyer as family flees IranThe Australian Human rights lawyer who fled Iran is reunited with familyCNN Iran stoning lawyer reunited with familyThe Associated Press The Associated Press -Middle East Online -FOXNews (blog) all 150 news articles »

BHP Pledge on Potash Jobs Would Get Deal Approved, Lawyers Say - Bloomberg

The Guardian

BHP Pledge on Potash Jobs Would Get Deal Approved, Lawyers Say Bloomberg Clement may ask BHP for additional concessions, said Subrata Bhattacharjee, a Toronto-based lawyer at Heenan Blaikie LLP who specializes in competition and ... Analysis: China posturing on potash sector dealsReuters all 1,115 news articles »

Lawyer: Ford, family settle in player crash death - The Associated Press

Reuters India

Lawyer: Ford, family settle in player crash death The Associated Press ... over a 2001 accident in which a New York Mets prospect was killed when his SUV crashed in the Florida Panhandle, a lawyer for the player's family said. ... Lawyer: Ford, family settle in player crash deathThe Associated Press The $131M Ford Rollover Death Verdict That Twitter BrokeFast Company all 273 news articles »