DUI Lawyer – Being accused of drunk driving is a serious matter. That is because being convicted of a DUI can not only mean fines and other costs that can add up to thousands of dollars, but other consequences come with these charges as well. You can read in Law.Ninja how people convicted of driving drunk lose their jobs and have a hard time finding another one, how people are expelled from schools or are not admitted to the schools of their choice, or how divorced parents lose visitation rights with their children, among many other problems that can accompany anyone convicted for the rest of their life.
That is why the most important thing you should do when facing DUI charges is to look for the best DUI attorney to represent you and help you fight the charges. Here are some ideas on how to go about it.
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Qualities of a Good DUI Lawyer
Make sure to find a skilled DUI attorney by looking for:
- Someone who has an active license to practice in the state where you received the DUI.
- An attorney with no disciplinary action and a clean ethical record – Look for this information on your state’s bar association website.
- A lawyer that has a degree from an ABA-accredited law school.
- A legal professional with extensive DUI training and experience – Look for references on the National College for DUI Defense website.
- An attorney with a high success rate in helping their clients reduce or avoid DUI charges.
- A lawyer with solid positive reviews from past clients – You can find information by checking their LinkedIn profiles or looking for reviews.
How Can You Find the Ideal DUI Lawyer?
It can be difficult to find a good DUI attorney because you may not want to look for referrals from family members, colleagues, or friends since you may not want these charges known. Also, you may find that many attorneys advertise themselves as experts in DUI which may not be necessarily accurate. Instead, look for a good DUI attorney by:
- Checking their social media and website to form an idea of who they are and what experience they have.
- Scheduling an initial consultation to talk about your case. In it, you will get a feel for the attorney’s strategy, how large their firm is, and whether they will handle the case personally or hand it to someone else in their firm.
- Feel whether there is good communication when you ask pertinent questions and get their answers.
What Questions Should You Ask a Potential DUI Lawyer During the Initial Interview?
There are several key questions to ask a potential DUI attorney. Besides their fees, you may also want to know:
- How many DUI cases they handle every year.
- What their success rates are.
- How many of their clients avoid conviction or plead down to a lesser offense.
- What their first impression of your case is and what strategy they would recommend in handling it.
- What outcome they may expect in your case.