How to Hire A Federal Criminal Defense Lawyer

If you have been indicted in a federal court or you have reason to believe that you are under investigation, then you know that you need a federal criminal defense lawyer. You need the right lawyer that can hone in on the details of the case and help you to come out the other side – but how can you find that person? Some people will hire the first lawyer that they find or the one that calls them back first. Instead, you want to work with someone who has a deep understanding of your case who has the experience at a federal level. 

But there are many of those – so how can you differentiate?

First, Find The Right Kind of Lawyer

The first thing you want to ensure is that you hire the right kind of lawyer. This means that you hire someone who handles your type of case – you don’t want to hire someone as a white collar crime lawyer if the only thing they really have experience with is immigration law.

Most good lawyers won’t oversee your case if it is not pertaining to an area in which they have experience. Unfortunately, you may be wasting your time if you hire a lawyer that isn’t as forthcoming about being inexperienced. Even if they do handle your case, you want them to have a vast amount of experience in your area.

At the same time, you don’t want to get too focused on one detail or you will cross out all of your options. You want to ensure that the right federal criminal defense lawyer for you has some experience in your area and in the state you will fight the case – that is very important as well. 

If you can’t find an attorney that fits into both of those categories, it is best to go with someone who is willing to fight at the federal level and has experience doing so.

Look For Communication

The most important thing a lawyer can do is communicate with his or her clients. Your lawyer is going to spend a great deal of time communicating with you, asking you for details, and talking to you about the law. You want to ensure that you hire a lawyer that is available to you and that answers your questions.

Even more importantly, you want to hire a lawyer that has good communication skills in front of the court. This person is going to be representing you in front of the government, so you want to ensure that he or she is a skilled orator.

Most lawyers are professional communicators, but many of them settle out of court and don’t have the experience talking in front of a judge, jury and full courtroom.

Don’t Be Afraid To Look Around

If you go in to meet with your lawyer in person, don’t be afraid to look around his or her office. Ask about the support staff and how much work they do on your case and how much the attorney will perform. Ensure that the support staff are good communicators, as well.

You also want to look around for awards, certifications, or just examples of what sets this lawyer apart. They should proudly display examples of what they do and how they supplement their time – and that might be enough to set them apart.

Go With Your Gut

In the end, you can go with your gut. If you have a bad feeling about a lawyer after you have talked to him or her, you feel like they aren’t going to be able to pay attention to your case, or you just don’t like them in general, then you should move on to another lawyer.

You are going to have to spend a lot of time with your lawyer, so you want to ensure that they are someone that you like. If you have a feeling that you do not like your lawyer or that they won’t put your future in the forefront of their minds, it isn’t worth it. Remember that what happens in a federal case will not only impact your life, but impact your family, as well.

If you are in the Delaware or Chester County, Pennsylvania areas, contact Benari Law Group today at 610-566-1006 for a consultation.