Choosing a criminal lawyer isn't easy, especially if you're facing a harsh sentence. You need a lawyer that cares about you and the outcome of your case, but how can you determine whether a lawyer has what it takes to win? When you're interviewing lawyers, look for lawyers that have these traits.

1. Works from a Clearly Defined Plan

All good attorneys need to be able to think on their feet, but a great criminal lawyer works with a clearly defined plan. Having a plan before going to trial minimizes the amount of things that can go wrong. After all, if your case goes to trial, your lawyer needs to be prepared. If your lawyer doesn't have a plan ready, any number of distractions in the courtroom or surprises from the prosecution can easily through your lawyer off guard and jeopardize your case.

2. Creativity

It's common for problems to arise during trial, and your lawyer needs to know how to deal with difficult issues. A creative criminal lawyer treats each case as unique, knows when to seize a favorable opportunity, and thinks well on his feet.

3. Persistence

Even though you're technically innocent until proven guilty, your criminal lawyer is going into court with the odds against him. After all, the prosecutor and police officers working the case wouldn't be doing their jobs if they didn't try to keep your defense lawyer from doing his job. Your attorney needs to be persistent. It's imperative that he takes the time to gather all of the evidence needed for your case to ensure that you get a fair trial.

4. Criminal Cases Make Up a Substantial Portion of His Caseload

Lawyers often take on a variety of different types of cases, and you need someone with ample experience. The last thing you want to do is hire a lawyer without a lot of criminal trial experience to represent you when the stakes are high. It's you future that's on the line, so make sure you choose a lawyer that specializes in criminal trials.

5. Specialized Experience

In addition to having experience handling criminal cases, you need to make sure your lawyer has experience trying cases that are similar to yours. For example, if you are facing drug charges, you need to hire a criminal lawyer who has experience handling drug-related charges instead of a criminal lawyer whose experience is made up of a various traffic-related cases.

Ultimately, it's up to you to choose a lawyer that makes you feel comfortable and confident. At the end of the day, it's your criminal lawyer's job to help you resolve your charges with the best possible outcome. So, you need to find a lawyer that has the right kind of experience and confidence needed to represent you.

To learn more about hiring a criminal defense attorney, visit a law firm like Eric Schurman, Attorney at Law

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