Dallas, Tx, 09/09/2015 /SubmitPressRelease123/

According to data from the United States Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are approximately 600,000 lawyers employed in the United States. The high number illustrates the large pool that individuals have to choose from when they are in need of legal representation. Because there are so many prospects, making the decision can be overwhelming no matter what type of attorney one is seeking. Even when narrowing it down to one category like criminal defense, there are still potentially thousands of attorneys one may consider. If they go a step further and narrow their Internet search to “criminal defense lawyers in Texas” or “criminal defense lawyers in Dallas” they may still be left with hundreds of lawyers to choose from when conducting an online search.

 

Those looking for a criminal defense lawyer may have more at stake if they fail to choose the right attorney than, for example, someone choosing a lawyer for a civil case. Individuals who have been accused of a state or federal crime can potentially have their freedom taken away if they don’t have the right legal support on their side. Therefore, in sifting through the broad pool of options for a criminal defense attorney, it is imperative to develop some type of criteria for identifying who will be the best match.

 

To help those who are seeking the help of a criminal defense attorney, the Dallas criminal defense lawyers of Broden, Mickelsen, Helms & Snipes, LLP has outlined five key considerations for making the right choice.

 

1. What is the attorney’s area of expertise? – Attorneys who profess to specialize in too many areas may not provide the best legal criminal defense representation. For those facing potential jail time or hefty fines after being accused of a crime, it is important to find an attorney whose practice is exclusively dedicated to criminal law.

 

2. Is the attorney Board certified? – Only an estimated 10 percent of attorneys have Board certification as a specialist in a particular area of law. Certified specialists have gone through rigorous hurdles to achieve their certification, which is an important consideration for choosing an ethical criminal defense lawyer who will fight hard for their client’s case.

 

3. Is the attorney a former prosecutor? – Some former prosecutors who switch to practicing criminal defense bring with them a certain type of knowledge that can help level the playing field for defendants. It is important, however, to also be leery of those who may be too quick to persuade clients to take an unfair deal as opposed to being willing to fight to prove their innocence.

 

4. Have you been charged in state or federal court? – This is one of the most important things to consider, according to the firm, because there are complex sentencing guidelines that judges strictly follow in federal courts. According to the firm it is almost impossible to provide effective representation in federal court unless an attorney practices in federal court on a regular basis and understands the sentencing guidelines inside and out. In short, because of the much less structured environment in State court, most Board Certified Criminal Defense Lawyers who practice exclusively criminal defense can provide effective representation in those courts. In Federal court, on the other hand, if someone is charged in Federal court they really need a lawyer that has extensive experience handling Federal cases.

 

5. Do you need representation for trial or an appeal? – A majority of attorneys who practice criminal law represent clients in trial courts but only a small percentage of lawyers represent defendants on appeal on a regular basis. This is an important fact to identify when choosing an attorney for an appeal to ensure that one’s rights are upheld.

 

About Broden, Mickelsen, Helms & Snipes, LLP

 

Broden, Mickelsen, Helms & Snipes, LLP is a criminal defense law firm based in Dallas, Texas. Those seeking legal representation for a federal criminal case or Texas state criminal case can visit http://www.brodenmickelsen.com/ for more information about the practice and partnering attorneys, or call 214-720-9552 to contact firm to schedule a confidential consultation.

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