Hiring a credible impaired driving defence attorney is one of the most vital decisions to make for the successful defence of your legal matter when you’re charged with a DUI offence or Over 80. However, finding the most reliable DUI defence lawyer near you can be quite challenging.
It would help if you found a criminal defence lawyer who thoroughly understands Canadia impaired driving laws, knows how to build a successful defence and can guide you through this ordeal. Since DUI laws in Canada are increasingly complicated and a successful conviction can result in life-changing consequences, finding an experienced DUI lawyer for your case should be your top priority.
The following are some essential things you must consider when finding the best DUI defence lawyer for your legal case:
Ample Experience In Defending DUI Cases
DUI defence is an increasingly technical and complicated area of law. It’s vital to hire a lawyer with a focused practice in criminal law, adequate knowledge, experience, seniority and success rate in impaired driving cases.
It would help if you asked your prospective DUI defence lawyer the following key questions:
- How many DUI cases have you handled in your career? This will help you get to know about their experience with this practice area
- How many DUI cases do you have on the go at any given time? This will help you understand how up-to-date their practical experience is, and how focused their practice is when it comes to a DUI defence
- How many DUI cases do you win or what’s your success rate? The success rates of DUI attorneys often vary between different locations, depending on the police investigations quality, the prosecutors, and even the judiciary composition. You can also compare their win rate to other DUI lawyers in the area, or crucial statistics on DUI conviction rates
A DUI lawyer’s increased focus on impaired driving law will also have positive secondary effects, like a solid reputation as a qualified DUI lawyer among judges and prosecutors.
Increased DUI’s Focus Beyond Defending DUI Court Cases
To ensure the lawyer you’re hiring knows what they’re doing, you should review what other involvement they have with DUI’s beyond just defending their clients in court, including:
- Attending DUI conferences and lectures
- Presenting at DUI conferences and lectures
- Publishing written DUI content
- Features in the Media on various DUI cases and topics
- Mentoring students, lawyers, and judges on DUI cases and topics
It’s vital to observe how often, how many, and how recent those DUI engagements have been. All of these factors will help you understand how up-to-date your potential lawyer’s DUI knowledge base is.
A large Number Of Positive Online Reviews
The best thing about online reviews is that you can see what other people have to say about your potential DUI lawyer and their experience. This will also let you know about the lawyer’s abilities, and how capable they’re to assist you through the complicated process of your DUI case defence.
Reviews and testimonials can sometimes be misleading, especially when there are only a few reviews available on their website. In such a case, whether they’re mostly good or bad, it’s tough to draw any conclusions from them.
In the case of bad reviews, see if the DUI lawyer has responded and addressed the client’s concerns. Despite mostly good reviews, see how recent they are, and how relevant they are to DUI’s.
Reviews will usually inform you not only whether the DUI lawyer does an excellent job for their clients, but will also tell you whether the lawyer provides quality client service throughout the process. After all, the clients want their queries heard, recognised and taken care of at the earliest. More often, the past client experiences of your lawyer will tell you what level of client care and service you can expect from them.
About Slaferek Callihoo
Slaferek Callihoo specialises in the successful defence of DUI cases in Edmonton, Alberta. Visit our website to learn more about our legal services or contact us to get free advice from one of our criminal defence lawyers.
