Being arrested and charged with a crime is one of the most significant things that will ever happen to you, and there are few other things with the potential to have such dramatic consequences on your life. With that in mind, the most important thing that you should do if you have been charged with a crime is to hire an experienced Massachusetts criminal defense lawyer. Before you hire just anyone, though, consider these important traits of a criminal defense attorney —

Experience

One of the most important things to ask a potential criminal defense lawyer is how many years of experience they have. While an attorney who’s brand new to practice may be wicked smart, it might not be in your best interest to have your case be one of the attorney’s first cases. 

Education

You should also ask your attorney where they went to school, what type of law they focused on during their studies, and whether or not they have been admitted to the Massachusetts Bar Association and are in good standing with the bar (if not, don’t hire them!). You may want to consider other recognitions or associations of the attorney; for example, Attorney Paul R. Moraski is a member in good standing with the Massachusetts Bar Association, Essex County Bar Association, National Lawyers Guild, and Salem Bar Association. 

Track Record

All of the education and experience in the world won’t matter if an attorney doesn’t know how to win a case. Be straightforward in asking your attorney about their track record, how many cases like yours they’ve worked on, and how most of the cases they’ve worked on have been resolved — for example, have most cases ended in a plea bargain or a trial? If the latter, have the defendants been found ‘not guilty’ in the majority of cases? If you’re having trouble learning about a lawyer’s track record, look up their rating on sites like Avvo. 

Focus Area

While most criminal defense attorneys have experience working on a broad range of criminal case types, you should ask the attorney their focus area; you don’t want a personal injury attorney representing you during a criminal trial! What’s more, some criminal defense lawyers only have experience in certain criminal case types, such as white-collar crimes or DUIs. Be sure you know whether your attorney has experience working on cases like yours. 

Call Our Criminal Defense Lawyer in Massachusetts Today 

In addition to all of the above, it’s also important that you feel comfortable around your attorney and that you trust them. Your attorney will be your closest confidant over the course of your criminal case, and you’ll need to have a good working relationship. If you don’t like your attorney or don’t feel like you can tell them things, they probably aren’t the best representative for you.

At The Law Office of Paul R. Moraski, our Massachusetts criminal defense attorney understands how much is on the line for you and how important competent, committed legal representation is throughout the process. Our attorney has years of experience and a track record of success, and always offers free initial case consultations. You can learn more by calling The Law Offices of Paul R. Moraski directly at (978) 397-0011 or by using the intake form on the website to send a confidential message.