Choosing The Best Attorney For Your Henrico County Case

If you are charged with a criminal offense in Henrico County or elsewhere in Virginia, one of the most important decisions you make is who will represent you in court. With this in mind, the following are some of the things to keep in mind as you look for an attorney and some common mistakes people make when hiring an attorney.

For information on how our firm can help, call and schedule a consultation with a Henrico County criminal defense lawyer today.

Important Aspects of Choosing An Attorney

One of the most important aspects to keep in mind as you look for an attorney is to find someone who has an extensive knowledge of the local court system. A lawyer who is familiar with the court and knows the judges, how they rule, the prosecutors, how the handle cases, and how law enforcement treats particular cases is an invaluable asset. Instead of finding an attorney with the flashiest ad or the best name recognition, it’s important to take into account the experience that attorney has in your local jurisdiction.

Mistakes People Make When Hiring A Lawyer

Some of the biggest mistakes people make in choosing an attorney is they simply choose an attorney based on their fee, hiring the cheapest attorney they can find, or they hire an attorney who they’ve seen on TV. You really want to develop a personal relationship with your attorney and understand exactly what their experience is, but also to make sure that they understand you and understand what your priorities are. It’s important to make sure that you will have a good relationship with your attorney, but also that your attorney understands what your needs and priorities are.

Advantages of Hiring a Private Attorney

Choosing a private attorney versus a public defender is a pretty important decision to make. First you have to qualify for a public defender, and then a public defender is actually appointed for you, which means you actually do not get to choose your attorney if you elect to use a public defender. If you have a private attorney, on the other hand, you actually get to choose your attorney, you get to interview your attorney and make your own decision.  In addition to that, in many cases, a private attorney can provide a little more personalized treatment to your case and they typically are not handling quite the case load of public defenders.

Our Approach to Criminal Defense in Henrico County

The main guiding principle in my approach to a case is not only to understand the legal issues facing client, but also to understand the needs of my particular client.  Every client has their own set of priorities and their own set of personal issues that are involved in the case.  We always want to understand those and understand what the top priorities are for a client.

My other guiding principle is to educate my client about their legal matter and to develop the defense strategy and mitigation factors that can help my client deal with their particular issue.