The Qualities To Look For When Retaining An Attorney To Handle A Traffic Violation

Interviewer: What are some aspects and qualities in an attorney that they should be looking for, and with that, what are some red flags?

Acacia Law Group Lawyer: I'd say - I'll start with the red flag right away - is any time an attorney promises you a result, that is the biggest red flag right there because, first of all, there are no guarantees. Any set of facts can change the matter, but more importantly, that's completely against the ethics rules, is attorneys are not allowed to guarantee results. If they're guaranteeing you anything, promising you a dismissal, promising you a reduced charge, saying "I get this every single time", that should be a red flag right there, is they're just trying to get your business and worry about the consequences later.

It is Advisable to Retain an Attorney Who is Easy to Reach and Knowledgeable in that Particular Area of Law

The good qualities, I would say, you want someone knowledgeable about your particular situation who's experienced in that area of law, and you'd also want someone you can communicate with, who's going to be able to talk to the prosecutor or the officers and negotiate better results. Research is a good quality, and legal arguments, and also the ability to argue in court are definitely qualities. And, basically, someone you feel comfortable fighting your ticket on that violation, and that's not just going to forget about you.

If an Attorney Guarantees a Specific Result It Should Be Construed as a Red Flag

Interviewer: If a lawyer ever offers me a guarantee, is that something that I should be aware of, as well?

Acacia Law Group Lawyer: I'd like to think that most attorneys are not doing that. I don't know how often this is going on, but I'd say yes, that is something to be aware of. If you ever are guaranteed a specific result, that right there should be the biggest red flag. As I said, not only is that unethical, but it's just not going to happen. I mean, there could be ... I'd feel bummed if there's times when I get the same result every time, but then this one specific time things change. It depends.

A Competent Attorney Always Deals Honestly with a Client and Does Not Make Promises they Cannot Keep

Interviewer: Yeah, not to mention that people can be susceptible because they want so bad to win, and they'll hear anything.

Acacia Law Group Lawyer: Right. As I said, honesty is the most important. There are attorneys who are going to start telling you what you want to hear so you'll retain them. They'll start getting an impression, talk with you, saying, "Oh yeah, I can do this for you, I can do that for you, sure that will work out". At that point, they want you to feel comfortable with you  at the end of the road. Generally, I don't like to do it that way. I like to be honest up front, and I'll say, "Here's what I think I can do in this particular court, here is what I've seen before, and here's my strategy, but I'm not going to go guarantee you any results."