I love being a criminal defense lawyer. I loved being a prosecutor. Criminal law is the only branch of the law that I will ever practice. As if the rest of the legal community would have me. That would be fine, because I cannot stand 90% of lawyers. The lawyers I have associated myself with over the past 15 + years are in the criminal field. As a whole, they are good and honorable people. The best trial lawyers are criminal lawyers. That is my biased opinion. If you ever consider watching a trial, just ask me and I will find the best lawyer match-up for you. When it is done right, a criminal trial is great viewing.
The problem is that you you needed one, you won't know where to look for the best criminal lawyers. It is a crapshoot for the layman. Hopefully, someone close to you will have a referral to a good lawyer. A lawyer who will give you his best, and his best is actually worth the fee. I hope your blood curdles when you see a lawyer advertise on cable, billboard or, worst of all, in a mass mailing to your home when you have been pinched for DUI or stealing a pack of gum from the Walgreen's. Put your life into that person's hands and good luck on the outcome of your case. McJustice, churn em' and burn em'. It is a disgrace to our profession. Those lawyers are about the money and nothing else. I value my reputation over that kind of a practice. I know that I will not get rich doing this job my way. It doesn't matter. I hope to have the respect and reputation of a good and professional lawyer. Besides, I ain't crying poor.
You can always read the paper and hire a lawyer based on how good he says he is. Like the lawyer for one of the "Family Secrets" mobsters. He had a field day talking to John Kass about his pink and red socks and other wardrobe selections. He even mentioned his fashion sense in his opening statement to the jury. How is that helping the guy charged with 12 murders sitting next to him? He also is writing about the trial on a blog. He calls himself "the Shark," and has titled his column, "Shark Attacks." I will now stick a fork in my eye.
I will not retract my opening statement just because most lawyers are balloonheads. I don't despise my profession because most lawyers are money grubbing whores. This is the business that I have chosen. I do it my way, the right way, and have to answer only to myself. My clients know what I am all about, and they know me. That is all that I can control. It doesn't mean that sometimes I want to light myself on fire.
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