James Wesseling
5 Things I Wish I Knew Before Hiring a Defense Attorney
Last updated: 2/9/2024
By: James Wesseling
Hello!
You may be here because you made a mistake and got arrested? I did too once.
And then I made the mistake a nightmare by hiring the wrong lawyer.
I turned a crisis into a catastrophe.
I made this website so people don't make the same mistakes I made!
My name is James.
I was arrested in by Palm Beach Sheriff's office for DUI with Property Damage a few years back.
My DUI mugshot re-created
(AI rendition of my mugshot (I wish I looked this good))
I was embarrassed. Ashamed.
Afraid, Scared. Angry with myself!
Can I go to jail?
Will I lose my job?
How much will this cost?
OMG...
I have a court date coming up!
I need a lawyer!
So, I did what you are doing right now.
I went to Google and started "doing my research".
Me doing research
(I looked worse after call after call; playing phone tag, leaving voicemails with all the lawyers)
Long story short...
After doing my research, I hired an attorney that...
...went to a great law school
...had great testimonials
...website looked great
...their professional photo looked great...
(You've seen these lawyers, right?)
You probably saw them just before this page and will probably after.
But in the end...after all my "research", I hired a cookie cutter lawyer and it cost me dearly!
Do not hire a Cookie Cutter lawyer like I did
(Don't fall for the fancy head shot and website. It makes them good marketers, not necessarily good lawyers)
...their law school didn't matter
...their testimonials were cherry picked
...their website & headshot was fancy for a reason. It was all marketing.
I hired the wrong lawyer and it cost me big time!
I don't want that to happen to you!
So I wrote the Top 5 mistakes I made when hiring a criminal defense attorney. (Plus some bonus tips!).
[If you have any questions or would like to learn more about my service please fill out this form.]
1. Experience Matters, But Specificity is Key
What I mean: I learned the hard way that it's not just about hiring someone with a law degree. The attorney's familiarity with my specific type of charge, their track record with similar cases, and their knowledge of the local legal landscape, including the judge and arresting police department, were all crucial.
What I would do different: The difference made by an attorney who knows the ins and outs of the local court system, including any peculiarities of the judge and how the arresting police department operates, cannot be overstated.