April 20, 2018 |

What to Look for When Looking for a Brooklyn Criminal Defense Attorney

There are thousands of criminal defense attorneys in New York City. All of them share certain fundamental characteristics: they all graduated from law school, they all passed the bar exam, and they all have a license to practice law in New York State. But that is often where the similarities end. There can be dramatic differences between all of the criminal defense attorneys you can choose from to protect your future and your freedom. But it can be hard to make the right choice if you don’t know what you should be looking for.

Experience

Law school teaches attorneys a lot about the law. But there is much more to being an effective criminal defense lawyer than what can be found in books and classrooms. The practice of criminal law in New York City requires the irreplaceable quality of experience.

The criminal court system in New York City can be Byzantine and complicated. Every judge is different, and every courthouse or courtroom may have its own way of doing things. Often, understanding the unwritten rules of criminal defense in New York City is as important as knowing the law. That is something that is only gained through experience practicing in the city’s justice system. Make sure that the criminal defense lawyer you choose has spent a great deal of time defending clients in the city and that they have a lengthy and successful track record handling cases like yours.

Dedication

Criminal defense is different than every other area of the law. Few lawyers will tell you that they had a calling to be a corporate lawyer or securities lawyer. But the best criminal defense attorneys chose to do what they do because they are passionate about protecting the rights of those accused of crimes. They are committed to the principle that everyone is innocent until proven guilty and dedicated to doing everything in their power to protect their clients. If the defense lawyer you meet with doesn’t appear to appreciate how much is at stake for you or seems to treat you more like a file than a person, look elsewhere.

Tenacity

When you are charged with a crime, the full force of the criminal justice system is aligned against you. New York City prosecutors will aggressively seek to obtain your conviction. You need a defense lawyer who can match those efforts with tenacity and a relentless work ethic. Your lawyer needs to be fearless and unable to be intimidated. The best defense is often a good offense, and a good defense lawyer knows that they often need to go on the attack – against prosecutors, evidence, or witnesses – to truly protect their client.

Epstein & Conroy: Experienced, Dedicated, and Tenacious Brooklyn Criminal Defense Attorneys

At Epstein & Conroy, our attorneys are well-known for their aggressive representation and personal approach to representing clients accused of criminal offenses in Brooklyn and throughout the five boroughs. While we will seek to minimize the consequences of a trial conviction or negotiated plea, our first priority in every case we handle is obtaining a dismissal of the charges.

Please call (718) 852-6763 to arrange for your free initial consultation with one of Epstein & Conroy’s experienced Brooklyn criminal defense attorneys now.