One of the first things you want to know about is your attorney's experience and educational background. Has he/she ever tried a DWI/OUI/DUI? What percentage of his practice is devoted to drunk driving defense? Has she written any books or articles? What CLE courses has she attended that focus on OUI work? Does he have access to a network of expert witnesses to assist in the defense of the case? These are important questions to ask and quite frankly, I rarely hear clients asking me or anyone else the tough questions.
The question everyone seems to be predominately preoccupied with is "how much is this going to cost?" That shouldn't be your primary concern, though cost does factor into the ultimate decision on who to hire. A better question is "how much is this going to cost me if I lose?" An OUI can exceed $15,000.00 in court costs, fines, insurance high risk pool costs, installation of IIDs (ignition interlock device) and other hidden costs that are completely unforeseeable. These costs are in addition to the costs of retaining an attorney to represent you.
If you balance the cost of hiring the right attorney to fight your case and win against hiring the cheapest available attorney, the choice is obvious. If all you do is save a $2,000.00 - $3,000.00 but in the end you lose... you pay much, much more and you've saved nothing and lost everything... including your job if you are a pilot or drive for a living. My father had a saying that took me a lot of years and tough life lessons to understand and become ingrained in me: "don't be penny wise and pound foolish". Retain the best. You deserve it and your future depends on it. Call the attorneys of NIELSEN & BLY now.
