Choosing an Attorney for DWI

Interviewer: I guess when I’m looking for an attorney to help me reduce my cost for my first-time DWI or the second, what are some qualities I should be looking for when it comes to reduction?

Michael Kramer: Well, length of experience, number of DWI cases over the years, reputation in the community, and, most importantly, the initial interview you have with that attorney are all very important. Do you feel comfortable with that person? Does that person seem knowledgeable? Is this the person you want to represent you in court and speak on your behalf? Those are the types of considerations.

Interviewer: You mentioned reputation in the community. What is that?

Michael Kramer: Well, as in the legal community. Does this person know what they’re doing? Does this person have a good reputation in the court system? Does this attorney have a good reputation among people who deal with DWI type incidents? People who do alcohol evaluation and know an attorney’s reputation. Court clerks know an attorney’s reputation. So many motorists don’t have access to that initially but that’s the type of reputation I’m talking about, as well as word of mouth. I mean a lot of lawyers come recommended from friends of motorists who’ve been in similar situations.

Attorney Fees

Interviewer: All right. What do you think about attorney costs? Do people get what they pay for with an attorney? It’s up to you how you want to answer that question.

Michael Kramer: That’s a judgment call. A motorist should shop around. There are attorneys who I understand charge exorbitant fees; whether they’re necessarily worth that remains to be seen. I know I’d be talking in terms of myself interest when I offered opinion on that, but if a motorist is going to go to trial, certainly you want an attorney with years and years of trial experience and you have to be willing to pay for that.

If a motorist on the other hand says, “I don’t want a trial. I want you to work out the best plea bargain you can,” there is a limit to what an attorney can do regardless of how much you pay them, so you have to be careful under those circumstances not to overpay.

You want to maximize the experience and competence you get with an attorney versus the amount that you want to pay for it and you can only determine that by shopping around and making the decision accordingly.

Notable Cases

Interviewer: Are there any particular cases that you’ve dealt with recently where you’ve significantly reduced someone’s costs?

Michael Kramer: As I indicated a number of times, the lower I can get a charge reduced, the less expensive it will be, so those are the types of objectives I have in these cases, and every case that I get reduced for a motorist saves money. Rather than talk about specifics, in general I have been quite successful in getting charges reduced if the circumstances allow and therefore you can rest assured that no stone will be left unturned in that effort.