What are the Risks of Having a Cut Rate Attorney with Experience — or No Attorney at All?

Retain the Services of a Texas Defense Lawyer 

When you are arrested for suspicion of a criminal violation and charged for a misdemeanor or felony, you need to start thinking about how you can defend yourself immediately. For some, the temptation to try to save money by acting as their own attorney or hiring a lawyer who charges a low fee for their representation may be tough to resist.

The reality is that attorneys are like anyone else who works and owns a business. They have to make payroll, pay office expenses, and earn a living. An attorney who is charging on the cheap is either doing a volume practice, and you will get little attention, or his work cannot command more. The truth is that settling for bottom-cost advocacy gets you bottom-tier advocacy.

What You Have to Lose Upon Conviction

To really know what you are risking if you hire from a low-cost attorney mill, or do not hire a private criminal defense lawyer at all, you need to know what is truly at stake when you are charged with a crime. The first thing on the line is your financial stability. Misdemeanor convictions can cost you more than $1,000 when all fees and fines are paid, and felony convictions can easily cost you more than $10,000 in fines and fees, especially if convicted of a high-level felony.

Second, your freedom will be stripped away if you are convicted of a serious crime. Misdemeanor convictions can put you in county jail for up to one year. Felonies, on the other hand, will place you in state or federal prison for one year or more. Some sentences for felonies go to the extreme and place the convicted in prison for long periods of time, even life with no chance of parole.

Lastly, you must be aware that your professional reputation and private life will be harmed forever by a criminal conviction. Employers, landlords, lenders, and educational institutions alike try to avoid people with convictions. All in all, every aspect of your life is jeopardized when charged with a crime.

What You Have to “Gain” with Cheap Legal Counsel

Now that you know what you can lose if convicted, it is time to think about what you gain by using no or cheap criminal defense counsel. That is to say, you stand to gain next to nothing but risk everything. What person who cares about her life, her reputation, or freedom would fight for that on the cheap?

Not having an attorney at all is a disaster. The prosecution has years of experience trying to put people behind bars, even when the evidence of the case indicates innocence. Unless you are a defense attorney, your years of experience with criminal law is infinitely less than that well-trained and experienced lawyer whose goal, as prosecutor, is to put you behind bars.

Appreciating the Value of Reliable Defense Attorneys

Turn your attention to attorneys who are not afraid to charge for their advocacy. We have lived our entire lives knowing that “you get what you pay for” in all goods and services. Criminal defense representation is no exception.

Bottom line, knowledgeable, experienced, and dependable attorneys can charge more because they are worth more. They have proven themselves again and again and understand the value of their talents. I f they did not dedicate time and resources to cases, and if they did not win uphill legal battles for their clients, they would not be able to charge for consultations and the like.

Initial Consultations are Part of Your Defense Case

At the Law Office of Patrick J. McLain, PLLC, we charge for consultations because this is step one of your defense case. Other law firms have free “consultations” that are usually 10-minutes long to find out if you have money to retain their counsel. Calling it a consultation is a loose interpretation of the word.

We dedicate plenty of time to get to know you, your case details, and actually use what we uncover in the case evaluation to start building your defense. You are not getting just a consultation — you are getting a stepping stone towards success, whether that means a case dismissal, charges reduced or dropped, a low sentence, or a not guilty verdict. All attorneys must get paid for their time, that is what all of us do, and the best will always be able to request a fee commensurate with their skills, experience, and success.

Our Accolades & Accomplishments Speak for Themselves

We consider our attorneys to be leaders in the legal world because they are. We know we are valuable to our clients and capable of challenging any prosecution. With more than 30 years of legal experience and thousands of case victories under our belts, the Law Office of Patrick J. McLain, PLLC is truly a legal forced to be reckoned with. Attorney Patrick McLain has unparalleled insight as a former military judge, former federal prosecutor, and advocate for citizens for over three decades.

When your future is hanging in the scales of justice, don’t you believe you deserve nothing but the best possible criminal defense representation? We do. Call (214) 238-9392 or send us an online contact form to schedule your consultation with our lawyers in Dallas.