The Orlando DUI market is one of the busiest in the State. Due to this many out of town law firms have rented shell offices in Orlando to give the appearance of having a physical location in the area. Too many times, we have heard from clients who called these out-of-towners and were told, “yes, we have an office in Orlando,” only to be given some excuse as to why they could not be met with in that office immediately.
We have been told of lawyers asking to meet with potential clients over the internet or via Skype (an internet video phone service). One potential client even told us that she asked if she could drop a cash payment off at the lawyers Orlando office only to be told that the lawyer would prefer that she did not do that, because he did not trust his staff there.
It is important to hire a DUI attorney who works regularly in the Orlando area. An intimate knowledge of the local Judges and prosecutors will help your attorney to help you. We were recently hired by a young man who wanted to be a firefighter. Based on the advice of his Tampa Bay area attorney, he entered a plea to the charge of DUI in a local courtroom. The state was offering this young man the first time minimum mandatory penalties for DUI.
What the out-of-town lawyer did not know was that the Judge he was in front of would have given his client the exact same penalties if he went to trial and lost. Going to trial could have only benefitted this young man. Now we are fighting to get the Judge to allow the withdrawal of this plea so that we can attempt to save this young man’s future career hopes. An experienced local attorney like those at Katz & Phillips, P.A. would not have recommended to this client to accept the State’s offer, knowing he had absolutely nothing to lose and everything to gain by going to trial.
Another trick of the out-of-towner is to hire local counsel to handle your matter. The law firm charges you a large fee for their service only to hire an inexperienced local attorney willing to handle your matter for as little as they can find. The only involvement you have with the firm you hire is sending them your money.
Always ask the attorney you are considering hiring about his or her specific experience in the County where your case is. Ask if they will be personally handling your case or if you will be handed off to an associate or of counsel attorney. Ask where their local office is and find out who the attorneys who work in that office are. Are they there regularly or only occasionally? Are they willing to meet with you face to face in their local office? Ask about the person whose name is on the door. How often is the owner of the firm at the local office? Does he regularly make courtroom appearances where your case is or is the name simply used for marketing?
It is important that you know what and who you are getting. If you are paying a premium price to get a big name attorney, don’t you think you should get that attorney? At Katz & Phillips, P.A. if you hire a partner you get a partner. Both partners are involved in every DUI case that comes through our door.
When there are hearings or trial in your DUI case, it is a partner in the firm that will be sitting with and fighting for you, not an inexperienced, underpaid associate. At Katz & Phillips, P.A. when you pay for our name, you get us. We are proud to personally handle your case and look forward to meeting you, so don’t wait. Contact an Orlando DUI defense lawyer at our firm today.
