How Do You Pick a Lawyer?
Texas Criminal Defense Attorney
Choosing the right lawyer
A Letter from Ray Taylor
Dear Potential Client,
Choosing the right Criminal Specialist when you are under criminal investigation will be one of the most important decisions you will ever make. Selecting the right attorney can be a simple a matter, provided you select an attorney with the right qualifications, experience, and willingness to vigorously and aggressively represent you.
But how do you select a vigorous and aggressive attorney when you do not personally know any criminal attorneys? The only way is to select the attorney with the best qualifications.
How does a person determine which attorney has the best qualifications? It is simple: by asking each attorney specific questions about his or her qualifications and getting a written answer. Here is a list of questions to ask, and how Ray Taylor would answer those questions. Contact our San Antonio law firm today. Call (210) 807-9916.
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Questions to ask a lawyer about his qualifications |
Ray Taylor's Qualifications |
Other Attorneys' Qualifications |
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Is your attorney one of the less than 1 percent of Texas lawyers Board Certified in Criminal Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization? (It is also called a Certificate of Special Competence by the State Bar.) |
Yes, Board Certified in Criminal Law since 1979. One of the first in San Antonio to earn this certification |
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Has your lawyer tried and won a criminal jury trial within the last six months? Who was the Defendant, what was the case number, and what was the criminal charge? |
Yes |
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Is your attorney one of the 31 Texas attorneys out of 80,000 to be Board Certified in Criminal Trial Advocacy by the National Board of Trial Advocacy? |
Yes, Board Certified nationally since 1984. One of the first in Texas. |
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Has your lawyer been designated Preeminent by Martindale Hubbell Lawyer rating service? |
Yes |
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Does your attorney have an "AV"* rating from Martindale-Hubbell National Lawyer Rating Service? Ask to see it. |
Yes |
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Does your attorney have a full-time research lawyer available in his firm to research complex legal issues immediately? |
Yes. Phillip Spicer has been with Ray Taylor since 1978 and is a highly accomplished legal researcher. |
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Does your attorney have on premises a large criminal law library available for immediate use? Ask to see it. |
Yes. Please ask to see our library. |
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Does your attorney have an experienced professional staff of secretaries and paralegals available to assist you immediately with your case? |
Yes. Ms. Madero, our senior paralegal, has 46 years of criminal law experience. Bill Hayman, an unlicensed law school graduate, works as a State Bar Registered paralegal. |
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Are there full-time secretaries on premises to help you and answer your questions, or do you just get an answering service? |
Yes. We employ full time secretaries available to answer your questions and schedule appointments for all needed conferences. |
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Does your attorney handle criminal appeals of cases lost by other attorneys? How often? Ask to see his latest brief. |
Yes. Attorney Phillip Spicer has often written appellate briefs for appeals of cases lost by other law firms at trial since 1978. He does so frequently. |
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Has your attorney been an instructor at the Advanced Criminal Law Seminar? |
Yes |
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How many law books has your attorney written? |
Seven |
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How many articles has your attorney had published by the Texas Bar Journal? |
Two. (A third, "The Crimes Lawyers Commit" is in preparation.) |
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What awards for outstanding publications on legal topics has your attorney received? |
-Texas Bar Foundation Award -Bancroft-Whitney Award -Lawyers Cooperative Publishing Co. Award |
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How many years has your attorney practiced criminal law in the San Antonio area? |
39 years |
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Has your attorney tried and won major criminal cases in other states? Ask for details. |
Yes |
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Are your attorney's fees in line with those charged by equally experienced and qualified attorneys? |
Yes |
Written answers to the above questions will tell you how well qualified an attorney candidate is to handle your case. Obviously, a criminal attorney Board Certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization and the National Board of Trial Advocacy has a long history of demonstrated competence and special qualifications. They have been required to have a minimum of five years experience handling criminal cases and to have successfully tried numerous criminal jury trials. Additionally, they are required to demonstrate the highest ethical standards, stay current with the latest developments in criminal law, and demonstrate a consistent pattern of excellence in legal research and brief writing.
Remember, an attorney's qualifications can range from never having tried a single case (and such an attorney would not be required to tell you so - and neither would the Judge.) to the qualifications set out above. The Court will expect you to do your own research in selecting the attorney best qualified to help you. Use this checklist to compare attorneys, then call us to learn more about our qualifications. Get written answers to the above questions and you can objectively judge comparative excellence! Use this checklist to compare attorneys, then call us to learn more about our qualifications. Contact our San Antonio law firm to learn more. Call (210) 807-9916 to arrange for a free consultation and analysis of your case. Do not trust your freedom to anyone less than a fully qualified criminal lawyer.
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* Martindale-Hubbell is the facilitator of a peer-review rating process. Ratings reflect the confidential opinions of members of the Bar and the judiciary. Martindale-Hubbell ratings fall into two categories: legal ability and general ethical standards. CV, BV, and AV are registered certification marks of Reed Elsevier Properties Inc., used in accordance with the Martindale-Hubbell certification procedures, standards, and policies.
