The reality of being a criminal defense lawyer

From a public defender:

The starkest reality? We lose. We lose often. You lose more than you win. As a public defender, I lose more than you’d care to know (not because public defenders are bad lawyers, but because we can’t choose our clients). It’s not that I’m not a good lawyer (I can’t speak to that – you’d have to ask my colleagues), it’s just the nature of the beast.

Talk to your client. Make him aware of the possibilities. Every time someone goes to trial, significant incarceration is a possibility. Work your hardest – the client will see it. Then you won’t be left searching for words when the verdict is guilty.

Read the entire post