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PICKING THE RIGHT CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY
Having the right attorney is extremely important. After all, your attorney is you for the purpose of your case and the defense of the charges. The lawyer speaks for you, makes some decisions for you, and takes action for you. This means that, if you are in court with an argument over money or property, having an attorney you trust is important for whether you receive or lose that money or property. But what if the case is about more than just money or property? What if the case is about your life?
In the criminal justice system, the government wants to take your freedom from you. Maybe the government wants to take a few years; maybe the government wants to take 30 years; or maybe the government wants to keep you imprisoned for life. When your life is at stake, having confidence in your attorney and trusting your attorney to speak for you, to make decisions for you, and to take action for you means even more. Thus, your case may come down to the relationship you have with that attorney—how much you trust that lawyer to be you and do what is best for you in court.
All relationships are built upon communication. How often have you seen or heard of an attorney that pretends to know exactly how the case is going to play out even before listening to his client or interviewing witnesses? What does that attitude mean for the client and the client's case? As we see it, closed communication leads to a poor relationship. Open communication leads to a strong relationship. And a strong relationship can then lead to a fundamentally better strategy and case.
We believe what makes our law firm excel both in court and in client satisfaction is not merely our dedication to the client's case, the time we put into research and writing, our experience and aggressiveness. Instead, we believe our greatest asset is our ability to communicate. We listen. And we are proud to state that some of the best ideas can come from our clients and their families. After all, the clients know many aspects of their case better than we do, and it is our job to get to know the case down to the finest details. You cannot do that without listening. We know the process. We have the experience. We are up to date on the latest case law. But our client lived the case.
Why do we value communication? It comes more from our life experiences outside the courtroom than any law school, legal training, or courtroom experience we ever had. For example, partner Matt Robinson became a lawyer because of the experience he had as a teenager watching as his father was charged, convicted, and then imprisoned in the federal system. Partner Jeff Brandt grew up (and still lives) in a neighborhood where kids are far too likely to follow a criminal path and end up in trouble with the law, possibly incarcerated for much of their lives.
In other words, the attorneys at Robinson & Brandt may not be what most people expect from a law firm. With years of criminal defense, criminal appellate, and post-conviction relief experience from coast to coast, our law firm is available to represent defendants the way they expected to be treated from the very start. We understand that many people may not trust lawyers in general. Based upon many of the stories we have heard from our clients over the years, we can understand why. We want you and your family or other supporters to know that we value our clients and their rights. Each attorney and each staff member pledges to be prompt, courteous, and above all: honest. The channels of communication will remain open at all stages. You and your family or other supporters will be treated with dignity and respect. Although we certainly cannot control the decisions of the judges and cannot promise victory, we can promise to provide you with the highest level of professional criminal defense representation.