How to Research Your Potential Tennessee DUI Lawyer

When choosing a Tennessee attorney to handle your DUI charge, you should be certain to research your potential lawyer.  Because of the serious consequences associated with a Tennessee DUI conviction, which attorney you hire is one of the most important decisions you make.  In addition to the considerations discussed in our previous post, Eeny, Meeny, Miney, Mo – Hiring a TN DUI Attorney, you should consult the following resources:

1. Visit the Tennessee Board of Professional Responsibility website to search for the attorney.  The Tennessee Board of Professional Responsibility governs the licensing of Tennessee attorneys.  The website will provide information on whether the attorney is in good standing (able to practice law in Tennessee) and whether the attorney has ever been disciplined (e.g. suspended from the practice of law).
2. Determine if the Tennessee lawyer or someone in the firm is certified as a specialist in the area of DUI Defense.  Such information can be obtained from the website of the Tennessee Commission on Continuing Legal Education and Specialization.
3. Determine if the attorney has been rated by Martindale-Hubbell^TM and if his rating (or that of the law firm) is an “AV.”  The “AV” rating represents an attorney who has legal abilities that are “very high to preeminent” (A) and whose ethical standards rate “very high” (V).
4. Consult Avvo.com for additional information on the lawyer. Avvo provides a rating system for attorneys and was designed to assist consumers in selecting a lawyer. The benefit of Avvo is that you can review endorsements of the potential attorney from his or her peers, as well as read reviews from actual prior clients of the attorney.
5. Finally, you should visit the attorney’s website. Review the site for the attorney’s biography and resume, as well as information pertaining to Tennessee DUI law.
6. Don’t overlook contacting your friends, family, police officers and court personnel known to you or your friends, your employer, and other attorneys who specialize in other areas of law to obtain a short list of lawyers with excellent reputations.