If you have been charged with drink driving, you need to find an expert solicitor to represent you as soon as possible. But with so many to choose from, how do you find the best drink driving solicitors?
Speak with one of our specialist drink driving solicitors by giving us a quick commitment-free call on 033 03411690 or by completing a Free Online Enquiry to have us get back to you with zero fee or obligation to use us.
Here are some of the key questions to ask yourself about any firm you are considering getting advice from or engaging to represent you:
Is It Worth Getting A Solicitor For Drink Driving?
Before we go any further, it’s worth reinforcing why it is worth getting a solicitor for drink driving charges:
- The consequences of being found guilty – being found guilty of drink driving comes with a minimum driving ban of 12 months, a fine of up to £5000, and possible prison time if you have a history of similar offences. In short, it’s worth trying to avoid.
- The evidence against you isn’t freely available – if you plead guilty to drink driving, you may never know whether the police and prosecution had enough evidence against you. They aren’t obliged to show it to you unless you force them to. That’s where a solicitor comes in.
- The legal system isn’t simple – in fact, it often appears designed to confuse and intimidate you. With legal advice on hand though, you know what is going to happen and how best to proceed.
How Do You Find The Best Drink Driving Solicitors?
Finding the best drink driving solicitors is easy if you ask yourself a few questions about every name you’re considering:
1) What Is Their Record Of Success?
Most firms with good track records will be pleased to boast about their ongoing success. For example, at DFR Solicitors we have successfully defended 87% of our clients who have been charged with drink (that’s securing a not guilty verdict).
Most of these not guilty verdicts have been achieved by demonstrating that the prosecution didn’t have enough evidence to prove guilt. We have also helped numerous others mitigate the charges against them after carefully analysing the evidence and finding they did not have a defence.
Any other solicitor should be equally happy to talk about their previous track record.
2) Are They Qualified Specialists?
You should always quickly check that your solicitor is registered with the Law Society and if they are part of the Criminal Litigation Accreditation Scheme (CLAS) or any other accreditation and quality schemes.
You’ll be looking for a specialist in motoring law in general and drink driving in particular if you want to secure the best possible outcome in your case.
3) How Much Are Their Fees?
Solicitors are, unfortunately, not free to hire. Or, to be more accurate, you can get a free duty solicitor to advise you in the police station. However, they’re likely to advise you to plead guilty and then try to mitigate the penalty. The court will still impose a driving ban if you do this though.
An actual specialist drink driving solicitor will charge you. They may charge you by the hour or a fixed fee for their entire service. Mostly, but not always, paying a fixed rate is better.
This is because you know precisely how much you will be charged right at the outset.
Always request a free quote from any drink driving lawyer and make sure you are clear about what exactly is included in your fee first. For instance, many firms will charge you extra for a court appearance because of the volume of additional work involved.
4) Do They Offer A Free Initial Consultation?
Solicitors – even those at major firms – shouldn’t charge you for an initial consultation.
At DFR, we provide an initial consultation usually within two hours of you getting in touch and always on the same day. We know that no two cases are the same, so we want to get to know you and the specifics of your particular situation.
Only then can we defend you in the most effective and successful way. You’ll want any solicitor you’re considering to feel like they’re giving a similar level of close personal attention to you and your case.
5) Do You Feel Confident In Their Support And Knowledge
The acid test for any potential drink driving solicitor is to reach out and speak to them in person. Only then can you get a good feel for:
- How helpful, supportive, and polite they are
- Whether you feel they are knowledgeable about the specific laws involved
- Whether you have a trustworthy basis for a good working relationship
In general, you can get a decent gut instinct about these kinds of things very quickly if you speak to the solicitor directly. You can also correspond with them to make sure they respond quickly to your emails and that they always pick up the phone or call back swiftly when you call.
Why not try it now? Speak with one of our specialist drink driving solicitors by giving us a quick commitment-free call on 033 03411690 or by completing a Free Online Enquiry to have us get back to you with zero fee or obligation to use us.