Want to know what a great criminal defense lawyer is made of?

There’s more to understanding what a criminal defense lawyer does than knowing they show up to court to represent their clients. It’s important to understand the specific skills and areas of expertise that truly set apart the good from the great criminal defense lawyers out there.

In a competitive field of more than 252,000 criminal defense lawyers in the U.S. today, it’s more important than ever for criminal defense lawyers to know which skills and areas of expertise to really hone in on to excel in their cases.

In this post, we break down those skills and area of expertise…

Before we get into it:

• The Basic Legal Knowledge They Need
• Courtroom Skills
• Investigation and Research Skills
• Communication Skills
• And Why Experience Is So Important

Core Legal Knowledge

OK, let’s start with the obvious.

What’s the very first thing that sets the elite criminal defense lawyers apart from the rest?

Their legal knowledge is bulletproof.

A criminal defense lawyer has to have a working knowledge in many different areas of law. These include criminal statutes, constitutional law, and procedural rules.

And here’s the kicker…

Knowing the law isn’t enough. The best lawyers also have to know how to apply it to the real world. These lawyers have to:

• Interpret complex legal precedents and rulings
• Understand both federal and state criminal codes
• Understand the rules of evidence from top to bottom
• Be up to date with changes in the law and procedural rules

This legal knowledge is the foundation that www.dwg-law.com and other criminal defense firms like it build their winning strategies on. This knowledge is required to create a winning game plan. Without it, the other skills and areas of expertise won’t do much.

Courtroom Prowess

Here’s a little known fact…

The truth is that the vast majority of criminal defense work is done outside the courtroom. So what happens if your case does actually go to trial? That’s when your lawyer’s courtroom skills really come into play.

Here’s a statistic that may shock you. According to sources like Pew Research, only 2% of federal criminal defendants were taking their cases to trial in recent years.

Here are some courtroom skills that every great defense lawyer must have:

• Effective cross-examination
• Opening and closing arguments that get results
• The ability to think on their feet during unexpected moments
• Reading the jury and tailoring their approach accordingly
• Keeping their cool under fire

They don’t gain these skills from a textbook. These are skills that are developed in real courtrooms, standing before prosecutors, judges, and juries day in and day out.

Investigation Skills

Something that many people outside the legal industry just don’t understand…

The investigation portion of your case is so crucial to your entire case.

Defense lawyers have to have solid investigation skills to help them do the following:

• Thoroughly review police reports for errors or inconsistencies
• Conduct interviews with witnesses
• Analyze forensic evidence
• Understand procedural errors
• Identify and present exculpatory evidence that may otherwise be missed by prosecutors

Great criminal defense lawyers are essentially detectives themselves. They leave no detail unchecked. They question everything. They don’t let anything slide. They will use their investigative skills to dig up on your case to see if the prosecution has any holes in their case that can help you in court.

Strategic Thinking

Here’s the thing…

Defense isn’t just about knowing the law.

It’s also about strategy.

Different cases require different strategies. Criminal defense lawyers need to think strategically about how to best help their clients. Great lawyers develop their strategies based on factors such as:

• The charges
• The evidence
• The prosecutor’s track record
• The judge’s tendencies
• The client’s goals

Sometimes the best strategy is to negotiate a favorable plea deal. Other times, it may be the best course of action to take your case all the way to trial. Top criminal defense lawyers know which strategy to use and which makes more sense than others. And, more importantly, they are able to communicate this effectively to the client.

Winning criminal defense lawyers need to think multiple steps ahead. They need to think about how the prosecutor will move and then think about what they can do to combat their case against you.

Communication Skills

OK, this skill may be a game changer.

Communication.

Criminal defense lawyers have to communicate effectively with many different people:

• Clients (explaining the law and their options in a way that the client can understand)
• Prosecutors (negotiating plea deals, discussing evidence, etc.)
• Judges (making legal arguments, filing motions, etc.)
• Juries (creating a narrative that will resonate with the jury and create a reasonable doubt)
• Witnesses (knowing which questions to ask and when)

Weak communication skills can ruin even the best case. Top lawyers make legal concepts easy to understand for clients. They are also persuasive communicators when they need to be.

Emotional Intelligence

Something that they don’t teach in law school…

It’s the ability to read and understand people that is just as important as reading and understanding the law.

Criminal defense lawyers work with:

• Scared
• Angry
• Confused
• Clients
• Sometimes even dishonest clients

Lawyers with emotional intelligence are able to build trust with the client. They know how to show empathy. And they know how to manage their own emotions, especially during difficult conversations or situations. Great lawyers are able to also read prosecutors, judges, and even potential jurors to better predict their reactions and adapt their approach if needed.

Negotiation Skills

Wait for it…

The truth is that most criminal cases never actually go to trial.

They are instead resolved through negotiations.

Negotiation skills are extremely important for defense lawyers. A great negotiator will be able to:

• Find leverage points
• Know when to push and when to compromise
• Build rapport with the prosecutor
• Understand what’s possible and what’s not
• Fight for the best deal possible

Effective negotiators can help their clients avoid harsh sentences, reduced charges, or alternative sentencing that may keep them out of prison entirely.

Research and Analysis Skills

Lawyers spend hours poring over case law, studying past precedents, and analyzing evidence.

And this is for good reason.

Lawyer research and analysis can help them to:

• Find legal arguments to suppress certain pieces of evidence
• Identify similar cases that have had more favorable outcomes
• Challenge the legal theories of the prosecution
• Uncover new and innovative defense strategies

It’s the lawyers who go above and beyond with this type of research who end up winning the really tough cases.

Time Management

Look, no one’s going to tell you this in law school…

Most criminal defense lawyers handle dozens, if not hundreds, of active cases at any given time.

Time management skills are essential for criminal defense lawyers because they:

• Must meet court-imposed deadlines
• Need to prepare for hearings and trials
• Have to respond to client calls, emails, and messages
• Need to conduct thorough investigations
• Must complete administrative work and paperwork

Lawyers who can’t keep their time management skills under control will end up losing cases because things get missed.

Wrapping Things Up

Great criminal defense lawyers have to have a wide range of skills and areas of expertise that you won’t see on TV. These include everything from core legal knowledge and courtroom skills to emotional intelligence and time management.

Lawyers can’t become experts in these skills overnight. They take years to develop and continue to be refined. If you are facing criminal charges, knowing what these key skills and areas of expertise are can help you to determine if you have found a truly skilled and experienced criminal defense lawyer or if it’s time to look for a new one.

The stakes are just too high to leave it to chance.