I make every effort to be the best criminal defense attorney in Missouri. That’s my goal every morning when I wake up and head in to my office in St. Charles. Why do I do it? I’m a criminal defense lawyer for one reason. I’ll get to that in a second, but first, let me tell you how I know that I need to answer that question — “Why do I do it?” It’s because I hear this question so often from well-intentioned people. “How can you be a criminal defense attorney?” they ask. They insinuate that I help really bad people get out of trouble so they can go right back out in the world and commit horrific crimes.
The Truth on What Criminal Defense Attorneys Really Do
I’m a criminal defense attorney for this reason and this reason only: I get to HELP people. I get a chance to help a person that got their first and hopefully only DWI or drug charge. They say, “Help me, I’m scared. I don’t want to go to jail. I don’t want to have a conviction follow me around for the rest of my life.”
I get a chance to help them by letting them know I’ll get them through this and do my absolute best to accomplish their goals. But in addition, I ask something of my clients: “Help me help you. If you have an alcohol or drug issue, let’s fix that first. If I take care of your case, but I don’t help you with the problem, it’s more of a temporary fix to a long term problem.”
By helping my client resolve their issue whether it’s drug or alcohol addiction or something else, I’ve helped them in more than one way. I can show their progress to the prosecutor to help them with their case, by providing a clean drug test or other evidence of the work they’re doing to change their lives. But I’ve also helped them with the problem in their life.
If you only knew the joy I get out of seeing one of my clients a year or two later. I run into that man or woman while I’m out in St. Charles or St. Louis. They tell me about the new job they have or how their family is doing great. It immediately brings a huge smile to my face, because I know I had a big part in that.
What it Means to Be the Best Criminal Defense Attorney… to Me
I can’t prove that I’m the best criminal defense attorney in Missouri. To me, being the best would mean helping the largest possible number of men and women to turn their lives around. Making sure that my fellow Missourians are not wrongfully convicted of a crime. Seeing to it that everyone’s rights are protected in the midst of difficult circumstances.
That’s why I do what I do!