Choosing the Best DUI Lawyer in San Francisco County

How to Find the Right Bay Area Drunk Driving Defense Attorney

San Francisco County is a difficult place to face DUI charges. The local District Attorney's office prosecutes these cases aggressively, even against first-time offenders. You may be local to the Bay Area or an out-of-state resident in town for a business convention or vacation. Either way, San Francisco County will impose significant penalties if you are convicted, and you need strong legal counsel by your side to effectively defend the charges against you.

Choosing the best DUI lawyer for your case can be a challenging and confusing process. Your arrest is part of the public record, so your mailbox will soon be flooded with glossy magazine-type advertisements from legal professionals who claim that they can help you with your case. The truth is, most of these firms pass their DUI cases to inexperienced associates who will do very little to defend you.

There is a lot of misinformation online as well. Many sites contain "pay to play" badges and reviews that are bought and paid for. This is all designed to embellish their credentials and lead you to believe that they are well-equipped to handle your case. One misleading claim to look out for is "we get 99% of our cases dismissed" or something similar.

In most California drunk driving cases, the defendant is charged with two crimes: driving with a blood alcohol content (BAC) of .08 or higher and driving under the influence of alcohol. If a defendant pleads guilty to one of the two charges, the other one is almost always dropped. Though this may help some firms pad their statistics, it does nothing to help you avoid the consequences of a DUI conviction.

How to Choose the Best DUI Lawyer for a San Francisco County Case

To find the right lawyer for your Bay Area DUI case, start by seeking a lawyer who focuses exclusively on DUI defense. It is best to get one who is Board-Certified by the National College of DUI Defense (as approved by the American Bar Association). Only five lawyers in the entire state of California have this distinction, and it is indicative of a high level of technical knowledge, skills, training, and experience in DUI defense. Additional items to consider include:

• How many years the attorney has practiced in the Bay Area;
• Their Martindale-Hubbell™ rating (A-V is the highest);
• Whether or not they handle each case personally; and
• How many cases they have taken to trial - an attorney with extensive trial experience can negotiate with the DA confidently knowing that litigation is a viable option.

Speak with a Knowledgeable San Francisco DUI Defense Lawyer

This information is provided by Bay Area DUI defense Attorney Paul Burglin. Since 1985, attorney Paul Burglin has successfully defended thousands of locals and visitors from out of town who have been charged with drunk driving. Paul Burglin is Board-Certified and a Regent for the National College of DUI Defense. He is also editor-in-chief of their national journal.

Since 2004, attorney Paul Burglin has co-authored National Drunk Driving Law, a two-volume legal guide commonly referred to as the "Bible of DUI Defense." This book contains hundreds of authoritative case interpretations, unique and decision-based DUI defenses, and answers to most questions about drunk driving defense. Because of his in-depth knowledge of DUI law and successful track record, Mr. Burglin is frequently sought out by prosecutors, judges, and DMV hearing officers when someone close to them is arrested for DUI.

If you are facing a DUI charge in the Bay Area, contact attorney Paul Burglin today at 415-735-3995 for a personalized consultation. We serve clients throughout the San Francisco Bay Area and surrounding northern California communities.