Hiring a criminal defence lawyer is usually a high-pressure decision, often made within days of an arrest, and it’s one of the most consequential choices in the case. Most people have never had to do it before and don’t know what separates a good fit from a bad one. Here’s what to check before you decide.
Confirm They Actually Practice Criminal Law
A lot of general practice firms in Edmonton will take on the occasional criminal file. Criminal law moves fast, the rules change often, and courtroom skill in this area doesn’t transfer cleanly from other kinds of legal work. Ask directly what portion of the lawyer’s practice criminal defence is, not just whether they’ve “handled criminal cases before.”
Ask About Experience With Your Specific Charge
A lawyer who mostly handles impaired driving files isn’t automatically the right choice for a serious violent crime charge, and the reverse is just as true. Ask what similar cases they’ve taken on recently, and what the charge and circumstances were. A vague answer here is worth paying attention to.
Understand Who You’ll Actually Work With
At a larger firm, the lawyer in the consultation isn’t always the one who shows up in court. Ask directly whether the person you’re speaking with will personally handle your file from start to finish, or whether it gets passed to someone else once you’ve signed on.
Ask About Experience, Not Promises
No lawyer in Alberta, or anywhere in Canada, can ethically guarantee a specific outcome. If someone promises to get your charges dropped or guarantees an acquittal before they’ve seen the disclosure, that’s a warning sign, not a selling point. What you can reasonably ask about is direct experience: how many cases like yours they’ve argued, and what typically happens in cases with similar facts.
Get the Fee Structure in Writing Before You Sign
Ask upfront whether it’s a flat fee or hourly billing, what stages of the case are included, and what would trigger an additional charge (a trial that runs longer than expected, for example). A clear answer to this question up front avoids a much harder conversation later.
Why Local Experience in Edmonton Matters
Every jurisdiction runs a little differently: how Crown prosecutors in Edmonton typically approach certain charges, how local courts schedule matters, which judges hear what. A lawyer who works Edmonton’s courts regularly has a feel for that day-to-day reality that’s hard to replicate from a firm based elsewhere.
Verify Before You Commit
Before hiring anyone, it’s worth confirming they’re a licensed, practising lawyer in good standing. The Law Society of Alberta’s Find a Lawyer tool is the province’s own directory for exactly that check, and it takes a minute.
If you’re weighing your options in Edmonton, our criminal defence team at Purser Law is happy to talk through your situation directly and explain what to expect, with no pressure to decide on the spot.
About the author: Stacey Purser is a criminal defence and appeals lawyer at Purser Law in Edmonton, Alberta.
