White-collar crimes typically involve financial harm, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t serious crimes with significant consequences, including jail time. As such, hiring an experienced white-collar criminal defense attorney is just as essential as it would be for a violent crime. A skilled attorney can provide you with a strong defense at every stage of the case to help avoid a criminal conviction or minimize the sentence.
Criminal investigations can be very complex. Federal agents may be talking with multiple parties and requesting extensive documentation. It’s important to have legal representation at this stage to ensure that you don’t incriminate yourself or reveal more information than required. An attorney can also mount legal challenges if the government exceeds its authority or tries to violate your rights.
Further, a lawyer with experience handling the type of crime being investigated will understand what information the government wants and will be able to anticipate the steps federal agents will take. This can help when dealing with investigators and developing a strategy for the case.
White-collar crime cases are varied, highly fact-specific, and turn on circumstantial evidence of intent. As a result, it’s critical to hire a lawyer who understands how to present persuasive arguments for the specific type of crime charged.
Attorneys who focus on white-collar crimes will have an arsenal of past cases they handled to inform their advice and handling of your matter. They often argue cases in front of the same judges and prosecutors regularly and know the procedures, tactics, and types of decisions they tend to make. As a result, they can draw on this knowledge to predict how your case will go and what strategies may be most effective.
Appellate experience is also important since you could be convicted. Few trial attorneys handle appeals. Instead, they refer the case to an appellate attorney who wasn’t involved in the trial. For a defendant, however, having a lawyer at trial who also handles their own appeals is beneficial because that lawyer understands the intricacies of how to properly preserve evidence for an appeal.
The Federal Sentencing Guidelines are advisory rules used to determine a defendant’s sentence. The Guidelines assign a base-level offense, which is then adjusted based on the seriousness of the crime and the defendant’s prior criminal history to establish a sentencing range. However, some offenses carry a mandatory minimum sentence that the judge may not go below. Sentences can last months, years, or even decades depending on the circumstances.
Defendants can also face severe financial penalties under federal law, including fines, restitution, and forfeiture.
An experienced attorney can advocate for lower penalties and prison terms. The FSG allows the defendant’s circumstances to be taken into account providing an attorney with the opportunity to present a strong case for reduced penalties and sentences.
Even more than experience, you want an attorney who has successfully represented individuals being investigated or charged with the specific white-collar crime you are being accused of. Success means their client was not charged with or convicted of the crime or received a reduced sentence if convicted.
If you are being investigated or have been arrested, ask the attorneys you are thinking of hiring about their experience and results, so you hire the right one.
Our firm has extensive experience representing clients in a wide range of federal crimes and can advocate for you at every stage from investigation through trial and appeals. Contact us to learn how we can help you.