On the down side, P.D.s have huge caseloads. If your case is complicated and requires lots of research it might be worth trying to shell out the money for private counsel. The price and quality of private defense varies greatly. Some attorneys charge by the hour, but many charge a flat rate. Communicating Despite their fancy clothes and strange vernacular, defense attorneys are not your enemy.
Defendants often make the mistake of withholding information from their counsel.
We don't want to know if you are guilty. But we really need to know what the prosecution might throw at us. If a defendant has a prior conviction in another state it will most likely come up and we have to be prepared so as to neutralize damage. Anything you say to your lawyer in the course of an attorney-client meeting is privileged information. We're legally bound to keep our client's confidence.