While it is always best to hire a criminal defense attorney as soon as possible, we frequently get retained in later stages of the case. This is still fine as long as we can prioritize the legal objectives necessary to have a successful outcome.
Once we are hired, the first step is to get discovery and, once received, we will perform a legal analysis and conduct a legal investigation as necessary to achieve the desirable outcome.
We have also gotten involved right before trial. Nothing is more stressful for a client than being faced with an imminent trial and not being happy with their current representation.
We are frequently sought after and consulted with when trial seems a true reality and a client is often looking for the most experienced and trustworthy criminal defense team to represent them for their day in court. This is generally not the best practice, but it is better to have an experienced team on your side late in the game rather than not at all.