Recently, some of my friends from the office have left to go do private practice. Two are doing criminal defense work and one wants to do civil work but informed me that he "has to pay the bills" so he'll be doing defense too. Aside from being sad to see them go they have left an absolute crapload of work to do.
I have sworn that I cannot do defense work personally. If you are honest and true then I respect it blah, blah, blah. But it comes down to the fact that you are in a job then that requires you to lie. (Constructively) But I watch these guys starting to make money. And where as I'm stuck doing all my work and their former work too I think "if I were working for myself then if I didn't want more work then I'd just not take it." Plus, "how are these guys making so frickin' much money so easy?"
To all criminals: Barring some crazy issue (which I know you think you have but you don't) or an incredibly complicated trial (94% of cases plead out) they are not earning that money you paid.
Now I'm just generalizing here but you review a police report. You see it's pretty straight-forward. You tell the DA your guy is really good and will never do this again and he's in treatment and his father is really sick, etc. You pick up a piece of paper from the DA with an offer for the mandatory minimums that every first timer gets and give it to your client triumphantly telling them that they were looking at a possible year and 10 grand but you whiddled it down to 3 days! You're amazing! You're the best attorney that soccer mom or CPA has ever seen! Here's $2000 bucks! All in all a pretty good payout for 30 minutes of work.
I must be crazy. But I knew I'd never make any money doing this and I chose it anyway. I sure miss my freinds and I don't look forward to kicking their butts in trial - but I'll do what I must:)
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