If you are living in 2019 and use a computer (which is obviously you if you are reading this), you know that people use the internet to find all types of products and services.  We shop online for clothes, household supplies, cars, and lawyers.

Ask yourself, “if I found myself in a predicament and needed to find an attorney, where would I start?”  Well, you would either ask whatever lawyer you might know (family friend, previous attorney you have used for an unrelated matter), or you would go to Google.  Once you enter your search into Google, something along the lines of “criminal defense attorney in Los Angeles”, you’ll notice that there are the normal search results, ads on the sides, ads on the top, picture box ads, Google ads, etc. and you might seem overwhelmed.  Thoughts of “which one is good?”, “who should I call?”, “are all these claims true?”

Here is what you should know.  Nearly all criminal defense attorneys in Los Angeles use some form of paid advertising or placement online.  Nearly all of those criminal defense attorneys in Los Angeles who advertise online, make claims that are, in many instances, not exactly true.  You might hear of one calling themselves “top rated defense attorney in Los Angeles”, but rated by who?  You might hear one claim that they were “Harvard educated”, but when you check their bio on the California State Bar, there is no record of them obtaining a degree from that school.  How about “most trusted criminal defense attorney in Los Angeles.”  Well, when you go to their website, there is no mention of what group or organization awarded them with the “most trusted attorney” award.

The truth of the matter is that any lawyer can pay an organization or company to place their name at the top of Google, or present them with a “top rated” plaque or “most trusted” award.  Choosing a criminal defense attorney in Los Angeles should be a careful and thoughtful process by you or your loved one.  If you have been charged with a crime and are looking to pay someone to represent your life and liberty, you should hire someone you can trust.  It seems to me that those attorneys you find at the top of the list on Google, making claims that are not substantiated, are starting off on the foot of not being trustworthy.  How can you enter into a trust relationship with someone who has been misleading?

What I would recommend is to look at the attorney’s reviews on websites that offer client and peer reviews.  Check out Avvo and Yelp to read what the attorney’s former clients and peers have to say about them.  Call the attorney directly, my personal phone number is available 24/7 (323) 222-4529, and talk to the attorney about your case.  I offer, and will always offer, a free 60-minute case consultation.  You should hire someone that you feel comfortable with and that you can trust.  You shouldn’t hire someone simply based on how quick their website pops up on Google or based on the claims they make.

Hope this helps, feel free to contact attorney Ross Erlich by calling (323) 222-4529.