Let me start by saying if you are charged with a federal crime you are probably in some deep shit. There’s no two ways about it. See, the feds don’t usually just after anyone. They let the state law enforcement officials deal with the small timers – DUI, theft, assault, drug possession, etc. The feds usually reserve what they are doing for the big guys, or at least the guys that are causing some serious trouble. If you are prosecuted by the federal government, you need a good federal criminal defense lawyer on your side, period.

Here’s the thing, though, criminal defense in state and federal court are very different. It’s not like being a truck accident attorney where you can hop back and forth from federal to state court without too much trouble. Nope. See, unlike a truck accident lawyer, a criminal defense attorney has to play by very different sets of rules at the federal level. Investigations are done differently, plea agreements are done differently, it’s all done differently. So, pay attention for three qualities of a good federal criminal defense attorney.

1. They are Expensive.

They say there are two types of federal criminal defense lawyers – travel agents and trial lawyers. You don’t want a travel agent on your side. As the name implies, they simply guide you through the process, holding your hand as the walk you to jail. A good federal criminal attorney, like the best divorce lawyer, is going to cost you some bucks. But, just like the best divorce lawyer, they’re probably going to be able to get you some results.

2. They Actually Have Federal Experience

I don’t do federal law. And I don’t do it for a reason. To get good at it, you have to do it a lot. Any federal criminal defense attorney you think of hiring, you better find out how much experience they have at the federal level. If it isn’t much, I’d look some place else.

3. They Have an Investigator on Staff

Federal criminal charges don’t just drop out of the sky. Most of the time they are built on months, if not years, of investigation. If you are going to have a fighting chance you need someone that can contact all the witnesses listed and find out all the dirt they can on them. This is what an investigator does. An attorney, at this level of the game, focuses on the law.

Find an federal criminal defense lawyer with these three qualities and you’re guaranteed to have at least the best shot at beating your charges.