As Solicitation lawyer in Washington, DC, I often do free consultations for people who have been arrested on prostitution charges.  After the consultation, the prospective client might tell me that he thinks he is going to hire me but is going to check with other lawyers and then get back me and asks if this is okay.  Not only is this okay, I would do the same thing if I were charged with a crime in the District of Columbia.  These days people comparison shop for everything, why wouldn’t you do the same when hiring a lawyer?

The truth is, there are a lot of great criminal defense lawyers in Washington, DC who can handle your solicitation case.  The question is not necessarily who is the best criminal defense attorney in the District of Columbia, but rather who is the best lawyer for you.  You can look at reviews and ratings on the Internet, but I suggest that you schedule a consultation and see if you are comfortable with that person.  Being arrested by the Metropolitan Police Department for solicitation can be very embarrassing, and you want to make sure that whomever you hire will work with you to keep the matter as confidential and private as possible and do whatever he can to avoid you having a conviction on your record.

While the potential penalty for a first offense of sexual solicitation is up to 90 days in jail and a fine of up to $500, your main concern is probably making sure this doesn’t have a negative affect on your marriage, job, or security clearance.  Perhaps you live in a community or belong to a religious organization that would react harshly to a solicitation arrest. These are perfectly understandable concerns and you should discuss this with the lawyer you hire to represent you.

Sometimes it just comes down to which lawyer makes you feel more comfortable.  I have had clients tell me that they hired me because they felt better after talking to me and were less worried about what would happen.  They knew what would happen each step of the way and knew what to expect.  If you can find someone who can do that for you, than he is probably the best lawyer for your DC solicitation case.

Another thing to consider is whether the lawyer you do your consultation with will be the same lawyer handling your case every step of the way.  Some lawyers do the entire case themselves and others hire a bunch of associates to actually do the work.  You may end up with a different lawyer every time you go court.  While some may have no issue with this approach, others may want to know that the person they hire is actually the person representing them.  These are all things to consider and ask about during your consultation.