Lawyers’ duties extend beyond the courtroom. Defense attorneys, for example, aid clients from the day they’re hired. They void warrants, ensure proper protection from abusive police questioning, and they can attempt to have a criminal case thrown out altogether. Protection from a defense lawyer begins immediately. That’s a formula that works – because a lawyer must earn a client’s trust in order to compose a winning case.
This is essential, because a lawyer and client must work as a team. Judges tend to lend more leniency to collaborative lawyer, and juries are more persuaded by lawyers and clients who work closely. Moreover, clients can place trust in their lawyer, since lawyers are held up to a standard of conduct rendered by the American Bar Association (ABA). According to the ABA’s standards, lawyers must not: