I've never had any legal issues in the hobby. I was just wondering if it made sense to research lawyers before it becomes necessary. I live in NYC so I'm sure there are many to choose from. Wouldn't it be nice to have reviews of lawyers as well as providers to help us choose?
Visit the Martindale-Hubell website at http://www.martindale.com/
You can search by region/location, or by area of practice. "AV" is the best rating - though expect the hourly rates for AV attorneys to be about the same or higher than for top providers, and seldom is a legal matter resolved with fewer than 10-20 hours of time.
I've found Martindale's ratings to bear no relationship to the quality of the legal services. Some bad lawyers are highly rated because they know the right people, and some great lawyers aren't rated at all.
the best lawyer will depend on the jurisdiction in which you have the problem. Unless you desire/plan to spend big time money (like OJ, ken lay etc), you best best is to find out which attorneys handle a lot of that type case in that jurisdiction. They are usually ex-prosecutors, they know the range and type of plea deals the prosecutors and judges will accept for that type offense, and assuming you want to plead out (usually the best/most economical course of action for 1st time offenders), they can at least get you the best deal possible. Usually for a first offender a plea down to a lesser offense, a painful fine (but not as painful as the legal bill), and probation; sometimes you can cut a deal (particularly if there are evidentiary problems) to defer charges, and if you "behave"(i.e. are not rearrested) within a period of time, the charge will be dropped. If you are a repeat offender, have a zealous prosecutor (perhaps someone seeking re-election in Durham NC), or for some reason they want to make an exampleof you, then you must look for a good criminal trial attorney who will leave no stone unturned, challenge every bit if evidence, and use every technicallity to get you off - that can be expensive, but remember, prosecutors are paid by the taxpayers and their office has a budget - if they use 2 full time prosecutors, an assistant paralegal,and two detectives from the force for a full year, those are resources not available to pursue other crimes - thus there is a mutual pain to this type case - few if any "hobby" cases are worth it to either the accussed or the prosecutors. The providers who are nailed are usually ones who make the mistake of becoming too obvious and a nuisuance for the neighborhood they conduct business in; Thus, think about that when you go to a location - if its in a "family neighborhood" - its probably at risk.
to go down to your local court and watch them in action. It won't take long for you to spot those who really know their way around. Then, if you really think you might need one in a hurry sometime, discuss a retainer agreement with her/him. IMHO, some of the very best criminal attorneys are women.
Still sounds a bit complicated. I live in New York (Manhattan). It's not exactly a family neighborhood, and I don't think the prosecutors are particularly zealous to prosecute a non-celebrity like me. There are probably thousands of criminal defense attorneys here. Still, it's a source of anxiety, and I'd prefer to be better prepared than I actually am if something did happen.