When you face criminal charges your freedom, your career and your reputation are all at risk. In deciding on which criminal defense attorney to hire, remember this: Attorneys don't win cases because they are nice guys, or because they know the judge, or because they were former prosecutors. Attorneys win cases due to hard work, having an excellent understanding of the law and staying committed to aggressively defending their clients, even when it may be unpopular in the media or among their colleagues.