I'm not sure what you mean by "badder asses" ... but state defense trial lawyers* try more cases than assistant U.S. attorneys on the average .... Federal Public Defenders will tell you that as well. So they usually have more trial experience.
So from a trial perspective generally speaking "state" criminal defense attorneys have more trial experience than the average AUSA. Because of the Federal Sentencing Guidelines there is a tendency for the Feds to get pleas on cases, so the "conflict" is over the guidelines and facts surrounding sentencing, which turns into an administrative process more often than not.
BTW: Many "state" criminal defense attorneys handle Federal cases as well.
The following comment by no means is being critical, it's simply accurate ... many of the "high profile" media covered criminal defense attorneys gravitate toward "high profile" cases if there is "high profile" money to be made, and they are selective in which cases they take. As a consequence they may have a higher "success" rate in the cases they try, because the cull out the "losers" and either don't take them into the firm or pass them off to a "junior" attorney to take the "hit"!
Same with many "high profile" civil attorneys!
Also, it's not how much an attorney "charges," it's how much the attorney COLLECTS that matters. But you already knew that.
Also, speaking of fees ... I've heard some of the fees being charged by attorneys representing folks working in the SOB industry and some of them are simply gouging and outrageous. But the "consumers" were referred and are uncomfortable venturing out to other attorneys for whatever their reason may be.
Originally Posted by LexusLover
I mean they're better attorneys, like maybe comparing pro athletes versus D1 college athletes, or an average university professor to an average community college prof. If you disagree with that, once again, my fallback position is that, to put it kindly, you are out of your element. I think that's what Lucas was hinting at, but he's less concerned with being diplomatic. lol. Good luck with those public defenders you are so fond of; hopefully your freedom will never actually depend on one...
I have a funny story on that actually. It was a DUI case (mine!) before I had gone to law school. She (pub. def.) wanted to plea the case. I said, "If you don't want to do your job, sit down, shut up, and let me do it for you." Once the DA knew I wasn't gonna cop to shit and they'd have to try the case, they dropped all charges. Frickin hilarious.
There are other matters I will defer to your expertise on, but I don't wanna be a shit starter, so I won't be overly specific as to what those matters are exactly...