On behalf of NICHOLS & CHURCHILL, I am pleased and proud to announce that Sarah A. Churchill, Esq. is joining our firm effective November 5, 2012. Before I get to the usual “curriculum vitae” (resume) stuff, I’m going to give you some more important information about Sarah. Sarah Churchill is a trial lawyer. That puts her in a league of about one half of one per cent of lawyers currently practicing in our state and nationally. There are real estate lawyers, tax lawyers, contract lawyers, public policy lawyers, etc. some are good, some are great in their fields. I can not do what they do. There are many civil lawyers and countless criminal defense lawyers who go to court on a regular basis to “work things out”. The trial lawyer may be the rarest among all.
Many lawyers have impressive resumes. Many can boast of elite educational backgrounds and participation on boards, civic projects and the like. But, precious few have walked the walk to earn the moniker of “trial lawyer”. Sarah has done all of the above. Her resume is impeccable. Her reputation as a trial lawyer is not only well earned, it is also universally proclaimed throughout Maine’s legal community.
Sarah graduated from Mount Holyoke College in 1999 and The University of Maine School of Law in 2002. For the past ten years she has represented citizens accused of crimes as well as plaintiffs in civil cases ranging from personal injury to civil rights violations. In 2011 Sarah was elected by her peers as the President of the Maine Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. In that role, she worked extensively with the legislature and judiciary to improve the quality of Maine’s provision of effective assistance of legal representation for those unable to afford counsel in criminal cases as well as in family law matters.
The Constitution guarantees us all the effective assistance of counsel. Maine does not have a “PUBLIC DEFENDER’S OFFICE”. Thus, in the most serious and difficult cases, our courts are often called upon to appoint the best defense attorneys from the private sector to represent the accused. Sarah has been appointed to the most difficult, yes often high-profile, cases over the last decade. A trial lawyer does not go to trial in every case. A trial lawyer is “prepared” to go to trial in every case. A trial lawyer finds every available defense in every case. A trial lawyer knows when and how to let the prosecutor know about these defenses and thereby obtain the most favorable offer or when to save that information for trial. A trial lawyer has credibility with the prosecutor and is the lawyer to whom the prosecutor is most likely to consider rendering favorable reductions in charges. And, most importantly, a trial lawyer is the lawyer in whom you can place your trust to have the experience, knowledge and guts to present your case to a jury if you are not satisfied with the state’s offer.
If you have been charged with OUI or any criminal offense, call a trial lawyer. You will get the best settlement offer possible and be prepared for trial if necessary.
Disclaimer: This article is intended to provide general, not specific, information about Maine law. The publication of this article does not constitute an attorney-client relationship between the author(s) and the reader(s).
