There certainly are great lawyers, but most criminal attorneys are burnt out from taking on too many cases. In addition, people make the mistake of giving them a hefty retainer to "handle the case" instead of per hour with itemized billing. The lawyer always says a retainer is cheaper, but the reality is that once they get the loot, they don't want to work and suggest a plea. They go from aggressive to sluggish, often not taking your calls. When you decide to fire the guy, you realize he has all your money and you paid him to take the case so there's no refund.
A competent lawyer will never purport to know the answer to a complicated legal question as the law changes daily with new published opinions.
When there's no published opinion, the lawyer shouldn't say there's no law to support your argument, but should say, "Let's see if we can get the appeals court to adopt that argument."
