Michael Eric Kraut

I contacted Mr. Kraut after I found out that I was under investigation for a white collar crime. I was very concerned because the prosecution put their top lawyers on the case. From the beginning Mr. Kraut not only knew the prosecutor, but he also knew the investigators on the case. He was able ...to intervene in a manner that resulted in no charges being filed and I did not loose any of my professional licenses. He is caring, communicative, and since he was a senior district attorney, Mr. Kraut knows the prosecutors and judges and has their attention and respect. I recommend Michael Kraut whole heartedly.

I was recently arrested for a DUI. The court and DMV process is overwhelming and if convicted, tough penalties could result. It was imperative that I obtain a qualified attorney. Michael Kraut came highly recommended to me. Michael is a former Los Angeles Deputy District Attorney and has an ...excellent litigation record as a Prosecutor. As a criminal defense attorney Michael handles many charges and specializes in DUI defense. Because of Michael’s Professionalism, experience and contacts in the system, he was able to get my DUI reduced. From our first meeting to the conclusion, Michael was a pleasure – he followed-through, kept me informed and was comforting in this difficult time for me. I am forever appreciative of Michael Kraut’s representation.

In a nutshell, Mike is very competent, connected, and efficient lawyer. I was arrested for DUI a few months ago and blew just around the legal limit. I was scared. DUI is very very serious. And there was another factor that could have resulted in a very frightening enhancement. I was panicked I wa...s going to have my license revoked and spend time in jail. So I read a local magazine I have for my community and saw Mike was a lawyer. So I went with him, because I like to support my community. A great thing about Mike is that he does all of his own work. You hire him, you get him, not some associate. He is extremely well connected in the legal world as he says he is, and he will work to get you the best possible deal. He's definitely a guy who knows his stuff. Communication is somewhat of a problem though. Obviously, he takes on a lot of clients so he seems too busy to hold your hand. His motto was basically "Just relax, I'm going to take care of it." And while that motto proved to be true, I wish he kept me better updated about the process. While he responds to emails promptly, I often felt they were too short or didn't go into detail. He's a busy guy, but for a paranoid scared person like myself I definitely had moments of major anxiety about him, since my life and liberty were literally in his hands. It would have helped to have been more informed about the process (maybe a paralegal could do that?) even if it was unnecessary, just to calm my psyche. Luckily that anxiety was unnecessary and Mike got me a very good deal on my situation. No DUI, instead a very minor misdeameanor connected to reckless driving. So I was thrilled with Mike's "magic" that got me one of the best deals possible for a DUI defendant (of course, my relatively low BAC helped, but still, I've heard of others with lower BACs getting worse deals). Let me say I paid a pretty penny for Mike. Definitely on the higher end, especially for a first time offender with a low BAC. But he does do all his own work, which sometimes that work stretches over months, and of course has many years of expereince prosecuting and defending. Could I have hired a cheaper lawyer and gotten the same result? I don't know - maybe. But I decided to go with one of the best, well connected ones out there to ensure the best result possible because so often "you get what you pay for". And that is what happened. I kept my license and pled to a pricy but mostly harmless charge. So if you're accused of DUI (or any crime really) and you're willing to pay what it takes to get a good result, Mike is the man for you. Just don't expect updates beyond the minimum. On a side note, my whole DUI experience was extremely negative. I'm never drinking and driving again, because the cost of a couple drinks and getting behind the wheel is enormous. It's a scary, stressful, life changing (not in a good way) experience, and I didn't even get a real DUI! So trust me, take the cab ALWAYS, even if you balk at the $50 cab ride, a DUI will cost equivalent to 200 of them (and the cab rides don't suspend your license, give you an ignition interlock, create a criminal record, force you to take classes, and jack up your insurance). Seriously, enforcement is going way up, so be careful.

First off, let me be up front by saying Michael Kraut represented me for a few months while my case was pending before I ultimately decided to go with a different lawyer. Having said that, he has some great relationships within the various courthouses (especially CCB downtown) and if yours is the... kind of case where you just need someone to go in and make a great deal for you, he is probably your guy. Tough, firm and to the point with the prosecutors. Michael could have the greatest relationships in the world, but his lack of communication is what really bothered me. As an innocent person who was facing their first criminal charge, I needed reassurance and had a number of questions. Every time I talked to Michael, except during our initial meeting, he was always in a rush and was ready to get me off the phone. Sometimes he was downright rude and interrupted me. His email responses were a few words at most (complete with grammar errors) and when I finally asked for a meeting he sent me a rudely written email telling me he needed "three days notice" for any meetings. Funny how he was able to squeeze me in immediately when I was a potential client but now that he had my check, he needed three days. Given that I had some sensitive career needs and wanted my matter expedited, it pained me when Michael kept finding stalling tactics so that he'd have "more time." Even after saying my case should not have been sent to the early disposition court during our initial meeting, he had it sent there during arraignment. When I asked why, he just said it "buys more time." When I finally went with a new lawyer, I had a final disposition and a finding of factual innocence months earlier than I would have had I stayed with Michael.

If you're reading this review, you probably broke the law and are freaking out because now you're going to have to deal with the consequences. I wish i was aware of websites like this when i was pulled over for a DUI a few years ago. Unfortunately, I ended up choosing the wrong lawyer for my case. ... I don't dispute the fact that Michael has all the accolades and merits he claims to have. I don't doubt his experience or his relationships. He even claims to know many police, which he'll most likely tell you when handling your case. Heck! You probably read the same thing on multiple client reviews on here. Whether they're real or not, that's for you to decide. However, with a lawyer this "accomplished" and this expensive, you would expect them to, minimum, fight your case especially if there are reasons to believe you were stopped without probable cause. There were faults in my case that Michael didn't "aggressively" pursue. I'm not here to bad mouth anyone. I'm simply sharing my honest opinion. Michael says he takes all comments personally and he'll probably comment on this negative review by saying he did everything he could or that my BAC was high. Regardless, you're still supposed to work equally hard for every case and not just the ones you feel you could handle easily especially with the high fee you charge. I could have chosen a less expensive lawyer (one just as knowledgeable) and received the same outcome, if not better. Unfortunately for me, instead of speaking to multiple attorneys, he was the first and only person I reached out to. Potential clients - regardless of what your lawyer tells you, the results can vary. Although having an attorney that responds to your emails in reasonable fashion is important (that’s already what you’re paying them to do) it’s more important that you manage your expectations based on cases that are similar to yours. Good luck on your search for great representation. PS: make sure your lawyer tells you about other options for paying your court fines/fees. Community Service is a good one. It's a great way to save you A LOT of money. I wish Michael at least divulged that information. But it's OK because that was one of the few things i had control of with my case.