DUIs negatively affect all aspects of your life, but having a couple of DUIs on your criminal record where any prospective employer can see them is even worse. Since most employers now require a criminal background check for just about any job offered, you could be in a world of hurt trying to secure gainful employment. While some employers might be forgiving enough to give you a chance, the jobs you really want might be out of your reach for the next several years' worth of clean living. If you want the DUIs to stop following you around, there are a few things that a DUI lawyer can help you with.

Appeals

As with any felony, you have a right to an appeal. Your DUI lawyer can file the paperwork for the appeal, request a different judge for the appeal, and schedule your hearing. It is not a guaranteed win when you file an appeal, but if a different judge hears your case you might be able to overturn the conviction or the punishment. At the very least, it will show in the public records and on your background checks that an appeal is in the works, and that may look quite favorable to some employers who might not otherwise give you a second glance.

Overturning a Previous Punishment or Conviction

Although this is more difficult to do if you have more than one or two DUIs on your record, it is not entirely impossible. If you can follow your lawyer's advice as far as making a good impression on the judge and the courts (e.g., attend Alcoholics Anonymous or Narc-anon meetings regularly, check into rehab and complete treatment, etc.), then your lawyer might be able to convince the judge to overturn your conviction and/or your sentence. When a conviction or sentence is overturned, this, too, is reflected in your criminal background checks and looks more favorable to potential employers.

Expunging Your Record

If you were found innocent of a DUI or if a judge overturned your sentence or conviction, you may be eligible to have that DUI expunged from your record. If you are granted an "clean slate," which is what the expunging process does, and you keep yourself out of trouble by not adding more DUIs to your record, it is as though the DUI charges never happened. Since the incident has been expunged, it does not show up on your background checks with employers, and you should have no problem whatsoever finding gainful employment. Ask a DUI lawyer, like one from Kassel & Kassel A Group of Independent Law Offices, if you are eligible for an expunged record.