Meet Attorney Brian Douglas Sloan, a Criminal Defense Lawyer exclusively focused on and specializing in DUI Defense Representation. With nearly 20 years of experience, he has personally defended more than 4,500 clients on Misdemeanor and Felony DUI cases. Mr. Sloan is recognized as one of the most award-winning DUI attorneys in the state, with a high percentage of dismissals and acquittals, and he prides himself for providing his clients with excellent representation at an affordable price.
He began his career in Criminal Law, specifically focusing on DUI Defense, while at the Maricopa County Public Defender’s Office, before opening up his own boutique law firm focusing on DUI Defense Representation. Over the years, he has represented nearly 5,000 clients, defending clients in over 100 trials, and creating guides used by lawyers throughout the state. In 2022, he was named a ‘Power Lawyer’ by USA Today, the only DUI Defense Lawyer to receive this honor.
Today, Mr. Sloan continues to defend clients charged with Misdemeanor DUI cases in urban Maricopa County. He offers a reasonable flat fee with available payment plans through a unique and innovative type of representation he created called Bifurcated Representation, which ensures that clients pay only for the services they need, avoiding unnecessary expenses.
Delving into Business Law
Mr. Sloan’s journey into law began during his time at California State University, Northridge, where he pursued a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism. A prerequisite First Amendment Law class piqued his interest in the legal field, and inspired by this experience, he sought out additional law courses while still in college, particularly in Business Law, as they were the only other law classes offered at the college level, effectively earning a minor in the subject.
After completing his undergraduate degree, Mr. Sloan took the LSAT and was accepted into Pepperdine School of Law in Malibu, California. There, he graduated six months early with a Juris Doctor degree and a Certificate in Dispute Resolution from the Straus Institute. His summers were spent interning at the Maricopa County Public Defender’s Office in Phoenix, Arizona, where he began working on Felony DUI cases after passing the Arizona State Bar Exam on his first attempt.
Mr. Sloan found his calling in DUI Defense Representation, realizing that he could genuinely help individuals who had made mistakes and needed assistance to get their lives back on track. He discovered that those charged with DUI offenses were often average people who simply made poor decisions and needed guidance. This realization led him to specialize exclusively in DUI Defense, a field in which he has excelled.
Combining Fairness and Compassion
Mr. Sloan stands out among DUI Defense Lawyers in Arizona with his unique approach to handling DUI cases. He has developed a representation model that ensures clients pay a very reasonable flat rate, with payment plans available. This model is designed to provide excellent representation, while avoiding charges for unnecessary work or hidden fees.
Mr. Sloan brought a customer-focused style of representation to his legal practice, and created a unique and revolutionary style of representation that coincided with the way he wished to be treated if he found himself in the same situation as his clients. Mr. Sloan wanted to ensure that his clients never had to feel “nickeled and dimed,” and eliminated the idea hidden fees and clients paying for unnecessary “busy work.” Mr. Sloan wanted his law practice to be more focused on properly representing the client, without resorting to putting on a show for the client, and filing unnecessary motions. He doesn’t charge for “busy work” and focuses on providing excellent DUI Defense Representation at a reasonable price. Despite his extensive experience and success, which could justify much higher legal fees, Mr. Sloan remains committed to making his services accessible to those who need help but cannot afford the usual high-priced lawyers that often come with DUI Defense Representation.
From the Initial Consultation, Mr. Sloan emphasizes that being arrested for a DUI does not define a person or their future. He reassures clients that this experience is not meant to destroy their life or career, but is something that they will be able to overcome. His goal is to help clients manage this challenge, learn from it, and move forward without excessive stress.
Mr. Sloan’s innovative and revolutionary approach to running his law firm has led to significant success. He has personally defended more DUI cases than any other private attorney in Arizona. His commitment to fair pricing and effective defense strategies has earned him a reputation as a leading DUI Defense Lawyer in the state.
Exceptional Representation
Mr. Sloan operates a boutique law firm as a sole practitioner, focusing exclusively on DUI Defense Representation. With a commitment to providing exceptional representation at an affordable price, Mr. Sloan offers a level of personalized service and experience that sets him apart from other law firms. His clients benefit from direct access to his personal cell phone and his handling of most court appearances on their behalf. Typically, clients only need to be present in court for a few hours, several months after the case is filed, so that his clients can focus on living their life, working their job, and getting any necessary treatment, while Mr. Sloan handles the case itself, keeping the client updated along the way. Additionally, Mr. Sloan manages the Motor Vehicle Division / Arizona Department of Transportation aspects of case, striving to prevent clients from having the DUI arrest impact their livelihood, often avoiding the need for SR22 high-risk insurance, and, in many cases, ensuring that the client does not lose the ability to drive at all.
To ensure his clients are well-informed, Mr. Sloan provides a comprehensive Commonly Asked Questions document, and a detailed emailed Case Review after negotiating with the prosecutor for an appropriate resolution. This detailed Case Review outlines all his thoughts on the case, potential resolutions, and explains any legal or factual issues identified, enabling clients to make a fully-informed decision about whether to accept a plea agreement or go to trial, if he is not able to get the case dismissed.
Mr. Sloan’s commitment to his clients extends beyond case resolution. Unlike most other DUI Defense Lawyers, Mr. Sloan stays attached to the case post-Sentencing, and stays involved to address any issues the Court may have as the client completes the terms of their Sentence. Once the Sentence is satisfied, Mr. Sloan further handles requesting to Set Aside the conviction and/or obtaining a Certificate of Second Chance, at no additional cost. This is something that many other Lawyers will charge hundreds, if not thousands of dollars, to do.
This client-centric approach, combined with his expertise in DUI Defense, ensures that Mr. Sloan’s clients receive comprehensive support and exceptional legal representation throughout the entire process, for a price that is much lower than a comparable lawyer would charge.
The Fight for Justice
Although DUI cases might be considered pretty standardized, and nothing too extraordinary, Mr. Sloan recalls how extraordinary some of these cases truly can be.
Early in his career, Mr. Sloan encountered a legal issue where law enforcement violated his client’s Constitutional Right to an Attorney. After being arrested, his client clearly requested to speak to a lawyer, but the officer ignored the request. Existing case law at the time indicated that the case should be dismissed due to this Constitutional violation, and Mr. Sloan filed a Motion to Dismiss, citing relevant case law and requesting an Evidentiary Hearing to present all the facts. Surprisingly, the Judge denied the motion, without a hearing, issuing a ruling that said, “No Good Cause Appearing, Motion Denied.”
Mr. Sloan had never experienced such a ruling on a substantive issue, and filed a Motion to Reconsider, arguing that the Court needed to actually receive and consider the evidence before ruling on the motion. The Judge again denied the motion, without providing a good explanation, issuing a ruling, again stating, “”No Good Cause Appearing, Motion Denied.”
Mr. Sloan then filed a Special Action to the Court of Appeals, arguing that it was improper for the Judge to deny the motion without considering the actual facts, especially when there was clear case law supporting the Constitutional violation claim, and it was crystal clear, pursuant to case law at the time, that the case was required to be dismissed due to a Constitutional Violation. The Court of Appeals, unfortunately, refused to accept the Special Action, as the acceptance of the Special Action was discretionary.
With no other options, the case went to trial, and the jury convicted the client, and he was subsequently Sentenced to a term of prison. While the client was serving the Sentence, the case was appealed to the Court of Appeals, focusing on the Right to Counsel issue. After the client completed the sentence, the Court of Appeals ruled that the Judge absolutely should have held a Hearing to consider the Motion to Dismiss, seemingly indicating that it was offensive to have not done so. The case was then sent back to the same Judge, but Mr. Sloan successfully requested a Change of Judge For Cause, arguing that the original Judge had shown bias, and could not be fair and impartial, at least to this case, and on this issue.
A new Judge was subsequently assigned, an Evidentiary Hearing was held, and the new Judge reviewed the merits of the case, and case law on this subject, and the new Judge agreed with Mr. Sloan, that the client’s Constitutional Rights were indeed clearly violated, resulting in the case being dismissed entirely. Although Mr. Sloan recommended that the client sue the county, the client chose not to pursue it.
Another odd and challenging case involved a client charged with Felony Aggravated DUI charges. The client insisted he had never been pulled over, arrested, or encountered law enforcement related to the charges he was facing. The police report identified the client, but he claimed he had no idea what was going on. It turned out the real suspect had used the client’s identity during a DUI arrest, and failed to show up in court, leading to a warrant in the client’s name. Complicating the situation, no fingerprints or photographs were taken at the time of the arrest.
After the Officer was summoned to court, and a face-to-face meeting was arranged, fortunately the arresting officer confirmed that Mr. Sloan’s client was not the person that was arrested. The client’s somewhat unique appearance allowed the officer to recall having not ever encountered him during his law enforcement career, leading to the Felony case being dismissed in full against Mr. Sloan’s client. Mr. Sloan states that this case highlighted how individuals can be unfairly caught up in the criminal justice system due to circumstances beyond their control.
Maximizing Efficiency Without Sacrificing Quality
Mr. Sloan works seven days a week for his clients. Weekdays are typically filled with court appearances, phone calls, and meetings, so most of his detailed work is done on weekends.
As part of his representation, Mr. Sloan provides his clients with a written Case Review. This document details his thoughts on their case, the steps he has taken to resolve it, and any relevant case law, legal issues, or factual matters that the client should be made aware of. His goal is to ensure that clients understand the situation and can make fully-informed decisions about how to proceed.
Mr. Sloan believes he is unique in offering such comprehensive written reviews, aiming to keep clients well-informed about their cases. Although his type of representation is very time-intensive, he is proud to provide this level of personal representation on all of his cases. When a client hires his law firm, they are hiring him, personally, with all his years of experience. His clients are not passed off to a subordinate lawyer, as occurs with many large law firms. Mr. Sloan handles all aspects of the case himself, and does not put any barriers between himself and his clients. This ensures that Mr. Sloan can personally manage every detail of his client’s case, to promote the best outcome possible.
Effective Advocacy Through Strategic Negotiation
Mr. Sloan describes his approach to representing clients with Prosecutors as “the carrot and the stick.” He doesn’t believe in putting on a show for his clients by filing frivolous motions just to demonstrate “working the case.” Instead, he focuses on resolving cases considering what would be an appropriate outcome based on the facts and law. If the Prosecutor disagrees, Mr. Sloan isn’t afraid to take a more aggressive stance and file numerous substantive motions, often catching Prosecutors off guard with arguments they’ve never encountered before.
Unlike many law firms that use a cookie-cutter approach with filing motions, Mr. Sloan tailors his strategy to each case. He believes this approach earns him credibility with Prosecutors and leads to better plea agreements. Mr. Sloan maintains a respectful demeanor towards Prosecutors, viewing them as adversaries rather than enemies. He believes this professional approach contributes to his success in negotiations.
Mr. Sloan doesn’t create unnecessary work for Prosecutors and lays out reasons behind requesting dismissals or favorable plea agreements when there are legitimate legal or factual grounds. However, if Prosecutors refuse reasonable resolutions, they can expect to face a barrage of detailed motions from Mr. Sloan, often resulting in a significant workload for the Prosecutor who is tasked with responding to numerous motions, the likes of which they have likely never encountered. Numerous times Mr. Sloan has received feedback from both Prosecutors and Judges that they were impressed with the motions filed, and had never before seen such an argument.
Mr. Sloan’s effective representation has even led to referrals from judges whom were impressed by his advocacy skills and motion-writing abilities.
Commitment to Accessibility and Communication
Mr. Sloan’s revolutionary representation prioritizes client satisfaction and convenience. He was one of the first DUI Defense Lawyers to implement a unique approach by providing clients with direct access to him via his cell phone, rather than having clients go through a receptionist, secretary, and/or paralegal, before a client could even speak to their hired Counsel. Clients can reach him through calls, texts, or emails, and Mr. Sloan typically responds within minutes. This level of accessibility ensures that clients feel supported and informed throughout the legal process, and not simply feel like just a number, a common complaint of clients when being represented by other law firms.
To further enhance client experience, Mr. Sloan developed a comprehensive Commonly Asked Questions document. This resource addresses potential client inquiries, preemptively providing answers and insights into the legal process. Over time, the document has evolved into a robust guide spanning approximately 20 pages, offering clients a roadmap for navigating their case from start to finish, and answering nearly any question a client may have before they even think to ask it.
Mr. Sloan emphasizes to his clients that he is committed to minimizing the impact of the legal proceedings on their lives. He handles most, if not all, of the court appearances on their behalf, scheduling client appearances only when necessary, and typically only requires having his client appear about three to four months after the case has been initiated, if at all. This approach ensures minimal disruption to the client’s daily routines, and allows the client to focus on living their life, working their job, and spending time with their friends and family, as well as alcohol or substance abuse counseling, to ensure that something like this never happens again.
Throughout the legal process, Mr. Sloan maintains regular communication with his clients, providing updates and reassurance that their case is progressing smoothly. By keeping clients informed and engaged, Mr. Sloan ensures they feel supported and confident in his representation.
Holistic Advocacy in DUI Defense
Mr. Sloan recognizes that navigating the court system, particularly in DUI cases, can be an emotionally taxing experience for both clients and their Attorneys. The process can easily elicit feelings of stress, anger, sadness, and frustration. Clients may sometimes direct these emotions towards their Defense Lawyer, the very person working to assist them through the ordeal. Mr. Sloan understands the importance of acknowledging and addressing these emotions, striving to facilitate open communication and discussion to resolve any issues that may arise.
In Arizona, DUI offenses carry significant consequences, including mandatory minimum requirements such as jail time, fines and fees, license suspension, and ignition interlock device requirements. Many clients find these penalties frustrating, especially if they have no prior legal troubles.
Despite the professional nature of their relationship, Mr. Sloan recognizes the humanity of his clients. He acknowledges that they are grappling with challenges beyond the DUI charge and strives to provide support and empathy while maintaining professionalism. Mr. Sloan prioritizes his clients’ well-being, ensuring they receive the necessary treatment and assistance to prevent similar situations from recurring in the future.
Educating Through Art
At 15, Mr. Sloan took up comic book collecting, and obtained his first job at a comic book store. His passion for comics continued into adulthood, culminating in a unique blend of his legal career and his hobby.
In 2015, Mr. Sloan debuted the World’s First Attorney Self-Published Comic Book. He aimed to combine his two passions – law and comics – and printed 10,000 copies of a legal comic book, which he distributed for free at a local comic book convention, showcasing artwork by a local Phoenix artist.
Mr. Sloan aimed to educate and entertain, while giving back to the community. However, his initiative and attempts to create a neat and educational collectible hit a snag, when one individual / agency filed a Bar Complaint with the Arizona State Bar, alleging that they took offense at one or more of the drawings inside the comic.
The complaint to the Arizona State Bar lead to an investigation, and an attempt by the Arizona State Bar to punish Mr. Sloan in his professional career due to one person / agency taking offense at one or more drawings in his comic book.
Mr. Sloan then spent the next year defending himself against the allegations, through multiple levels of bureaucracy, before he was about to argue this issue before the Arizona Supreme Court, when the State Bar decided to drop the allegations of impropriety. Disheartened by the experience, Mr. Sloan ceased distributing the comic book but continued his presence at the local comic book convention, with a new focus on giving away toys, stickers, card packs, keychains, and other fun items, as a way to give back to the community.
Balancing Client Representation with Community Engagement
In addition to his comic book venture, Mr. Sloan also attempted to pursue an initiative to introduce criminal law education into the school system. Recognizing the lack of formal education to the general public on criminal laws, despite its significant impact on individuals’ lives, Mr. Sloan sought to implement a “law week” program, where Lawyers would teach high school students about their Constitutional Rights, interactions with law enforcement, and crucial legal concepts.
Despite that every person is required to follow hundreds, if not thousands, of laws every day of their juvenile and adult lives, not once during the 12 years of government-mandated education does the school system ever attempt to teach people about the laws they are forced to follow, under the threat of potential monetary penalties, jail or prison time, and in some severe cases, even death.
Despite efforts to garner support from criminal defense organizations and the Arizona State Bar, the initiative did not gain enough traction. Mr. Sloan remains hopeful that this important aspect of legal education will be addressed in the future, possibly through a specialized program akin to driver’s education.
While Mr. Sloan plans to revisit this idea upon retirement, for now, his focus remains on diligently representing his clients while advocating for broader legal education and community engagement.
Expanding the Reach of Quality Legal Representation
Mr. Sloan is committed to continuously improving the client experience and making Legal Representation more efficient and cost-effective. He continues to implement innovative and revolutionary systems to provide clients with a better-quality service at a more affordable price.
In addition to his groundbreaking innovation of Bifurcated Representation, ensuring that clients only pay for the legal services they need, rather than being charged for unnecessary legal services that they don’t, leading to a substantial savings in the cost of a traditional DUI Defense Lawyer with comparable accolades; Mr. Sloan is again looking to create the next evolution in excellent DUI Defense Representation, with a focus on creating a system that allows for clients to get even better representation, at an affordable price, with a concept of having multiple lawyers working the same case, allowing for multiple perspectives and legal experience put into defending every DUI case.
Mr. Sloan has not only used his unique experience and education in the field of DUI Defense Representation to achieve amazing results for his own clients, but has created additional law firms to take on those cases that he cannot personally handle, due to location or professional constraints.
Recognizing the need for excellent and experienced DUI Defense Representation outside of urban Maricopa County, Mr. Sloan created The Arizona DUI Team, consisting of top-tier DUI Defense Lawyers personally hand-picked by Mr. Sloan. This innovative creation ensures that clients receive skilled representation, specifically in courts where Mr. Sloan cannot personally appear, so that a person arrested for a DUI offense need not guess or hope that another Lawyer is truthful when they say they know how to properly defend a DUI case.
Mr. Sloan’s has also recently created a new law firm called The 602 DUI Team, which focuses on having experienced DUI Lawyers do what they do best, so as to ensure that the Attorney is spending the majority of their time focusing on defending their client, rather than waiting around in court, or traversing the roadways and highways.
Ultimately, Mr. Sloan sees The 602 DUI Team as the future of DUI Defense Representation, allowing him to create and provide even more focused and efficient beneficial representation to his clients. By optimizing time and resources, Mr. Sloan aims to further enhance the quality and effectiveness of legal services provided to his clients, while maintaining very reasonable fees for legal services.
Trailblazing Career in DUI Defense
Mr. Sloan recently decided to summarize and highlight his accomplishments and discovered that he had successfully Dismissed all DUI charges in over 350 cases. He believes he is the most awarded DUI Defense Attorney in Arizona, having received multiple honors such as being among the Top 10 DUI Lawyers in the state, the Top 1% of Lawyers, and recognized as a SuperLawyer for the fifth consecutive year. This SuperLawyer award is given to fewer than ten people annually in Arizona and New Mexico combined. In 2022, he was the only DUI Defense Lawyer named “Power Lawyer” by USA Today.
On several occasions, Mr. Sloan has taken over cases from other private attorneys and achieved significantly better results. In one instance, a client faced years in prison with a Felony plea offer. After Mr. Sloan took over, he challenged the State’s case, resulting in a Misdemeanor plea offer with just one day in jail, and credit for that one-day time served. In another case, he replaced a private attorney who had secured a Felony plea with four months in prison for the client. Mr. Sloan managed to get the client out of this plea agreement, which is often a difficult endeavor, and resolved the case with a Misdemeanor plea with only a few days in jail.
Mr. Sloan is also proud to have created legal guides used by Defense Attorneys across the state, and has once even observed a judge using one of his legal guides in the courtroom.
Upholding Honesty in the Legal Profession
Mr. Sloan believes that many individuals pursue careers in law because of the potential for financial success. However, he observes that some lawyers prioritize monetary gain over providing quality representation to their clients. When Mr. Sloan established his own law firm, he focused on delivering proper representation, rather than maximizing profits.
Despite possessing more DUI experience than the vast majority of other Defense Lawyers in Arizona, Mr. Sloan initially charged, and continues to charge, lower legal fees than comparable Defense Lawyers, and even brand new Defense Lawyers, as he was driven by a desire to assist individuals facing DUI charges. He implemented innovative and revolutionary approaches to DUI Defense such as Bifurcated Representation, which allowed clients to pay only for the legal services they needed, and not for the legal services that they didn’t. This dedication to client-oriented representation, coupled with ethical and honest practices, led to Mr. Sloan’s success both inside and outside the courtroom.
Mr. Sloan advises newer Attorneys to prioritize proper representation over monetary gain. He warns against dishonest practices, such as giving false hope to clients, which may lead to legal repercussions and negative testimonials. Mr. Sloan emphasizes the importance of honesty and transparency with clients, even if it means delivering unwelcome news during consultations. He believes that honesty is fundamental in building trust with clients and providing effective legal representation. Mr. Sloan is critical of Lawyers who mislead clients with promises of case dismissals or incredibly beneficial plea agreements without even knowing the evidence or essential information. He maintains that honesty should be the guiding principle for any Attorney entering the legal profession.
Mr. Sloan defends Misdemeanor DUI cases in urban Maricopa County, including the following courts: Ahwatukee / Agua Fria / Arcadia Biltmore / Avondale / Buckeye / Chandler / Country Meadows / Desert Ridge / Dreamy Draw / Downtown / East Mesa / El Centro / Encanto / Gilbert / Glendale / Goodyear / Guadalupe / Highland / Kyrene / Litchfield Park / Maryvale / McDowell Mountain / Mesa / Moon Valley / North Mesa / Peoria / Phoenix / Queen Creek / San Marcos / San Tan / South Mountain / Scottsdale / Tempe / University Lakes / West McDowell / West Mesa / White Tank
For any other Courts in the State of Arizona, including Felony cases, Mr. Sloan recommends his associates on The Arizona DUI Team: www.AZDUITeam.com.
