The two most common reasons people choose not to hire an attorney is that the attorney didn't tell the prospective client what he or she wanted to hear, and price. When a person consults with an attorney, he or she is paying for the attorney's professional opinion. The lawyer is not the client's friend, mother, or father. I understand that most people really want the attorney to tell them "I can make all of this go away." Sometimes we can, but it is not reasonable to think an attorney can make all legal problems go away all the time. Often times, an attorney can provide a client with zealous and effective representation that greatly reduces the punishment, but does not make it simply go away. I would NEVER hire any lawyer that promised to win a case, much-less without interviewing any witness's, reading the police report, talking to the DA, and performing discovery. It is best to have reasonable expectations of the representation and the goals of the representation when considering whether to hire an attorney.
Many people choose to hire an attorney 100% based on the fee. This is a terrible reason to hire any attorney. I am not naive, thus I understand that price is a factor, but it should not the controlling factor. Most people don't decide which surgeon to hire solely based on price. A criminal conviction lasts forever. The reality is that criminal conviction will affect your salary for the rest of your life.