by CHRIS BARRY

Name: Jean-Paul Perron

Age: 50

Occupation: Lawyer

Rate: $200 an hour

Bio: This strappingly handsome South Shore resident has been repping accused criminals since 1977, first as a legal aid attorney and now through the offices of Waxman Leonard in Old Montreal. Definitely the man to see should you get busted for driving while intoxicated, he might also be able to get you off the hook the next time you rape or kill somebody. On call 24/7, he drives a late-model Jeep 4x4.

Something you might want to do should you ever get arrested for drunk driving: Keep your mouth shut and demand to speak to a lawyer.

One instance where you might have a good chance of beating the rap: If you test only slightly higher than the legal BAC limit and don’t show any obvious symptoms of being wasted.

Does he feel the current legal BAC limit of 0.8 in Quebec is unreasonably low? “No, it’s fair.”

Is it ever a good idea to get all righteous with the cops and refuse to take a roadside breathalyzer test? Only if you can demonstrate that taking the test might be detrimental to your health—and not your financial health, just your physical health. Otherwise, refusing to take a breathalyzer is an offence that carries the same penalties as driving while over the legal BAC limit.

Something that will set you back a couple of bucks should you choose to fight a drunk driving offence: The hiring of experts (chemists etc.) to tell the court that the prosecution’s evidence is all whack.

How much experts generally charge to testify on your behalf: Between $1,000 and $1,500.

What might make an individual an expert in this area: A BA in science.

How much it generally costs to get Jean-Paul to represent you on a drunk driving charge: About $5,000.

What the fines are if you get convicted on a first DWI offence: Between $600 and $2,000, depending on how fucked up you were.

Does he feel there would be fewer drunk driving convictions if these cases were judged by juries as opposed to a judge? Yes, so long as nobody was hurt in the case. “Who hasn’t driven under the influence at some time in their life?”

Something you should always do if you are guilty of a horrific crime but plan to enter a not guilty plea: Hide nothing from your lawyer. “But in many cases people do. Sometimes people have difficulty admitting to themselves that they actually committed the offence.”

Best part of his work: “The human side of the job—aiding people in difficulty who really need your help. That’s the main reason why I still enjoy what I do after all of these years and why I originally decided to practice criminal law.”

Worst part of the job: Dealing with bureaucrats.

Hobbies: Skiing, hiking, fishing. “You’ve got to stay in shape to do this job.”

Teenage ambition: To become an airline pilot.

Last book read: Rouge Brésil, by Jean-Christophe Ruffin.

Musical preferences: Beethoven.

A film he saw recently and liked: Iris.

Something he never does: Watch television.

Words of wisdom: “Family is everything.” :

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