I would be very careful about hiring someone who presents themselves as a “paralegal” and has a business card reflecting something grandiose like, “Criminal Center of the United States” or “Institute for Criminal Defense.” The reason these cards do not say “Attorney” is because these people are in fact not lawyers. In all likelihood you are just speaking with someone who is trying to make a commission by referring you to a lawyer with whom he or she will share the fee. This person could not care less whether the lawyer they refer you to is especially good or bad. Their only interest lies in finding a lawyer that will share the fee.
But my feeling is that you should get the attorney you deserve. If, after talking to this hustler you feel that you want to entrust your life to him, then it will ultimately be your fault if things do not work out. Yes, it is deceptive to represent oneself as a member of the United States Institute for Criminal Defense, but you are an adult and you should be able to recognize a charlatan when you see and hear one. Hopefully this warning will prevent you from ever making that mistake.
Quite simply put, a lawyer should be able to give you a business card that says “lawyer.” If this so-called lawyer cannot, it is because he or she is probably not even a paralegal. It is just someone looking to make an easy buck by preying on desperate people. In the United States, claiming to be an attorney when you are not one is fraud, a serious offense, which is why these people attempt to be deceitful instead of making a fraudulent statement.