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Samantha
Student
Hopewell, Virginia
12
Questions
Asked
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When becoming a criminal lawyer what steps are the hardest to go through ?
I'm In 9th grade and looking forward to being a criminal lawyer and I want to make sure I prepare myself for any challenges I may go through
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1 answer
Bob Echols
Retired lawyer and ethics officer--current blogger and author of the For Our Friends the Animals quartet.
28
Answers
Fairhope, Alabama
Updated
Bob’s Answer
Hi, Samantha, and thank you for your interest in the law.
As I am certain you know, there are mandatory intermediate steps prior to becoming a criminal lawyer. These include of course:
graduation from high school;
graduation from college;
admission to and graduation from law school; and finally,
passing the bar exam and admission to the bar of any particular state (s).
While in high school and college, be sure to keep your GPA high, and take or engage in courses that help you hone and develop your communication skills, both oral and written.
As criminal law involves human behavior, in college you might seek out some psychology related courses to help you better understand human activity.
And, as these days criminal law seems to involve more and business schemes and frauds, some exposure to general business concepts and finance would be beneficial as well. Even if you do not end up in criminal law, this type of exposure can only redound to your benefit!
One final note. While it is always best to have a goal in mind, when you enter law school keep your brain open to other facets of the legal profession. Be open to the myriad types of legal practice to which you will be exposed. You may well find a different kind of legal work more to your liking.
But if you do stay with criminal law, you will also want to decide upon defense or prosecutorial work, and that will be a very personal decision only you can make. Both sides strive to see that justice is served and done, but their clients differ markedly. This is a good place to insert another caveat: as a criminal lawyer, more as a defense counsel than prosecutor, you will deal directly with people whose behavior may disgust you. That comes with the territory. Recall our job as defense counsel is to see to it that our clients have a fair trial and are provided the best defense we can, not to judge their behavior. Still, it is a downside of the job, or at least one you need to take into consideration.
Frankly, from my view the steps attendant to becoming a criminal lawyer are no more difficult than any other legal area.
First, take a long, hard look at yourself and, as you progress through school, reassess your priorities and interests. Second, study hard, both before and during law school.
Finally, enjoy yourself, and we look forward to welcoming you to the practice of law.
All the best
Bob Echols
As I am certain you know, there are mandatory intermediate steps prior to becoming a criminal lawyer. These include of course:
graduation from high school;
graduation from college;
admission to and graduation from law school; and finally,
passing the bar exam and admission to the bar of any particular state (s).
While in high school and college, be sure to keep your GPA high, and take or engage in courses that help you hone and develop your communication skills, both oral and written.
As criminal law involves human behavior, in college you might seek out some psychology related courses to help you better understand human activity.
And, as these days criminal law seems to involve more and business schemes and frauds, some exposure to general business concepts and finance would be beneficial as well. Even if you do not end up in criminal law, this type of exposure can only redound to your benefit!
One final note. While it is always best to have a goal in mind, when you enter law school keep your brain open to other facets of the legal profession. Be open to the myriad types of legal practice to which you will be exposed. You may well find a different kind of legal work more to your liking.
But if you do stay with criminal law, you will also want to decide upon defense or prosecutorial work, and that will be a very personal decision only you can make. Both sides strive to see that justice is served and done, but their clients differ markedly. This is a good place to insert another caveat: as a criminal lawyer, more as a defense counsel than prosecutor, you will deal directly with people whose behavior may disgust you. That comes with the territory. Recall our job as defense counsel is to see to it that our clients have a fair trial and are provided the best defense we can, not to judge their behavior. Still, it is a downside of the job, or at least one you need to take into consideration.
Frankly, from my view the steps attendant to becoming a criminal lawyer are no more difficult than any other legal area.
First, take a long, hard look at yourself and, as you progress through school, reassess your priorities and interests. Second, study hard, both before and during law school.
Finally, enjoy yourself, and we look forward to welcoming you to the practice of law.
All the best
Bob Echols