How to succeed in being a criminal defense attorney?

It is always difficult to dictate the best path for a young professional. However, I believe that all attorneys will agree that your first several years out of law school provide significant opportunities for learning from your peers and especially from supervising attorneys. Opening your own practice requires immediate command of many skills – office and staff management, court filings, business development – in addition to your legal practice. It is a lot of responsibility. Working with a team at a law firm, as a public defender or as a prosecutor allows you to focus on the legal practice itself and draw on the group's collective knowledge and experience. This is the direction I would pursue if it is available to you.

Be genuine. Don't take every case like it's the most important if working as a prosecutor or legal aid. Reputation for being readinable and pleasant. Try cases early in career. Develop comfort in court