Krystal
What would be the best thing to major in if I want to become a criminal defense lawyer ?
I'm asking this because I've heard a lot of things to major in but I don't know which would be the best . I've heard it all from Psychology, sociology,criminology to criminal justice and more . But I don't know the difference between them so I would like to know which one would be more helpful.
#criminal-justice #law #CriminalDefenseAttorney
2 answers
Kim Igleheart
Kim’s Answer
I'm not an attorney, but, I'm going to try answering this anyway! And my answer is, "none of the above!" The reason I say that is simply this: As a criminal defense attorney, you will have many clients who are not very financially stable. They won't be able to hire expert witnesses to explain things scientific (how the condition of the asphalt or the weather factor into the accident) or otherwise complex (company financial records practices). Law school will teach you law. Life will teach you about people. But to be a true asset to your client, you will need to know enough about "how stuff works" to be able to recognize when an expert is really needed, and when one is not.
Secondly, many start on a path to law school, but not all complete the journey. So, for that reason, also look to major in something that can help you to obtain the career path you would want to pursue, were you not pursuing law!
Also , if you get the chance, join a law enforcement Explorers group, or even become a reserve police officer. Try to find a way to get close to police, as this will give you an insider's understanding of how they think and function - much better than any criminal justice class!
Beyond that, I encourage you to take classes that are as difficult as possible, to prepare you for the rigors of law school. This would include a latin vocabulary class, a college level "logic" class, speech, acting (for courtroom presentations, although, many lawyers never go to court), advanced writing, and learn all you can about technology. Liberal arts classes, while interesting, are not as challenging as other classes.
Best of luck!
Kim
Audrey Smith
Audrey’s Answer
Hi Krystal!
Great question! As a young lawyer myself, I understand that these types of decisions are confusing and there aren't many clear answers out there, but I'm going to try my best. :)
So first of all, just to be clear, and it seems like you already know, your chosen major is an extremely small factor in being accepted to law school, your LSAT score and GPA being much more important. The good news is that you do have a lot of flexibility when choosing your major in undergrad.
Next, I would tell you that if you are looking to eventually get into the private practice of criminal defense, probably the best thing you could do for your career is to work in the prosecutors' or public defenders' office when you leave law school. This is something you will quickly discover in law school, but I just wanted to let you know now.
Back to your original question, I have a degree in psychology, and I can tell you, in my experience, that most psychology degrees are much more based in the science and research aspect of psychology as opposed the analysis of why people do things the way that they do.
Sociology however is the study of the development, structure, and functioning of human society. This is something that is extremely important to understand when working in the criminal sector.
Criminology and criminal justice are also very important because this allows you to learn what police officers and other individuals in the criminal system are learning and how their opinions are shaped. This will help you better advocate for your clients in the future.
All that being said, I would suggest double majoring in sociology and criminal justice/criminology.
I would also suggest spending time volunteering with the poor, needy, and mentally ill, so that you can actively appreciate the struggles and mindset of those you will most likely be representing, especially early on. Those are the groups that are often the most desperate for criminal defense representation.
It would also be very helpful for you to take public speaking classes and maybe join the debate team, if offered. As to logic classes, I would suggest philosophy (even though I hated that class).
As to your future as a lawyer, try not to worry about being an expert in everything. Experts must be hired all the time, and they are frequently hired for the public defender's office and the prosecutors office. And if you are working as a private defense attorney (as opposed to working for the government), your clients will either have the money to hire experts or you will eventually end up referring them to the public defender's office, for their own good.
I wish you the best of luck on your future career, whatever that may be :) -Audrey