6 answers
Trae
Student
Conway, Arkansas
2
Questions
Asked
421 views
What is a good starting point for a future attorney.
9th grade
Criminal defense attorney or prosecuting attorney
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6 answers
Marva Levine
Attorney
14
Answers
New York, New York
Updated
Marva’s Answer
A prosecutor works for the government. Your job is to represent the people in your community. That is a very important and honorable job.
A defense attorney represents people charged with a crime, and in some cases, convicted of a crime. Defending someone, protecting their rights and making sure they are treated fairly under the law is a very important and honorable job.
Some attorneys start out as prosecutors and then become defense lawyers.
Each of these jobs have benefits. My suggestion is to work hard in school, get into law school and then take some classes in criminal law, and maybe an internship. You will find what works best for you. Good luck to you.
A defense attorney represents people charged with a crime, and in some cases, convicted of a crime. Defending someone, protecting their rights and making sure they are treated fairly under the law is a very important and honorable job.
Some attorneys start out as prosecutors and then become defense lawyers.
Each of these jobs have benefits. My suggestion is to work hard in school, get into law school and then take some classes in criminal law, and maybe an internship. You will find what works best for you. Good luck to you.
DENNIS BREEN
Lawyer
147
Answers
Cary, North Carolina
Updated
DENNIS’s Answer
Trae: Marva's answer spells out the types of Criminal law lawyers and the need to work hard to get there. Marva - a fellow New Yorker - is spot on! All I would add is that in the 9th grade I'd suggest you be a 9th grader. Get good grades, have fun, enjoy school and get involved in extra- ciricular activities. Between the 9th grade and the Bar Exam there are many options and many bridges to cross. The best lawyers are well rounded people who know themselves and care about others.
Trae, don't go forward with blinders on. Keep an open mind, explore the things that you like and enjoy the road forward. There are 10 years between now and a possible bar exam. There are a lot of options and a big world out there. Being a lawyer is a great thing - I love it. However, I don't want to see you push yourself into something without looking at all the options! Go out and have fun. Enjoy school. We look forward to seeig you as part of the Bar.
Trae, don't go forward with blinders on. Keep an open mind, explore the things that you like and enjoy the road forward. There are 10 years between now and a possible bar exam. There are a lot of options and a big world out there. Being a lawyer is a great thing - I love it. However, I don't want to see you push yourself into something without looking at all the options! Go out and have fun. Enjoy school. We look forward to seeig you as part of the Bar.
Saumya Shridhar
Investigations Counsel / Litigator
11
Answers
Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
Updated
Saumya’s Answer
Hi Trae ! You're already off to a good start if you're thinking ahead. Since you're in 9th grade, here's a few skills that you may work towards that will come handy on your journey to a law school and even later.
1. General knowledge- Reading the papers (and other sources) to keep abreast with local and global news in various areas and especially the areas of your own interest. This habit will always help you stay up to date and ahead of the curve, not only as a student but even as a practicing attorney.
2. Reading and comprehension- Practicing reading long articles on various subjects and attempting comprehension questions based on the same. This will prepare you to be able to grasp a new and unfamiliar topic faster and be able to tackle it more efficiently as a law student and a future attorney.
3. Public speaking- Participating in as many debates, speeches, elocution, presentation opportunities as you can. This will help eliminate fear, if any, of public speaking. If your school does not offer too many of these opportunities, even public facing activities before your family, neighborhood and community can help in this direction.
4. Co-curricular activities- Engaging in activities outside of academics will make you a well-rounded student as well as professional later in life. It'll help you balance your studies/ work along with your other passions (sports / arts etc.).
All the best !
Saumya
1. General knowledge- Reading the papers (and other sources) to keep abreast with local and global news in various areas and especially the areas of your own interest. This habit will always help you stay up to date and ahead of the curve, not only as a student but even as a practicing attorney.
2. Reading and comprehension- Practicing reading long articles on various subjects and attempting comprehension questions based on the same. This will prepare you to be able to grasp a new and unfamiliar topic faster and be able to tackle it more efficiently as a law student and a future attorney.
3. Public speaking- Participating in as many debates, speeches, elocution, presentation opportunities as you can. This will help eliminate fear, if any, of public speaking. If your school does not offer too many of these opportunities, even public facing activities before your family, neighborhood and community can help in this direction.
4. Co-curricular activities- Engaging in activities outside of academics will make you a well-rounded student as well as professional later in life. It'll help you balance your studies/ work along with your other passions (sports / arts etc.).
All the best !
Saumya
Damion Josephs
Lawyer
2
Answers
New York, New York
Updated
Damion’s Answer
There are different areas of the law, and so, the area that you think you might be interested in now might be different when you’re ready to be a lawyer. Like Dennis said, keep an open mind as you think about in what area you’d like to end up. As you think more about your areas of interest, think about seeking out opportunities to learn about the types of things lawyers in those areas of interest do on a day-to-day basis.
Jonathan Huang
Attorney
2
Answers
Los Angeles, California
Updated
Jonathan’s Answer
Hey Trae,
That's fantastic if you've already got your heart set on becoming a criminal defense attorney or prosecutor! Just remember, it's completely normal for people to switch up their career goals during their undergraduate or law school years. I can speak from experience - I initially wanted to specialize in one area of law, but eventually found my passion in another. So, if your interests evolve over time, that's perfectly fine!
At this stage, as a high school student, I'd suggest concentrating on your academic studies and aiming for the best possible undergraduate school. While there's a bit of a debate about whether attending a more prestigious school directly impacts your future as an attorney, it definitely opens up more opportunities. It can make your law school applications more attractive, thus offering you a wider range of choices. A high-ranking undergraduate school can pave the way to a top-tier law school, which in turn can lead to more job opportunities in the legal field.
If I could hop in a time machine and swap places with you, I'd focus on acing my current school work and achieving the best grades I could. I'd complement this with enriching extracurricular activities like internships, leadership roles, and debate clubs. Strive to excel both academically and personally. Be hungry for knowledge and always remember that there's room for improvement and growth. This mindset will equip you well for the rigorous demands of law school and legal practice. But don't forget to have fun! You're young and there's no need to make law your entire world just yet. If you have other hobbies, go ahead and indulge in them.
If you happen to have a family member or a family friend who's an attorney (ideally in the field of criminal law, but any field would do), start engaging them in conversations about their career journey.
Wishing you all the best!
That's fantastic if you've already got your heart set on becoming a criminal defense attorney or prosecutor! Just remember, it's completely normal for people to switch up their career goals during their undergraduate or law school years. I can speak from experience - I initially wanted to specialize in one area of law, but eventually found my passion in another. So, if your interests evolve over time, that's perfectly fine!
At this stage, as a high school student, I'd suggest concentrating on your academic studies and aiming for the best possible undergraduate school. While there's a bit of a debate about whether attending a more prestigious school directly impacts your future as an attorney, it definitely opens up more opportunities. It can make your law school applications more attractive, thus offering you a wider range of choices. A high-ranking undergraduate school can pave the way to a top-tier law school, which in turn can lead to more job opportunities in the legal field.
If I could hop in a time machine and swap places with you, I'd focus on acing my current school work and achieving the best grades I could. I'd complement this with enriching extracurricular activities like internships, leadership roles, and debate clubs. Strive to excel both academically and personally. Be hungry for knowledge and always remember that there's room for improvement and growth. This mindset will equip you well for the rigorous demands of law school and legal practice. But don't forget to have fun! You're young and there's no need to make law your entire world just yet. If you have other hobbies, go ahead and indulge in them.
If you happen to have a family member or a family friend who's an attorney (ideally in the field of criminal law, but any field would do), start engaging them in conversations about their career journey.
Wishing you all the best!
Xiaojie Johan Liu
Consultant
91
Answers
Boston, Massachusetts
Updated
Xiaojie Johan’s Answer
Hello Trae,
Since you are in the 9th grade, I'd focus on getting into a good undergraduate institution in preparation for law school. Boost your High School GPA and SAT/ACT scores, focus on participating in school activities and improving your critical thinking skills is what's important now. I'd worry about the other things when you enter an undergraduate institution.
Best of luck.
Best regards,
Johan
Since you are in the 9th grade, I'd focus on getting into a good undergraduate institution in preparation for law school. Boost your High School GPA and SAT/ACT scores, focus on participating in school activities and improving your critical thinking skills is what's important now. I'd worry about the other things when you enter an undergraduate institution.
Best of luck.
Best regards,
Johan