Law is a legal field with various careers, and criminal justice is one of the filed. Considering how to become a criminal justice lawyer can help you determine if the field is what you really want.
Moreover, this post explains all the necessary information you need to know on how you can become criminal justice and the requirements needed of you. Read on to know more.
How To Become A Criminal Justice Lawyer
Criminal lawyers are those people that specialize in criminal cases and represent either the state or the party charged with the crime. This course can offer you with a good salary depending on your field and location.
Though the road to becoming a criminal justice lawyer is long, it is a rewarding career for those suited to the job.
What Is A Criminal Lawyer?
Criminal Lawyer is a defense lawyer that specialized in the defense of individuals and companies charged with criminal activity. There are criminal defense layers that are private retained, while other are employed by various jurisdiction.
In the United States, criminal defense lawyers deal with the issue surrounding an arrest a criminal investigation, criminal charges, sentencing, appeals, and post-trial issues. There are penalties for criminal misconduct, to moderate people’s actions and help them underst6and the consequences. This law is imposed by the government.
Duties And Responsibilities Of Criminal Lawyers
The following are duties and responsibilities of criminal lawyers:
- They conduct interviews of witnesses
- They identify and gather witnesses.
- They examining crime scenes and evidence
- Bring up Strategies for cases
- Drafting, filling and countering appeals
They can also take on ‘pro bono’ case where they work for public good without taking payment.
Types Of Criminal Lawyers
There are types of criminal lawyers based on your specific interest and skill sets. Here are they:
Criminal Law Practitioner
This type of criminal law addresses important issues in this field. Their work is for the periodic evolution of legal frameworks to improve usability for lawyers, judiciary and students.
Government Advocate
These criminal laws are employed by state governments to perform specific duties as prescribed by the Indian Code of civil procedure. The government advocate often requires to draft and prevent pleading on behalf of the government in a court of law.
Public Prosecutor
The public prosecutors represent cases from the state-side, against individuals or companies involved in alleged criminal activities. In addition, they are part of the state’s judiciary and handle procedures related to litigation.
5 Steps To Become A Criminal Lawyer
Many criminal lawyers start their careers as public defenders or prosecutors. Here are the main steps to the criminal lawyer career path.
Earn Your Bachelor’s Degree
A bachelor’s Degree is required in order for you to get into law school. You will require an aggregate of 50-60% marks in your board exams to be eligible to pursue undergraduate courses.
Take The Law School Admission Test
The LSAC test is used to access your reading, critical thinking, comprehension, and reasoning skills. This test is a requirement with your law school application and the score is 50 to 60%. If you take the test and feel that your scores are not a true reflection of your ability, you may choose to retake the exam.
Earn Your Juris Doctor (J.D.) Degree
You need to earn your Jurls doctor degree. Criminal law depends on how long it takes for you to earn the necessary degrees but the law school typically lasts for three years.
Resulting in a Juris Doctor degree upon successful completion. Your time in law school may include participation in mock trials, legal clinics, and writing for a law journal.
Consider A Clerkship
You may be given the opportunity to complete a part-time or summer clerkship while in law school. This aspect help you gain valuable experience by working in a law firm, government agency, or corporate office. This clerkship can even lead to an employment offer after graduation law school.
Pass The Bar Exam
You must pass your state bar examination and earn a license before you can practice law anywhere in the United States. However, it all depend on your state.
You are required to pass a written exam, plus a separate written ethic exam. However, you must pass a bar exam in each state if you want to practice law in multiple states.
Gain Work Experience
Parallel to your studies or after, you should try to gain work experience under an established criminal lawyer or in a legal firm. Field experience and specialization are very important for developing a successful career in criminal law.
How Long Does It Take To Become A Criminal Lawyer?
Once you finished your secondary education from a recognized board, law studied can take you anywhere between 3 and 13 years. A criminal lawyer’s academic journey can be broken up as follows:
- Legislative law or an LLB degree takes 3 years to complete
- Arts course or a BA LLB takes 5 years to complete.
- Postgraduate courses in law typically take 1-2 years to complete
- While PHD in law takes around 6 years to complete
Employment Sectors For Criminal Lawyers
Below are criminal lawyers that may be employed:
- Legal consultancies
- Law colleges and universities
- High courts and supreme courts
- International organizations
- Legal websites
- Independent legal practice
- Law firms
Is Criminal Law A Good Career?
It all depends on your experience and track record in the field, a career in criminal law can offer good remuneration. Legal practice is an evergreen field and it offers plenty of opportunities for skilled practitioners.
How Much Do Criminal Law Receive?
The average salary for a law graduate is $2,97, 155 per year. After you pass the bar exam, you can make an average base salary of ₹3,82,579 per year. For senior attorneys, this figure can go up to ₹6,74,154 per year.
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