Some steps to become a Criminal Defense Attorney in NYC
If you have decided to become a criminal defence attorney in New York City, you have taken a bold decision. This is because the city is already full of some of the most experienced and competent lawyers. Naturally, rubbing shoulders with them to earn repute and a handsome monetary return is not easy at all. Still, this should not deter you. You need to pick up this as a challenge and make sure that your name comes within the bracket of the best professionals that this city has to offer. Here are some of the tips that can be helpful to you in your endeavor to become a criminal defense attorney in NYC.
Firstly, you need to get a Bachelor’s degree. Getting into a reputed law school is the first step to be an attorney. In order to earn eligibility of getting into a law school, you need to have a bachelor’s degree. Though you may have the option of studying political science and pre-law, this might not be that helpful. However, in order to get admission into a Law School, you need to clear the LSAT or Law School Admission Test.
Once you are admitted in a Law School, you will have to attend classes that teach you the subjects of your choice. Classes will deal with various aspects of criminal law as well as its procedure, trial advocacy, criminal practice, appellate practice and so on.
Participation in criminal law related internship is another very important aspect. While in law school, you need to focus on working for a particular legal aid society, or for the office of a public defender, or prosecutor, or for an appellate practice firm. Opting for judicial clerkship also makes a lot of difference, as this provides excellent exposure to firsthand experience.
Firstly, get appointed as a prosecutor. Working on the other side as a persecutor is the best way to become a successful Criminal Defense Attorney NYC. In this way, you will be able to gain experience, which is invaluable. This will teach you a lot regarding the criminal justice process within a short span of time.
Try to grab a job as a criminal defense lawyer. You can surely choose not to work as a prosecutor and opt to work as a defense attorney after passing the bar. However, most of the starting attorneys work under the mentorship of experienced Criminal Defense Attorney in NYC, so that they can learn all the local procedures as well as practices of criminal law.
Since NYC is already home to a number of highly experienced criminal defense attorneys, you need to be pretty serious as well as determined, to be one of them. It is not at all a child’s play. You need to have a tremendous tenacity of purpose to be a respectable criminal defense attorney with a commendable following and fame that will earn you a good living as well in the long run.