How Long Does It Take to Become a Criminal Lawyer

When learning about the law, there is without a doubt going to be a lot of years spent learning all of the aspects of it. The criminal world and the laws that attorneys have to know in order to deal with the situation are huge and numerous. Know that while this is a career that can be very rewarding, it is also one that takes a lot of work and preparation. There are many routes that a person can take in order to eventually practice as a lawyer that specializes in criminal law.

The first thing that needs to be accomplished is the completion of a four-year undergraduate degree. The undergraduate study must be done through an accredited institution; otherwise, it will not be enough to enter law school. With an overload of non-traditional schools, such as online universities hitting the web, many people are taking this route for the convenience factor. An undergraduate four-year degree can sometimes be earned in as little as two and half years. Law schools not only look at the degree, but where it came from. Some schools will deny entry for someone who earned their four-year degree from an online school.

The best route is to attend a traditional undergraduate school if you want to make it into a prestigious law school. Since attorneys work in stressful situations and usually have an overload of work in front of them, college serves as good practice for the future. But if you feel that your grades will suffer by pushing yourself too hard then you will want to take the full four years to earn your degree. Criminal defense attorneys that did not graduate with excellent grades have a harder time finding high paying employment.

After you have received your four-year degree, you will then need to attend law school before you can even think about practicing as a criminal lawyer. Accredited law schools take about three years to complete. Those who are looking to receive a Master's degree along with a Juris Doctorate will need to look into a law program that is a joint degree, which will take four years. During these years, those looking to become attorneys later down the road will first learn about a variety of legal fields. In the final years, students will be able to focus on the field of their choice such as criminal law.