Criminal defense attorney detailed job description

Page 1

Criminal Defense Attorney - Detailed Job Description A criminal defense attorney is responsible for defending individuals who are charged with crimes and felonies. They represent their clients in the court of law and speak on their behalf. They can either be directly approached by a client or designated by the court of law to do so. Once the attorney has contacted the client, it is his responsibility to extract all the details of the charges filed against the client; collect the information related to the case and then prepare a strong defense that will help acquit the defendant in the court of law. This may sound simpler than it actually is as criminal law itself is quite intricate and difficult to grasp. To build a strong case for his client, a criminal defense attorney has to collect information from a number of sources such as the police, the investigators involved in the case as well as the witnesses. From interviewing the prosecutor's witnesses to extracting information from the federal authorities, the job of a defense attorney is certainly not a walk in the park. Once the information is obtained, legal analysis and complete study of the case follows. The attorneys also need to be involved jury selection, trials and sentencing as well as plea bargaining. Moreover the attorney has a responsibility towards his client as well. An attorney needs to ensure that all discussions with the clients are confidential. Moreover they need to help the client understand the reality of their case, which in certain cases may even lead to pleading guilty. Helping the defendant deal with the repercussions of facing the criminal charges and supporting him/her till the end of the trial is also part of the day-to-day job of a defense attorney. Criminal defense attorneys are either public defenders who are appointed by the state, local or federal government for defending the clients or they are employed by a private firm. Certain defense lawyers even set up their own private service. Based on where they are employed the salaries of the attorneys may vary. More information visit new york criminal attorney


Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.