Have iconic fictional criminal barristers persuaded you to follow a career in criminal law? If you’re studying or considering specialising in this field, you can take the knowledge gained from TV series and films and compare it to how crime is dealt with in real life.
Find out more about this legal practice area, how to become a criminal lawyer, what the average salary is and more on this page.
What is Criminal Law?
Criminal law aims to deter and punish conduct which is perceived as threatening, harmful or endangering to the public, its property or moral welfare.
When government leaders take steps to ban certain actions relating to the above, they create crime legislation. Such legislation forbids behaviour including murder, sexual assault, property damage, theft and motor offences. Criminal law also includes international relations and extradition, money laundering and terrorism.
The Criminal Justice system acts with dual focus. On one hand, criminal laws are used to control society’s actions. But in addition, they are in place to help citizens understand the effects of their actions. This is because criminal law also includes the punishment and rehabilitation of people who violate criminal laws.
This is a core area of legal practice. As a compulsory part of the qualifying law degree, every law student will have to get to grips with aspects of it during their studies.
How to Become a Criminal Lawyer
To be a criminal lawyer, it’s important for you to be able to thrive under pressure while working on fast-paced cases. Because of the nature of criminal law, you must enjoy a challenge and be able to think on your feet.
Criminal Law also involves a large amount of evidence gathering. herefore being able to deal with information quickly and competently will also serve you well. Attention to detail is very also important as case outcomes often come about through focusing on small details of the evidence.
Finally, it helps to have a neutral and determined approach to your work. Working with such a diverse range of individuals in a range of contexts means that you will have to ignore prejudice and go into every case with an open mind to ensure your clients’ right to a fair trial.