What should I major in for my Bachelor's Degree if I want to become a Criminal Defense Lawyer?

4 Comments

1. jen says:

   May 5, 2010 at 4:31 pm

   Defiantly philosophy or political science, rhetoric… Those will help alot!
   **also, do nopt do criminology just because it has the word ‘criminal’! criminolgy is more for police men!!
2. jason m says:

   May 5, 2010 at 4:31 pm

   for most universities it doesn’t matter, law school is completely different. but if you want a head start, see if your school offers pre-law usually in the arts and sciences department.
3. maliboo_girl says:

   May 5, 2010 at 4:31 pm

   The best thing you can do is to get a job or internship working for a criminal defense attorney and see if it’s really something you want to do. To be blunt, your days are spent with sleazy people who are mostly guilty and you will never quite feel safe. The environment, always listening to b@llsh!t day in and day out (yes, they lie to their attorneys, it’s pathological) gets to many quickly. Also, if you’ve got your own firm or work for a small firm, you’re a target for the IRS since they know that you will likely be paid mostly in cash.

   Attorneys write, write, write. That’s really what it’s all about, so you better like writing. (That includes litigators.) And to make your work interesting enough for judges (clerks) to read, you want to write well and interestingly. English, History (referenced in writing), Psychology, Political Science, Sociology, Communication are all majors or subjects for college.

   Good luck!