What is a criminal lawyer and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read
Quoted Expert
Shelley Sadin
There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being a criminal lawyer. For example, did you know that they make an average of $29.01 an hour? That's $60,347 a year! Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 10% and produce 80,200 job opportunities across the U.S.

What general advice would you give to a Criminal Lawyer?

S

Shelley SadinShelley Sadin LinkedIn Profile

Associate Dean of Professional and Career Development, Quinnipiac University

Communicating clearly, both orally and in writing.

It is identifying and analyzing legal and factual issues with an open, thoughtful, and creative mind.

Working collaboratively with clients, colleagues, opponents, and others involved in a case to solve problems.

Being meticulously ethical and professional in all interactions. This includes treating everyone involved in a matter with respect; recognizing and honoring their different backgrounds and perspectives.

Being self-disciplined, motivated, resilient, courageous, kind, and flexible.
ScoreCriminal LawyerUS Average
Salary
4.7

Avg. Salary $60,347

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level
10.0

Growth Rate 10%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity
2.4
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.30%

Asian 5.03%

Black or African American 4.09%

Hispanic or Latino 6.22%

Unknown 4.19%

White 80.17%

Gender

female 64.29%

male 35.71%

Age - 45
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 45
Stress Level
10.0

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity Level
10.0

Complexity Level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance
4.9

Work Life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

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Key steps to become a criminal lawyer

  1. Explore criminal lawyer education requirements

    Most common criminal lawyer degrees

    Bachelor's

    71.4 %

    Doctorate

    21.4 %

    Diploma

    7.1 %
  2. Complete relevant criminal lawyer training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 1-2 years on post-employment, on-the-job training. New criminal lawyers learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a criminal lawyer based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real criminal lawyer resumes.
  3. Research criminal lawyer duties and responsibilities

    • Provide litigation support by leading case investigations, gathering underwriting, claim, and agency information and subpoena responses.
    • General civil practice focusing on real property matters, business entity formation/representation, estate planning, and probate.
  4. Apply for criminal lawyer jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a criminal lawyer job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How Did You Land Your First Criminal Lawyer Job

Zippi

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Average criminal lawyer salary

The average Criminal Lawyer salary in the United States is $60,347 per year or $29 per hour. Criminal lawyer salaries range between $33,000 and $110,000 per year.

Average Criminal Lawyer Salary
$60,347 Yearly
$29.01 hourly

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.