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What is a defense attorney and how to become one
A defense attorney simply defends the accused in court. Yes, it's exactly what you thought it was. The accused could be a defendant, person, or corporation. You will be required to use all the resources at your disposal to defend your clients in court.
These resources include access to all evidence gathered by the police, access to secure bail, the ability to cross-examine witnesses from the opposing side. You will get the option of working as a public defender to help people who are too poor to afford private attorneys, or you could set up your private practice.
Several educational requirements are required of anyone who wants to become a defense attorney. You will be expected to have an undergraduate degree in law, political science, or criminal justice, after which you should get your doctorate before becoming a defense attorney. You will earn a minimum of $45.07 per hour or $93,000 annually.
What general advice would you give to a Defense Attorney?
Hanna Royce
Assistant Dean of Career Services, University of New Hampshire Franklin Pierce School of Law
Many graduates are securing remote positions. To be successful in a remote environment, employees need to make the extra effort to communicate and stay connected with colleagues. Even when employees are telecommuting, they should dress as if they are going into the office. This can help them with productivity and illustrate their professionalism when meeting with colleagues or clients.
Avg. Salary $103,209
Avg. Salary $59,228
Growth Rate 10%
Growth Rate 0.3%
American Indian and Alaska Native 0.31%
Asian 6.54%
Black or African American 5.72%
Hispanic or Latino 7.96%
Unknown 4.40%
White 75.08%
Genderfemale 47.86%
male 52.14%
Age - 45American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%
Asian 7.00%
Black or African American 14.00%
Hispanic or Latino 19.00%
White 57.00%
Genderfemale 47.00%
male 53.00%
Age - 45Stress level is very high
7.1 - high
Complexity Level is advanced
7 - challenging
Work Life balance is fair
6.4 - fair
Defense Attorney career paths
Key steps to become a defense attorney
Explore defense attorney education requirements
Start to develop specific defense attorney skills
Skills 
Percentages Litigation 23.15% Insurance Defense 11.57% Law Firm 6.93% Legal Issues 6.87% Legal Research 6.54% Complete relevant defense attorney training and internships
Accountants spend an average of 1-2 years on post-employment, on-the-job training. New defense attorneys 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 defense attorney based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real defense attorney resumes.Research defense attorney duties and responsibilities
- Manage cases from intake through arbitration, trial, or settlement.
- Excel at client relations, court advocacy, arbitration, counseling, and composing demurrers and motions for summary judgment.
- Provide legal representation covering all facets of insurance litigation, including extensive fraud and exaggerate claims.
- Represent clients in civil litigation matters including workers' compensation, automobile liability, commercial, and general liability cases.
Prepare your defense attorney resume
When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your defense attorney resume.
You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a defense attorney resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.
Choose From 10+ Customizable Defense Attorney Resume templates
Build a professional Defense Attorney resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Defense Attorney resume.
Apply for defense attorney jobs
Now it's time to start searching for a defense attorney job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:
- Browse job boards for relevant postings
- Consult your professional network
- Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
- Watch out for job scams
How Did You Land Your First Defense Attorney Job
Are you a Defense Attorney?
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Average defense attorney salary
The average Defense Attorney salary in the United States is $103,209 per year or $50 per hour. Defense attorney salaries range between $69,000 and $152,000 per year.
What Am I Worth?
How do defense attorneys rate their job?
Defense Attorney reviews
As a civil litigation defense attorney I love the fact that every day is different. I enjoy assisting clients who have a problem to solve that problem in the most cost effective way, and how to avoid such problems in the future. I like that I basically set my own work schedule (other than court dates).
Billing hours. Unscrupulous opposing counsel. Occasional biased judges who do not follow the law.
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Updated January 8, 2025
