Degrees required to be a criminal lawyer differ from other law degrees.
U.S. qualified criminal lawyers represent clients accused of crime or criminal misconduct in court processes. They negotiate punishments to ensure clients receive justice. The road to practicing as a criminal lawyer in the U.S. is a long and rigorous one. The American Bar Association is the U.S. legal profession's national representative.
Undergraduate Degree for Aspiring Criminal Lawyers
Aspiring criminal lawyers may complete a four-year undergraduate program in any major. However, opting for law-related classes in government, economics, history, sociology and public speaking is preferable. A pre-law curriculum includes a Bachelor of Science with a history or political science major with pre-law emphasis. For example, the University of Maryland's College of Behavioral Sciences offers an undergraduate program with a criminology and criminal justice major and internship participation.
Professional Law Degree
Passing the Law School Admission Test, or LSAT, grants enrollment in a three-year juris doctorate program in an ABA-accredited law school. Only ABA-accredited law school graduates can take bar exams in U.S. jurisdictions. No 100-percent distance education law degree program holds an ABA approval currently; hence, such education will restrict the student's future prospects.
A full-time law school courseload covers all aspects of legal studies. Specialization in criminal law is an option during the second half of the juris doctorate program. The program's lawyer practice skills course focuses on negotiating, mediating, client interviewing, counseling and court procedures. Elective courses, internships, legal clinics and moot court competitions develop students' skills at handling cases.
Bar Exams
Passing the state bar exam grants a person the license to state court practice. Developed by the National Council of Bar Examiners, bar exams are administered by the respective state board of bar examiners.
Bar exam modules include the six-hour Multistate Bar Examination (MBE), the three-hour Multistate Essay Examination (MEE) and the Multistate Performance Test (MPT). The Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination (MPRE) is another bar exam conducted in most U.S. jurisdictions. The NCBE's Uniform Bar Exam (UBE) model -- wherein the MEE, MPT and MBE will be conducted over two days in February and July annually -- will be administered by Missouri and North Dakota jurisdictions beginning February 2011 and by Washington beginning July 2013.
Continuing Education
All practicing criminal lawyers must attend continuing education programs. These are held by the ABA online, can be found on law school campuses and are conducted by state bar associations.
Master of Laws
The Master of Laws (LL.M.) in prosecutorial science, a degree offered at Chapman Law School, is designed specifically for lawyers engaged in criminal prosecution for five or more years. The program deals with criminal law application in all states with state specific law electives. The Master of Laws in trial advocacy gives students -- criminal or civil lawyers -- hands-on trial coaching under leading judges and attorneys.
Doctor of Juridical Sciences
A criminal lawyer who has been a top LL.M. graduate can join the Doctor of Juridical Sciences (S.J.D.) degree program, which usually is completed in five years, under his chosen faculty overseer. This most advanced law degree permits him to become a legal academician and gain employment as faculty in top law schools. Candidates have to submit and successfully defend their doctoral dissertations orally at the end of the course.
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