Working as a criminal lawyer requires a huge amount of knowledge and skill, as well as the ability to perform in extremely highly pressurised situations.
No matter if you are looking for a criminal lawyer and are wondering what to expect from their services, or you are thinking about becoming a criminal lawyer yourself, it is important to know exactly what it is that these expert professionals do on a day-to-day basis.
You have almost certainly seen representations of criminal lawyers on TV standing up in court, making passionate arguments on behalf of their clients and cross-examining witnesses on the stand. Representing clients in court is only a small part of what a criminal lawyer does, however, and the vast majority of their work is done before a case reaches this stage.
By examining all the evidence surrounding the events in question and using their skills to build the most compelling case for the defence, they will often be able to achieve a satisfactory conclusion for their client prior to a court appearance.
Read on for more information on the average day in the life of a criminal lawyer in Glasgow.
What are criminal lawyers?
Criminal lawyers are responsible for representing those accused of criminal charges, both in and out of court. They know the criminal justice system back to front, have an extensive knowledge of case law, and are skilled in converting masses of evidence into the most compelling defence for their clients.
They often worked with those who are incredibly stressful and upsetting situations and must guide them through each and every stage of the process from being interviewed at the police station the day they are arrested to standing up in court and presenting their defence.
Despite being a sub-section of law in itself, criminal law is still a large and varied field, and most lawyers will specialise further, with an extensive knowledge of certain offences and a track record of success representing those accused of them.
Criminal lawyers don’t earn as much on average as corporate lawyers but are driven by their passion for justice and the legal system and ensuring that everyone has the legal representation they deserve.
What tasks do criminal lawyers perform?
No two days are the same in the life of a criminal lawyer in Glasgow and the precise tasks they perform on a day-to-day basis will depend on the nature of the case they are currently handling and the stage that proceedings are at.
Just some of the things that criminal lawyers do include:
- Representing their client in questioning – There are several stages during the criminal law process where the accused will be questioned about the incident in question. These range from police interviews to cross-examination by the prosecution in court. It is the task of a criminal lawyer to brief their clients on what to say and not to say and speak for them when relevant.
- Filing paperwork – Criminal lawyer is not always the glamorous job it looks on TV, and a huge amount of admin work goes into any criminal case. Lawyers are required to submit files to the court ahead of time and will also fill out and file any appeals on behalf of their clients.
- Answering questions – Being charged with a criminal offence is a stressful time for anyone and a criminal defence lawyer is there to help calm down their clients by answering their questions about the case and their plans.
- Negotiating settlements – Many criminal cases never make it as far as a courtroom and a criminal lawyer may well decide that the best outcome for their client can be achieved via a settlement agreement or by negotiating a plea agreement. All lawyers must have excellent communication skills, but it is particularly important for criminal solicitors to be able to get the defence of their client across properly both in and out of court.
What does the average day look like for a criminal lawyer?
The majority of the average working day, if any day is average in this profession, for a criminal lawyer is spent talking. Talking to clients, other lawyers, witnesses, and anyone else who may be able to assist with building the strongest case for the defence.
They may have to attend court at some point during the day or visit the police station to represent their clients in interviews. It takes a certain type of individual to thrive as a criminal lawyer as they are often subject to threats and even physical violence on occasion. For these highly trained experts, however, seeing justice served and ensuring that all their clients have the legal representation that they are entitled to provide them with a level of job satisfaction that is rare to find.