myGPS : Northern Kentucky University, Greater Cincinnati Region

Lawyers who practice in the area of criminal litigation are either defense attorneys or prosecuting attorneys.

Defense attorneys represent clients or organizations accused of criminal misconduct. Defense attorneys employed by a government to represent indigent defendants are public defenders.

Prosecuting attorneys represent local, state, or federal governments to prosecute cases against defendants.
Defense or prosecuting attorneys may handle a variety of types of criminal cases, or they may concentrate on particular types of cases, such as death-penalty cases, white-collar crime, or organized crime.

COURSES THAT CAN PREPARE YOU

The Chase curriculum requires foundational courses for all students and offers additional courses for specialized expertise.

Required

Advanced

Skills

Experiential

Complete an internship or externship with a state or federal prosecutor, attorney general, or public defender.
Obtain a limited law license to represent clients in criminal cases under a lawyer’s supervision.
Complete an internship or externship with a federal or state court judge overseeing criminal law cases.
Complete an internship or externship with the Department of Justice, FBI, CIA, or an investigative agency.
Participate in the Kentucky Innocence Project.
Take advantage of networking opportunities to meet lawyers practicing in the area of criminal law.
Shadow prosecutors or defense lawyers to observe courtroom proceedings.

Criminal Law, Criminal Procedure, and Evidence are tested with both essay and multiple choice questions in nearly all jurisdictions.

Click here to schedule a conversation with a myGPS adviser about your courses and career plans.