WHAT LAWYERS WHO PRACTICE IN THIS FIELD DO
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
- Criminal Law
- Criminal Procedure
- Evidence
Advanced
- Advanced Criminal Law - Habeas
- Corporate and White Collar Crime
- Criminal Adjudication
- Criminal Litigation
- Criminal Procedure II
- International Criminal Law
- Death Penalty Seminar
- Sentencing Law and Policy
Skills
- Domestic Violence Seminar
- Trial Advocacy
- Voir Dire Strategies
- Witness Preparation
Experiential
- Kentucky Innocence Project
- Field placements with public defenders, prosecutors, or judges
FACULTY MEMBERS WHO TEACH CRIMINAL LITIGATION-RELATED COURSES
Professors
- Sharlene Graham
- Ursula Doyle
- Michael Mannheimer
- David Singleton
- Jeffrey Standen
- Henry Stephens
Adjunct Faculty Members
- Judge Gregory Bartlett
- John Cruze
- Frank Mungo
- Judge Karen Thomas
- Stephen Wirthlin, Jr.
CAREER PATH EXPERIENCES THAT CAN SET YOU APART
Here are some of the ways in which to develop necessary practice skills.
- 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.
BAR EXAMINATION FACTOR
Criminal Law, Criminal Procedure, and Evidence are tested with both essay and multiple choice questions in nearly all jurisdictions.
HOW TO GET THE MOST FROM myGPS
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