Criminal Lawyer
Defends people accused of crimes, or prosecutes on behalf of the state, from the first police statement through to trial and appeal.
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- Typical pay
- €30k–€90k
- Usual education
- Law degree plus bar qualification
- Outlook
- Steady demand, including duty-solicitor and legal-aid work that gives new lawyers courtroom experience early.
A day in the life
Take an urgent call from a police station, advise a client before questioning, study evidence and witness statements, prepare a defence strategy, and argue the case in a criminal court.
Ways in
- Law degree plus bar exam
- Duty solicitor / legal aid scheme
- Traineeship with a criminal defence firm
What to study at 16
The subjects you choose for the final years of secondary school can shape which degrees, exams and careers are easiest to reach. This is about choosing courses, not choosing a school.
Spain
Bachillerato de Humanidades y Ciencias Sociales
Portugal
Línguas e Humanidades
France
Bac général — spécialités
Italy
Liceo classico / scienze umane
Netherlands
Profiel Economie & Maatschappij
Ireland
Leaving Certificate subject choice
Exams you'll need
The gates between you and this job, and when each one comes.
Browse all examsSkills that matter
Best courses to take
The study routes that lead most directly into this career.
BSc Criminology & Criminal Justice
Crime, policing and the justice system from a social science angle.
Useful alongside law for understanding offending and the justice system.
Helpful school subjects: Sociology, Psychology
Law Conversion (GDL/PGDL or equivalent)
One-year route into law for graduates of any other subject.
Lets you switch into law after another degree.
Helpful school subjects: Any degree
LLB Law
The qualifying law degree: contract, tort, criminal, public and EU law.
Criminal law and evidence are core modules on any law degree.
Helpful school subjects: English, History, Politics
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