What Is A Criminal Solicitor ?
Part Two
A Criminal Solicitor is not a 9 to 5, Monday to Friday Job. Most suspects are arrested at inconvenient times, Weekends, Bank Holidays, Xmas and after 5.30 p.m. To be a effective criminal solicitor you must be prepared to work long hours, often at times when other people are asleep. You may be in a police station with a scared, frightened suspect who is being interviewed for the first time at 11 p.m. at night with regard to a serious offence. A offence
Which, if convicted, could seriously alter his or her life or career.
A Criminal Solicitor is not for a person who is faint of heart. As a criminal solicitor you may deal with clients who are angry; obnoxious; rude; scared angry; resentful nervous; or all of these things. Police officers may be uncooperative, secretive, difficult; dismissive or aggressive. Judges may be rude; stressed; angry ; bullying or rushed. Prosecutors may be
arrogant, stressed, angry or ill -prepared. Magistrates may be dismissive; disbelieving;unsympathetic, incredulous or unable to see other points of view.
A Criminal Solicitor is not especially well paid. It is a vocation not a employment. Most criminal solicitors in England and Wales are not exceptionally well paid. The majority of newly qualified criminal solicitors earn less then £35,000. It can take some years to become a partner and then people rarely earn more than £55,000, More money can be earned in certain specialisms in the Crown Prosecution Service but this takes time
A Criminal Solicitor is not for those who do not like exams. To become a criminal solicitor you may well need a Law degree. Whilst qualification routes have recently changed you can expect to undertake some kind of learning; formerly a training contract on the job. To become a police station duty representative you will need to get practical experience and take exams; Again to become a duty criminal solicitor. More exams are necessary to become a Higher Court Advocate. It is not for the faint of heart.