Criminal Lawyers Job Description, Duties & Salary

Work Environment

The workplace for prosecutors can be as varied as the type of cases assigned. Their offices are comfortable and well-lit, but prosecutors only spend a fraction of their time in the office. They often conduct research at law libraries, interview police officers and criminal investigators at police stations, meet with social workers and other specialists, and travel to the scene of an alleged crime. They also spend a great deal of time at courthouses—meeting with the defense and the judge and participating in the actual trial. They also must manage office staff, prepare budgets and reports, attend community meetings, and sit on community boards. Long, stressful workdays and heavy caseloads are common for prosecutors.

Defense lawyers work in comfortable offices but, like prosecutors, they spend a lot of time in courtrooms, as well as in meetings with their clients in jails or detention centers. They typically receive assistance from junior lawyers, paralegals, legal secretaries, and office administrative staff. Defense lawyers often work more than 40 hours per week, including at night and on weekends.

A public defender’s work environment varies from case to case. Misdemeanor cases usually begin with a lawyer-client consultation at the public defender’s office. If the client is charged with a criminal case and is in police custody, the public defender may have to travel to the appropriate jail or detention center for consultation. Public defenders spend a great deal of time in the court system, appearing before judges and juries on behalf of their clients. Long hours may be required to conduct research and write briefs, consult with clients and prosecuting attorneys, or compile needed documents. There is often a high level of stress in this occupation as public defenders try to juggle multiple cases during limited time frames and with limited resources.

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