How to become an international criminal lawyer?

Criminal law is one of the best majors to gain theoretical knowledge in and a great career choice too. Crimlawcanada or criminal law of any country is unique and similar in many ways. What is or isn’t a crime may have changed over time, but criminals and their sanctions have existed since time immemorial. 

Generally, criminal defense lawyers can only practice in a jurisdiction they have a license of. Still, since the world has become a global village, international criminal defense lawyers have emerged too.

Road map of an international criminal lawyer

It isn’t easy to initiate a criminal law career; there is a lot to do and learn, and it isn’t always pretty. Nonetheless, if you aim to be a criminal lawyer internationally, that is, to practice in different jurisdictions, then here is a quick roadmap for you. 

Intent

The first step to pursuing anything is to have a goal in mind. Your intention should be for what you want. However, what you want to do in life is just as important as why you want to do it. That is why you have to have the reason in mind too. 

Ask yourself why you want to become an international criminal defense lawyer and see if the reason is worth going through a process that may take years to achieve.

Pre-law school

Before you can achieve your dream of becoming an international criminal defense lawyer, you have to get to law school. For law school, some countries only require you to have a higher secondary education or high school, and you can join the colleges after that.

However, the law schools in America require you to have an undergraduate degree, that is a bachelor’s. The majors don’t matter, but a high GPA ensures that you get admitted to a reputable law school.

Law school

Afterward, the next step is to get into law school. There are many public and private law schools; some have great reputations, some have great faculty, and some produce great lawyers. 

At that point, if your LSAT score is great, you should opt for a top law school but be sure to keep location and funding in mind before you apply or take admission in that particular law school. 

Majors and specialization

You get to study various laws in law school, like criminal, constitutional, contract, mercantile, and much more. Especially in the closing years, you have a few you can major in or have an extra focus on; these are the subjects a lawyer aims to practice in. 

So if you want to become a criminal, defense lawyers focus on criminal law. You may be given a more specialized field in criminal law to opt for too.

Experience

The next step is to get yourself involved in hands-on experience in the field. Grab any opportunity that comes your way, paid and unpaid internships to partnerships. 

Without experience, you can’t gain as much exposure and will lack in the practical field as an international criminal lawyer.

Different jurisdictions

After you have obtained a license to practice in your own country, and practiced too, it’s time to turn from a criminal defense lawyer to an international one. As far as practicing in different jurisdictions is concerned, you can apply for the license in that country if your legal academic path is equivalent.

However, you may need to do additional courses to be eligible for the license exam in some cases. If you’re looking for a way to become an international criminal lawyer at Hague, they have their own requirements and openings now and then. Make sure to check all vacancies and apply for this too.

Final thoughts

Becoming a criminal defense lawyer isn’t easy; from years of studies to years of practice, it can only be done by individuals fueled with passion. 

However, if you aim to become an international one, the path gets even longer. Only opt for it if you think you’re up for it since it will demand all your efforts. Good luck.

 

Exit mobile version