Any advise for a third year law student ?

I'm in my third year at Baylor University and was just wondering if anyone could tell me what it's like being a defense attorney ?


I want nothing less than to make a differance but i don't want to just help get criminals outAny advise for a third year law student ?
As a probation officer - I am in court quite a bit. I have done this a while, and have worked in a few counties. So, I have seen how various defense attorneys work...





Quite a few of them start out as a prosecutor, and then end up leaving to work on their own (because of the money).





I will say that having worked at various criminal justice jobs over the years - not everyone is necessarily getting railroaded. I have caught people in the act of the crime itself, and it is amazing how THEIR version of events is nothing like the truth... When I was/am directly involved in the matter - then I can see for myself how people twist the truth in order to escape punishment. And, I still see this all the time... So, please keep that in mind when you think someone isn't getting a fair shake.... (I will admit, however, that sometimes people DO get railroaded)





I also am in court a few times a week, and I see people with appointed public defenders, and these public defenders don't put the same energy into a case that they would if they were being paid for it. And, that is a shame. I've also seen quite a few defendants complain that they can't even reach their own attorney in order to help with their own defense... And, after a while, you see the complaints about the very same attorneys...





So, I guess if you want to be a good defense attorney - The biggest piece of advice I can give you... Give everyone/every case your utmost attention... Even if you have a client you can't stand. If defending people is that important to you, and you have the feelings you do about the police and the prosecutors... Then, remember that suggestion I just made.Any advise for a third year law student ?
Make sure you have very clear understand as to how rules of evidence work for many of them work in your favor! You have the bill of rights on your side more often than the Prosecutor does. Make sure your client's rights are protected.
If you have a guilty conscience, why don't you work for the DA? :D
Some of the best defense attorneys that I have seen are former District Attorneys and former Deputy District Attorneys.





In a number of cases former Deputy District Attorneys identified problems with the District Attorney's office that resulted in the criminal convictions of innocent people.





I would say that if you are interested in criminal defense, get a job as a Deputy District Attorney and identify some of the reasons why Innocent people are improperly convicted of crimes.





Then work to change the things that result in the erroneous convictions of innocent people.





It does not do any of us any good when an innocent person is convicted of a crime.





The problem of innocent people being improperly convicted of a crime appears to be a nation wide problem at the present time.
That is a tough one Hiroko..but we all come to that bifurcation in the road where we stand alone and have to make a decision....the point of no return....the point of decision or indecision. I believe that is the point you find yourself now.....but the worst decision is not to make one. Remember that you don't know the criminals until proven guilty and so you may be defending someone who is supposedly innocent and they turn out not so innocent....but I am sure you will make the right decision....I feel you have the heart for it thinking way ahead of that time....