Although the Illinois attorney general's office handles the criminal appellate prosecutions for the rest of the state, her office handles all appeals arising from Cook County cases. When pursuing a particular kind of criminal law practice, Boland advises, pay attention to the scope of responsibility of the governmental entity you're checking out. If courtroom experience is what you're after, you may do well in a government setting. Her office rotates new lawyers through various departments, such as juvenile, felony, domestic, white-collar crime, and misdemeanors, to introduce prosecutors to the many facets of the practice. In smaller jurisdictions, by contrast, the single caseload of a new prosecutor might contain an array of cases drawn from these different fields.
Variety is the virtue that often keeps criminal lawyers enamored of the practice.
Be sure to click on the link to law student information for leads on section-sponsored competitions and internships. Plus you'll receive a subscription to Litigation journal, Litigation News, and Litigation Docket.