Criminal defense attorneys in New York tend to make the most. An attorney will likely make around $160,000 during their first year with a defense firm. However, these numbers vary widely. In North Carolina, defense attorneys make a similar median salary, though not quite as high. As you can see, this salary is not exorbitant, though many people believe that criminal defense attorneys work in our field for the money. On the contrary, most of us enter this field to ensure that all voices are heard and that innocent people do not go to prison for a crime that they did not commit.