Life of the Criminal Solicitor

Procrastastudy

I mean a solicitor dealing with criminal matters not the Saul Goodman variety.

Is there much work in Ireland? Is it as hard to break into? Is it the big 5 or more smaller firms? Do you get called out in the middle of the night expected to be on call 24 hours a day? (Not that I have a specific issue with that).

Does anyone know if the situation is different in England with solicitors sitting in with clients.

Many Thanks in advance for any answers.

ResearchWill

Procrastastudy wrote: »

I mean a solicitor dealing with criminal matters not the Saul Goodman variety.

Is there much work in Ireland? Is it as hard to break into? Is it the big 5 or more smaller firms? Do you get called out in the middle of the night expected to be on call 24 hours a day? (Not that I have a specific issue with that).

Does anyone know if the situation is different in England with solicitors sitting in with clients.

Many Thanks in advance for any answers.

Well there is an ok amount of work in ireland in fact Criminal a legal Aid is about €56 million a year roughly about €40 million of that goes to solicitors (total guess). In Dublin there is a number of criminal firms that have most of the business and its pretty dog eat dog. Cork has 2 main criminal firms and then a few others doing bits.

Yes expect to get calls in the middle of the night, mostly to just advice guy to shut up over the phone, but it may be required to call to the station. I had a friend who did a lot of it when he was younger and single, he always had a slab of coke, a box of dairy milk bars and 200 cigs in the car, so when he arrived at station he had a can of coke, bar of chic and 20 fags for the accused. He often got calls early hours.

The UK as you say is different, in that a solicitor sits with client during interview. I think the UK is or was heading more towards state employed defenders but not sure how far that is along. My understanding is that firms that do criminal work have more junior solicitors who sit in on the interviews.

valleyoftheunos

Procrastastudy wrote: »

I mean a solicitor dealing with criminal matters not the Saul Goodman variety.

Is there much work in Ireland? Is it as hard to break into? Is it the big 5 or more smaller firms? Do you get called out in the middle of the night expected to be on call 24 hours a day? (Not that I have a specific issue with that).

Does anyone know if the situation is different in England with solicitors sitting in with clients.

Many Thanks in advance for any answers.

I'm not a criminal solicitor but from what I gather there is work out there and it is possible to get into it on your own.

However you can expect to get calls at all hours often making requests for things that would get you struck off the rolls.

Also people seem to forget that being a criminal Solicitor involves working with Criminals, day after day, and most of them aren't very nice. Unsurprisingly many people find that very challenging.

NoQuarter

valleyoftheunos wrote: »

being a criminal Solicitor involves working with Criminals

Alleged criminals.

valleyoftheunos

NoQuarter wrote: »

Alleged criminals.

Apart from convicted criminals who make up your "repeat custom".

Jev/N

ResearchWill wrote: »

he always had a slab of coke

I thought this was an interesting way of being paid :pac:

Blackrockcomet

It's a hard life from what I've heard. Long days in courts and then back to the office for the hard slog of paperwork. I think valleyoftheunos is right though, those working criminal law get the same rubbish excuses, 'I had only 3/4 drinks and was minding my own business when...' etc. This can be sole destroying. Also, I'm told when you work criminal (unless it's drink driving) that's all you do. It's very difficult to find time for other areas on the side.
That said, it's not funds where you mightn't feel like a real lawyer. It's old school and there must be a buzz to it.

Corruptable

Heard from some that it's tough work, again the hours are long and anecdotes of having to sit all day in the likes of Cloverhill Courthouse for bail hearings sounds like it would considerably drain a person.

That said, I do find Criminal Law the most fascinating area of law, despite the obvious downsides (hours, few firms exclusively criminal, etc.), that its an enjoyable area to work in due to a natural interest in which you can become engrossed.

In contrast, the general practice of mixed criminal, family, probate, etc. in smaller partnerships and sole practitioners while do-able and profitable, might drain me more in terms of monotony. It's hard to get fired about easements, or breach of contract, etc.!

Sala

You can get called any time day or night to the Garda station but it's up to you if you go. A lot of Court time in attendance only, so a lot of hanging around and not getting much done until the afternoon.. then again, at least you can sit in and listen to the interesting cases before you unlike in the family courts where you could wait for hours to be called. Prison visits also can take a good bit of time with all the bells and whistle of actually getting in.