u/BasselM6

Hi everyone,
I’m 15 and interested in becoming a lawyer in the future.
I know that most people don’t have to choose between criminal prosecution and criminal defense until law school or later, and I’m not trying to make a final decision right now. I’m just trying to understand both paths better so I can develop a clearer sense of what might fit me.
For those of you who have experience in criminal law (either prosecution, defense, or both), how did you end up choosing your side?
What factors influenced your decision the most—your values, internships, courtroom experience, mentors, or something else?
Did you ever seriously consider the other side, and if so, what made you lean away from it?
Looking back, were there any early signs that pointed you toward the path you ended up taking?
Any advice for someone trying to understand both sides of the profession would be really appreciated.
Thank you for your time.

Hi everyone,
I’m 15 and interested in becoming a lawyer someday.
I know I don’t have to decide between prosecution and defense for many years, and I know most people don’t make that choice until law school or after gaining practical experience. I’m just trying to learn more about both paths now so that I can better understand where I might fit.
For those of you who became criminal defense attorneys or public defenders, what made you realize defense work was the right path for you?
Was it the belief that everyone deserves a strong defense, the challenge of questioning evidence, protecting constitutional rights, the courtroom advocacy, or something else?
Looking back, were there any early signs that pointed you toward defense work?
If you ever considered becoming a prosecutor, what made you decide that defense was a better fit for you?
I’d really appreciate hearing your stories and perspectives.
Thank you.

Hi everyone,
I’m 16 and interested in becoming a lawyer someday.
I know I don’t need to choose between prosecution and criminal defense anytime soon—most people seem to make that decision in law school or even later. I’m not trying to lock myself into a career path right now. I just want to learn more so that when the time comes, I won’t feel like I’m making the decision under pressure.
For those of you who became prosecutors, what made you realize this was the right path for you?
Was it a desire to seek justice for victims, the opportunity to represent the public, the type of courtroom work, or something else entirely?
Looking back, were there any early signs that pointed you toward prosecution?
If you considered becoming a defense attorney at some point, what ultimately made you choose prosecution instead?
I’d love to hear your experiences and any advice you’d give to someone who is trying to understand the profession better.
Thank you.