THEME 1: THEIR JOB
•What are your responsibilities as a criminal lawyer?
My responsibilities as a criminal lawyer are to respond to legal questions online. The questions usually come from those people who have been convicted of a crime and/or are requesting information concerning a crime for a friend in order to get their friend help and/or want to know the process of immigration issues as an example because they have already been convicted of a crime. Other examples include murder, rape, drug trafficking, human trafficking, child molestation, robbery, arson and a plethora of other illegal activity. International criminal activity is also involved with my work in order to fight it.
•How do you spend your typical day/week at work? What types of legal issues do you deal with? Who are your clients?
First, I exercise. I go for a walk because the work is stressful. Then, I spend hours, sometimes as many 17 hours online seven days a week responding to questions that are of a legal nature. I have mentioned above the kinds of legal issues that are deal with, however I can note that my clients are online. This genre of legal work is known as online law and you do need to be licensed in order to do it most of the time. I also have a doctorate degree in Journalism and also Education.
•What do you find the most and least satisfying about your job?
The most satisfying part of the job is helping people. The least satisfying part of the job is hearing negative things all of the time.
THEME 2: THEIR CAREER FIELD
•What are the positive/negative aspects of working in this field?
The positive aspects of working in this field are the income benefits and when you work online the flexibility to build in family time and exercise time into your life. The negative things about this job are the negative things that you hear on a constant basis. I am a Black woman and I have even had clients call me the N-word.
•How did you enter this field and what has been your career path?
I went to law school for 10 years at the University of London External program. I barely told anyone that I was doing it. My family did know and my neighbors upstairs at the time because I kept getting huge boxes of legal books being delivered to me. I also let my parents know. I just stayed quiet about it though because I was not sure what the field would bring to me.
•Are you aware of any current issues and/or trends in this field?
Some of the current issues and trends in this field tend to be towards prosecuting criminals that would be up for bond and not allowing them to receive bond, however keeping them detained in jail. In many instances when you are dealing with dangerous offenders – I do agree with this trend.
THEME 3: THEIR FIRM/ORGANIZATION
•How does your job fit into the organization/department structure?
My title is as an attorney.
•What are the toughest challenges your firm/organization faces?
My firm/organization does not face any challenges.
•How would you describe the “corporate climate?” Is it very informal or formal? Do people work autonomously?
It is online, so I cannot truly assess the “corporate climate” in terms of what would be considered or contemplated from a traditional framework of understanding. The atmosphere of working online is formal and you do receive instruction if you require it – which is fine.
THEME 4: THEIR ADVICE
•What suggestions can you give me about breaking into this field?
I would recommend that you look into working in this field of online law. If you become licensed in the state where you live, you could even work for Just Answer as an online lawyer. The lawyers on Just Answer are some of the highest experts on the entire site, and the pay with Just Answer is not bad at all.
•Can you suggest anyone else I could contact for additional information about this field or region?
I am unable to give out outside contact information because that would be a breach of privacy. However, if you contact expert support on Just Answer, you could discuss with them at the time that you complete your law degree and also become licensed about being an online lawyer/expert on Just Answer. The information is all online.
•To what professional associations do you belong? Are you aware if these associations offer student memberships?
I belong to a professional association that is affiliated with government workers, as well as a writing organization, an editing organization and a journalist’s organization for Black people. All of these organizations offer student memberships. We do not live in the same area; I know this for sure, so please look up associations of interest in order to find the ones that are in your area.