Criminal Litigation (J.D. Certificate)

Illinois Institute of Technology

For the aspiring prosecutor or criminal defense attorney, the J.D. Certificate in Criminal Litigation program combines robust academic offerings in criminal law theory with intensive practice-oriented training.

Students gain hands-on experience by joining our demanding trial advocacy program, by representing clients in our criminal defense clinic, or by completing externships with the United States Attorney's Office, State's Attorney's Office, or Public Defender's Office.

Program Overview

For the aspiring prosecutor or criminal defense attorney, the J.D. Certificate in Criminal Litigation program combines robust academic offerings in criminal law theory with intensive practice-oriented training.

Career Opportunities

Whether prosecutors or defense attorneys, criminal lawyers handle a wide variety of cases, from white-collar crime, violent crimes, sex crimes and drug trafficking to DUI, traffic offenses, and misdemeanors.

Criminal prosecutors practice at either the state level or the federal level, while criminal defense attorneys generally maintain private practices or work as public defenders for the state or federal government.