Many lawyers decide at some point in their career that they want to specialize in a specific area of law. While there are many different kinds of law, the decision to become a larceny lawyer can be one of the more interesting choices. Larceny is a broad term that basically means stealing or taking something from another person without his or her consent. There are many different types of larceny: larceny by trick, larceny by fraud, grand larceny, larceny by extortion, larceny of lost property, and petty larceny — to name just a few. Consequently, to become a larceny lawyer, it is essential to understand the elements of larceny in all of its forms.
The first step to become a larceny lawyer is to graduate from law school and pass the bar exam. Doing so ensures that a potential lawyer is licensed to practice law. Both during law school and while waiting for the bar exam results, a potential lawyer can begin researching her options.
There are two sides to every criminal case: the plaintiff and the defendant. In many larceny cases, the district, county, state, or federal attorney’s office will try the case in an attempt to convict the defendant of larceny. The attorney’s goal is to prove that the defendant committed the crime that he is accused of. She must show that all the elements of a crime were committed and that any defenses the defendant claims are invalid. For example, in a basic larceny case, the district attorney must prove that there was an actual or a constructive taking away of property from another person, without his or her consent, against his or her will, and with the intent of converting the stolen property to someone else.
On the other side of the courtroom is the defendant’s lawyer. To become a larceny lawyer on the side of the defense, it is important to know the criteria of a larceny charge and to be able to show that the defendant did not fulfill even one of those elements. In addition, it is important to know other ways to show that the defendant cannot be held culpable for the crime of larceny. For example, the defendant may have been incapable of committing the crime.
Although larceny and other crimes are taught during criminal law classes in law school, there are steps beyond a classroom education that can be taken to become a larceny lawyer. For example, it is important to intern during law school at a criminal defense law firm, at the district, state, county, or federal attorney’s office, at the public defenders office, or even with a judge for a criminal courtroom. In addition, during a law student’s third year of law school, she must begin to submit resumes for open positions. Many law firms and government agencies will hire a law student under the presumption that she will pass the bar and become a licensed attorney.
