Adding Defence Work to your Practice

[IronMike]

Hello everyone,

Like the title suggests, I am considering either switching to defence work or adding it to my practice. Some background:

1. Articled and have been practicing family law and child protection for the past 4 ish years;
2. some law school experience with crim; and
3. Ontario based. 

At this point, I am grateful to have enough experience to be able to run my own family files from start to finish. However, at times, I don't know if this is the only thing I want to do. I have always found criminal defence interesting, but I have little practical experience with the area. 

At this point, I feel like the only way to get appropriate mentorship in crim defence would be to leave my firm and seek a junior position elsewhere. Does anyone have any advice as to how they added defence work to their practice, or switched to defence entirely? 

To be clear, mentorship in criminal defence and taking on criminal files is not an option at my current place of employment. 

Edited September 30, 2023 by IronMike

[CleanHands]

In some provinces/territories, they have legal aid offices that hire staff lawyers to practice both criminal and family law. You could likely obtain one of those positions on the strength of your family law experience and then take on criminal files given your stated interest. You'd also be working in an office with experienced criminal lawyers who could provide mentorship.