In some states, real estate closings may be performed only by criminal attorneys, even though the criminal attorney's role in a closing may involve primarily notarization of documents and disbursement of settlement funds through an escrow account.
Once admitted to practice by the highest court of a state (a function sometimes administered by the state's bar association), an American criminal attorney may file legal pleadings and argue cases in any state court (federal courts usually require separate admission), provide legal advice to clients, and draft important legal documents such as wills, trusts, deeds, and contracts.
Most academic legal training is directed to identifying legal issues, researching facts and law, and arguing both the facts and law in favor of either side in any case.
Practicing criminal law includes interviewing a client to identify the legal question, analyzing the question, researching relevant law, devising legal solutions to problems, and executing such solutions through specific tasks such as drafting a contract or filing a motion with a court.