The Prosecutor

The prosecutor is hired by the party for whom a civil action or criminal prosecution is instituted and could be said to be "working against" the defense. If a person is injured by hot coffee served at a store and sues the store, the private citizen hires a prosecuting lawyer and the company hires a defense lawyer.

Evidence

Prosecutors must possess enough evidence to support a reasonable belief that the defendant committed the crime he is being investigated for.

The Counter-Argument

The defense lawyer provides evidence to the contrary, attempts to cast doubt on the prosecutor's evidence and may plea bargain on behalf of her client to reduce or eliminate charges.

Education

A defense lawyer must go through the same schooling as any other lawyer in the US. She must have a four-year degree from a recognized university, pass the LSAT, and be accepted into a university law school. She must then pass the bar exam for the state she wishes to practice in. Most states require continuing legal education for lawyers and Multistate Performance Testing to examine new lawyers.

The Career

Many defense lawyers begin their careers as government prosecutors. Defense lawyers, after some years of experience, generally earn over $75,000 (as of 2006).

Source:

The Free Legal Dictionary: Definition of "Defense"

US Department of Labor: Occupational Outlook Handbook