This includes arraignments, preliminary hearings, settlement conferences, trials, and sentencing hearings. A large amount of time is spent gathering evidence such as eyewitness testimony, police reports, and other information applicable to the case. As a result, criminal lawyers use the expertise of paralegals, private investigators, legal advisors, and others to assist them. Criminal lawyers typically work on multiple cases at the same time, each at different stages of the criminal process. Throughout the criminal process, criminal lawyers offer legal advice to their clients that would be in their best interest. Criminal lawyers take on many other tasks, such as carrying out legal research, creating exhibits for courtroom demonstrations, and amassing additional evidence to support their case to argue against the prosecution's charges. The salary for this career can range from $45,000 to $130,000, experience and climbing to the top of the career ladder however increases the pay of a criminal lawyer