Trial Experience on Resume? (3L) Forum

[Anonymous User]

I'm a 3L at a T25 school and a wannabe future prosecutor... I have been volunteering/working/externing with the local prosecutor's office since 1L summer and I've gotten my practice card/certified by the bar so that I can do things in court.

I've first chaired two jury trials, second chaired 2-3 more, done dozens of bench trial, dozens of preliminary hearings, taken probably a dozen guilty pleas, and argued for the State at three sentencing hearings, in addition to other non-trial type usual work.

Since I'm very unsure if I'm going to be getting an offer -- I am starting to send my resume out, but I'm unsure how to best quantify this experience. I feel like quantifying it is important, because even though I'm in law school still, I feel like this is a decent a bit of experience that might make the difference in getting an interview or not.

Does anyone have any ideas or suggestions for me or examples of how you've done it?

[xxxman]

I'd mention all of it, and your school should have a dept that can help you fine comb the resume. But 100% honesty in this market, they won't even consider you until post bar pass. Even if you are CLEARLY going to pass it (perfect GPA, High LSAT,the works). It's just how it is right now. Nothing wrong with tossing it in as a Hail Mary, just expect a form letter as a reply.

[A. Nony Mouse]

Yeah, I think you can quantify it exactly as you've done here: First chaired 2 jury trials, second chaired 3 jury trials, first chaired 15 bench trials, [etc. etc.]. I've definitely seen resumes that did exactly that. If you can go back and figure out exact numbers, that works, but if not, "numerous" or 15-20 or whatever adjective will do.

(And some jurisidictions do hire pre-bar passage.)

[macgruber]

Hey OP,

Is the the da office you work for a big office? Thats some great experience, and I've never heard of law clerks doing jury trials.

[fauxpsych]

(And some jurisidictions do hire pre-bar passage.)

The ship has sailed for them, though.
Application deadlines were in the fall.


Where are these jurisdictions that let 2Ls first chair a jury trial? I wasn't even allowed to stand on arraignments.

[Anonymous User]

OP here.

Thanks for the advice so far, I'd love any examples of how people are formatting it on their resume. My CSO is beyond useless at anything like this, they are only focused on placing people in firms and don't care about highlighting non-law review type stuff.

Macgruber -- it's not a huge office, but it's a very overworked office (about 15 attorneys). One of the ADA's has about 1200 pending cases.

Fauxpsych -- not going to out the jurisdiction (I can PM you if you're truly that curious), but there are a few that I know of that let you start doing certified legal internships/or whatever the Jx calls them so that you can appear in court when you're half way through with law school. Others, like mine, base it off of credits and many people don't get enough credits until third year, but I did summer classes 1L and ended up with enough after fall 2L. They've let law clerks try cases before, I've managed my schedule at school though so that I have a ton of availability to clerk, so that's helped with getting to know people so that they trust me to try their cases.

[Kivan]

I'm a 3L at a T25 school and a wannabe future prosecutor... I have been volunteering/working/externing with the local prosecutor's office since 1L summer and I've gotten my practice card/certified by the bar so that I can do things in court.

I've first chaired two jury trials, second chaired 2-3 more, done dozens of bench trial, dozens of preliminary hearings, taken probably a dozen guilty pleas, and argued for the State at three sentencing hearings, in addition to other non-trial type usual work.

Since I'm very unsure if I'm going to be getting an offer -- I am starting to send my resume out, but I'm unsure how to best quantify this experience. I feel like quantifying it is important, because even though I'm in law school still, I feel like this is a decent a bit of experience that might make the difference in getting an interview or not.

Does anyone have any ideas or suggestions for me or examples of how you've done it?

Formatting really doesn't matter.

As long as you put down that you interned in other prosecution offices and you actually tried cases, HOW you put it on the paper won't make a difference as to whether you get the interview/job or not.