AUSA/USAO hiring Forum

(Issue areas, International Law, International Public Interest, Public Service in the private sector, Non-Profits, Public Interest Organizations, Government/ government agencies, employment settings)
Anonymous User
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Re: AUSA/USAO hiring

Post by Anonymous User » Thu Aug 23, 2018 11:47 pm

Also FWIW, you wanting the job more than anything is probably less important to communicate than what you can actually offer an office. You have the clerkship, so that’s great, but you also need to be able to offer things like writing skills and trial experience, and you need to be able to sell those qualifications.
True. That part was tough to balance. I have three years of trial experience, 1 of which was first-chairing cases, so obviously I sold the hell out of that. I can't imagine too many applicants from biglaw can make that representation, but obviously it didn't work.

I thought making it clear that I wanted that particular job at that particular office might matter. It's an insular district.

(Although the interviewer really threw me for a loop. He opened with: "So, why (this District) rather than (more popular District next door)?" Uh, other than my clerkship and the years of practice and my ties and demonstrated commitment, you mean? I actually am not sure he read my resume.)

Anyway, I will go drown my sorrows in booze and romantic comedies.

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Re: AUSA/USAO hiring

Post by Anonymous User » Fri Aug 24, 2018 9:58 am

What should I expect at my first round interview? Should I bring anything with me?

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Re: AUSA/USAO hiring

Post by Anonymous User » Fri Aug 24, 2018 10:31 am

Probably a panel interview with pretty standard questions: why prosecution, why federal, why this district/office, tell us about your experience. I was once given hypos, but they sent them to be ahead of time, but who knows, they might spring some on you (I think this is uncommon but have heard it’s possible).

You could bring copies of your resume (and writing sample if you already submitted one). I don’t think you’re likely to need them though (but my first rounds have usually been via video so that issue was moot).

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Re: AUSA/USAO hiring

Post by Anonymous User » Tue Aug 28, 2018 11:16 pm

Any more news on DNJ hiring?

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Re: AUSA/USAO hiring

Post by Anonymous User » Wed Aug 29, 2018 1:16 am

Can anyone relate how long their background process took? Federal soup an the like are great resources but was wondering if anyone could provide AUSA-specific anecdotes.

Also...anyone have any idea how/ifSessions' being potentially replaced could effect hiring/onboarding?

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Anonymous User
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Re: AUSA/USAO hiring

Post by Anonymous User » Wed Aug 29, 2018 9:25 am

Anonymous User wrote:Can anyone relate how long their background process took? Federal soup an the like are great resources but was wondering if anyone could provide AUSA-specific anecdotes.

Also...anyone have any idea how/ifSessions' being potentially replaced could effect hiring/onboarding?
With some additional searching, you'll find tons of posts, including many I asked. There is no answer. 8 weeks to 10 months is a general window. I am in month 5 post-offer.

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Re: AUSA/USAO hiring

Post by Anonymous User » Wed Aug 29, 2018 10:39 am

Currently in a predicament regarding my career path towards my career goal of becoming an Asst. US Atty and hoping this forum can help.

I've been a practicing attorney for almost two years. I've been applying to fed clerkships and have only had two invitations to interview thus far. One was with article III judge and another with a magistrate judge in a competitive market. Did not receive an offer for the article III judge, and the magistrate judge offer is still TBD. My question is - is a magistrate judge clerkship that much less prestigious on the resume? I'm torn on if I should continue at my mid-sized firm and gain more litigation and trial experience or go for the magistrate judge clerkship if offered because a federal clerkship on the resume is better than none at all? Or alternatively, I suppose I could just continue trying for a clerkship with an art. III judge if that's what the USAO really wants to see, but of course there's no guarantee I could ever get another interview again. Any insight/help would be greatly appreciated!

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Re: AUSA/USAO hiring

Post by Anonymous User » Wed Aug 29, 2018 11:22 am

Anonymous User wrote:Currently in a predicament regarding my career path towards my career goal of becoming an Asst. US Atty and hoping this forum can help.

I've been a practicing attorney for almost two years. I've been applying to fed clerkships and have only had two invitations to interview thus far. One was with article III judge and another with a magistrate judge in a competitive market. Did not receive an offer for the article III judge, and the magistrate judge offer is still TBD. My question is - is a magistrate judge clerkship that much less prestigious on the resume? I'm torn on if I should continue at my mid-sized firm and gain more litigation and trial experience or go for the magistrate judge clerkship if offered because a federal clerkship on the resume is better than none at all? Or alternatively, I suppose I could just continue trying for a clerkship with an art. III judge if that's what the USAO really wants to see, but of course there's no guarantee I could ever get another interview again. Any insight/help would be greatly appreciated!
Former biglaw who got AUSA here. No inside info but if it were me, I would probably take magistrate and try to parlay into Dct and/or Coa clerkships. That leaves a lot of uncertainty and would be a long time clerking, but my clerkships were the only way I got the interviews/offer. I had a very strong connection to my former market and didn't even get to the final round, so, (to me) clerkships are really important. But I was willing to move anywhere, etc.

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Re: AUSA/USAO hiring

Post by Anonymous User » Wed Aug 29, 2018 1:08 pm

Anonymous User wrote:
Anonymous User wrote:Currently in a predicament regarding my career path towards my career goal of becoming an Asst. US Atty and hoping this forum can help.

I've been a practicing attorney for almost two years. I've been applying to fed clerkships and have only had two invitations to interview thus far. One was with article III judge and another with a magistrate judge in a competitive market. Did not receive an offer for the article III judge, and the magistrate judge offer is still TBD. My question is - is a magistrate judge clerkship that much less prestigious on the resume? I'm torn on if I should continue at my mid-sized firm and gain more litigation and trial experience or go for the magistrate judge clerkship if offered because a federal clerkship on the resume is better than none at all? Or alternatively, I suppose I could just continue trying for a clerkship with an art. III judge if that's what the USAO really wants to see, but of course there's no guarantee I could ever get another interview again. Any insight/help would be greatly appreciated!
Former biglaw who got AUSA here. No inside info but if it were me, I would probably take magistrate and try to parlay into Dct and/or Coa clerkships. That leaves a lot of uncertainty and would be a long time clerking, but my clerkships were the only way I got the interviews/offer. I had a very strong connection to my former market and didn't even get to the final round, so, (to me) clerkships are really important. But I was willing to move anywhere, etc.
Appreciate the feedback! So generally any fed clerkship > none at all for AUSA position?

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Anonymous User
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Re: AUSA/USAO hiring

Post by Anonymous User » Wed Aug 29, 2018 1:20 pm

For the most part, yea, but I’m also banking on the ability to get another clerkship after the magistrate. Having said that, AUSAs are in front of them constantly so it’s relevant and they can have great connections for you as well.

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Re: AUSA/USAO hiring

Post by Anonymous User » Thu Aug 30, 2018 4:42 pm

Anyone have any anecdotal experiences or thoughts on moving from criminal to civil or vice-versa in larger USAOs?

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Re: AUSA/USAO hiring

Post by Anonymous User » Tue Sep 11, 2018 12:25 pm

Anonymous User wrote:Any more news on DNJ hiring?
I am also curious to hear if anyone has any news or insight. I had my EDVA first round a couple of weeks ago but have not heard back from DNJ at all.

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Re: AUSA/USAO hiring

Post by Anonymous User » Tue Sep 11, 2018 1:32 pm

Anonymous User wrote:Anyone have any anecdotal experiences or thoughts on moving from criminal to civil or vice-versa in larger USAOs?
From what my contacts have told me, it used to be a pretty common move to go from civil to criminal, and it was viewed as a "backdoor" way to get into the criminal division. I've heard that's not really the case anymore and that you shouldn't accept a job with civil with the expectation that you can move into criminal after putting in some time.

I had an interview about a month ago, got the rejection letter with a nice note. Meeting with someone I know in the AUSA's office to see how it went. I didn't think the interview went very well, so I just hope they'll have me back in for future positions.

One piece of advice for anyone interviewing: at least when I went in, the reviewing team essentially didn't allow me to ask any questions. I tried to jump off my answers to ask them about something related to my answers (as is standard practice in private sector interviews) and got nothing but silence. They ask the questions, you provide the answers. That definitely threw me off, and I would have structured my answers differently had I known that's how it was going to go.

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Re: AUSA/USAO hiring

Post by Anonymous User » Tue Sep 11, 2018 3:09 pm

Current AUSA. My experience is obviously limited to the offices where I’ve worked, but I’ve never seen anyone go from civil to criminal who hadn’t started in criminal first.

I guess I wouldn’t describe my interviews as quite as dogmatic as the above, but I don’t know if it’s so much a gov/firm divide as that it’s a function of the interview being a panel interview, which isn’t quite as much of a conversation as one on one (you will probably do those as well and they’ll be more conversational). You will get a chance to ask questions, but after they’ve gone through what they want to know. (It just never occurred to me this wouldn’t be clear, but I did a lot of similar interviews before law school so had different expectations I guess).

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Re: AUSA/USAO hiring

Post by Anonymous User » Thu Sep 20, 2018 7:58 am

Congrats on everyone who's had offers extended thus far.

Can anyone shed any light/conjecture/wild guesses as to what would happen to candidates in the background check process if the AG gets replaced this november?

I would think that the USAO for an office gets the final say on the hiring, but could also see a hiring/background check as a possibility if a new AG takes over.

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Re: AUSA/USAO hiring

Post by Anonymous User » Thu Sep 20, 2018 8:11 am

I guess I wouldn't see there being any impact/change? I don't think the background check process is that directly tied to the AG - approval goes to EOUSA, I think. Admittedly I am wildly guessing, but it's not something I've ever heard anyone bring up and and not something I'd worry about.

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Re: AUSA/USAO hiring

Post by Anonymous User » Thu Sep 20, 2018 11:11 pm

Has anyone interviewed with D.DC? I have interviews coming up soon.

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Re: AUSA/USAO hiring

Post by Anonymous User » Fri Sep 21, 2018 6:47 am

I’ve interviewed with ddc. Have you had the first interview yet?

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Re: AUSA/USAO hiring

Post by Anonymous User » Fri Sep 21, 2018 6:56 am

Has anyone gotten an offer from ddc? If so, when? How long was the third interview after the second?

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Re: AUSA/USAO hiring

Post by Anonymous User » Fri Sep 21, 2018 10:28 am

Anonymous User wrote:I’ve interviewed with ddc. Have you had the first interview yet?
My first and second round interviews will be in a few weeks. They are being held on the same day because I am coming in from far away.

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Re: AUSA/USAO hiring

Post by Anonymous User » Fri Sep 21, 2018 11:11 am

Anonymous User wrote:
Anonymous User wrote:I’ve interviewed with ddc. Have you had the first interview yet?
My first and second round interviews will be in a few weeks. They are being held on the same day because I am coming in from far away.
I had a second but crickets since. I’m very interested to know how long after the second they call back for a third, and what percentage move onto a third interview.

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Re: AUSA/USAO hiring

Post by Anonymous User » Fri Sep 21, 2018 6:03 pm

Anyone heard anything from EDVA?

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Re: AUSA/USAO hiring

Post by Anonymous User » Fri Sep 21, 2018 6:34 pm

Anything from CDCA?

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Re: AUSA/USAO hiring

Post by Anonymous User » Sat Sep 22, 2018 3:46 pm

Anonymous User wrote:Anything from CDCA?
Connecticut?

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Re: AUSA/USAO hiring

Post by Anonymous User » Sat Sep 22, 2018 7:18 pm

Anyone heard anything from E.D. Wis.?
Anonymous User wrote:Dinged after a perfunctory first-round interview by the USAO in the District where I clerked, via a "Dear Sir/Madam" email.

I just don't know what these people want.
I recently got dinged via snail mail letter by a district where I had by that point interviewed for 5 openings (and had incurred significant difficulty traveling for all of said interviews).

It sucks but whatever.

Seriously? What are you waiting for?

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