Applying for USAO Forum

[Anonymous User]

I'm applying for my local USAO. I went to a T14 (lower end). Was on law review. I was working with the State Attorney General Office for two years. Then I joined the local DA Office in a big city.I been here five years and did over 50 jury trials some of which included organized crime cases and conspiracy cases. However I never did BigLaw and never did a clerkship. Would I be at least decently competitive? I know most people are from BigLaw and clerkships but I know there are a handful of DAs and AGs at the local USAO.

[Anonymous User]

It's simply going to depend on the office and their hiring priorities. I would say that the trial experience makes you competitive, but it's hard to tell from the outside how much they do weight biglaw/clerkships. Regardless, there's no reason not to apply. Do you know anyone in the office? They're going to be the best source for this.

[andythefir]

Depends entirety on the office. Some offices (usually the more cosmopolitan ones) more or less require fed clerkship and biglaw. Others prefer state prosecutors with trial experience. Without telling us which office you're applying to, no one can give you more salient info than that.

Also, are you applying to a specific opening or just planning to apply? The looming trump hiring freeze makes any kind of transition into the DOJ tricky.

[Anonymous User]

Thank you. I am planning to apply for the Central District of CA. I have not made any steps towards doing that yet.

[andythefir]

Thank you. I am planning to apply for the Central District of CA. I have not made any steps towards doing that yet.

I bet all of California is just about impossible to break into, and, if you broke into it, the biglaw refugees would have a culture of working yourself to death.

[Anonymous User]

Kind of off topic, but does anyone know how competitive the DA scene is in CA? I'm in the Midwest at a big law firm with no ties. Really want to be an ADA after I finish my big law stint and want to move somewhere warm.

[Anonymous User]

Yes it is impossible to break into (from what I heard). I know there are a couple of DAs or AGs there but they seemed to be hired back when it was easier to get hired. But I want to see if I could have at least a decent chance.

Also if you want to be a DA in CA it is pretty competitive. Especially in the big cities (about a thousand apply, about 10 get hired). It may be different now, but at least a thousand apply each round. A lot of BigLaw attorneys do apply here, but they usually do not have a lot of trial experience so it may be harder. If you have some trial experience, I think that will get you a decent chance. If you are willing to go to a random county, your chances are a lot higher. DDAs in big cities normally get experience in random counties and move back to the big cities.

[BlendedUnicorn]

I think you've got a shot but (sorry to say) not as good of a shot as this person: http://top-law-schools.com/forums/viewt ... #p10271524

[Anonymous User]

I think you've got a shot but (sorry to say) not as good of a shot as this person: http://top-law-schools.com/forums/viewt ... #p10271524

I think I might know that person.

To OP: CDCA hires almost always from biglaw, fed clerkship, or both. Nevertheless, they have hired people from the AG or DA. For example, I know for a fact two DAs got hired with the CDCA USAO - both without fed clerkships or biglaw. BOTH ARE RECENT HIRES. One was a DA since he graduated law school, the other was an AG before becoming a DA. Highlight your trial abilities. Not only that, highlight your writing abilities too. CDCA USAO assumes DAs cannot write, and that is one of the main reasons why not a lot of DAs are hired. Give a great writing sample, and highlight any significant writing experiences you've had. I assume you wrote a lot (appeals?) with the AG - highlight that. Also, if you had any investigative experience, that helps too. It will be hard, but definitely not impossible. CDCA also has hired from different gov agencies, which include attorneys without biglaw or clerkship experience.

[Anonymous User]

Yes it is impossible to break into (from what I heard). I know there are a couple of DAs or AGs there but they seemed to be hired back when it was easier to get hired. But I want to see if I could have at least a decent chance.

Also if you want to be a DA in CA it is pretty competitive. Especially in the big cities (about a thousand apply, about 10 get hired). It may be different now, but at least a thousand apply each round. A lot of BigLaw attorneys do apply here, but they usually do not have a lot of trial experience so it may be harder. If you have some trial experience, I think that will get you a decent chance. If you are willing to go to a random county, your chances are a lot higher. DDAs in big cities normally get experience in random counties and move back to the big cities.

Are you OP? I am anon that posted right above this post. I assume you're a DDA from the LA DA by the way you are talking. And yes, it is correct, LA DA had 1,200 applications for 10 spots - only former DDAs got hired - a lot of people from biglaw did apply.

The one DDA that I was talking about in my previous post was hired last year by CDCA USAO - he only had DDA experience. I hope that gives you hope. As stated above, it's gonna be hard because they prefer biglaw + clerkships.

[bk1]

Do you enjoy talking to yourself or are you just frantically trying to cover your tracks?

[ymmv]

ymmv has moved on to greener pastures.