1st interview for ausa questions Forum

[Anonymous User]

Hey guys,

I have a 60 minute interview for ausa position in a large competitive district. In a nutshell, resume is fedclerk and ada.

What types of questions do you think I’ll get?

Thanks!

[Anonymous User]

why prosecution
why federal prosecution
why this office
tell us about your experience with trials
tell us about your experience running investigations/relationships with agents (cops)
tell us about your relationship with defense counsel
(maybe) what do you find hardest about the job
(maybe) tell us how you prepare for sentencing

(those are all questions I've been asked - the first 6 were pretty common, from there it kind of depends what your interviewers are like I think)

[Anonymous User]

why prosecution
why federal prosecution
why this office
tell us about your experience with trials
tell us about your experience running investigations/relationships with agents (cops)
tell us about your relationship with defense counsel
(maybe) what do you find hardest about the job
(maybe) tell us how you prepare for sentencing

(those are all questions I've been asked - the first 6 were pretty common, from there it kind of depends what your interviewers are like I think)

What else would they ask current state prosecutors? What types of info would help one state prosecutor to distinguish himself from another?

[Anonymous User]

Having interviewed in tons of large offices in the past year (though from biglaw, not ada), I'd think that there's a 50%+ you'll get hypos. Nothing you wouldn't expect and I have to presume things you'd be well-equipped to deal with. Some large offices were extreme into them and challenging, some asked almost none.

[Anonymous User]

Having interviewed in tons of large offices in the past year (though from biglaw, not ada), I'd think that there's a 50%+ you'll get hypos. Nothing you wouldn't expect and I have to presume things you'd be well-equipped to deal with. Some large offices were extreme into them and challenging, some asked almost none.

Care to share what you can remember from an example or two?

[Anonymous User]

Several offices gave some variation on key or sole witness dies or is incapacitated right before defendant agrees to plea. Sometimes offices would test limits of probable cause with an agent calling with thin facts and you’re on a tight timeline (like dying infant or something crazy). What to do with reticent victim/witness. What to do with someone asking for clemency, basically, who had helped you before and was going to die. Felon in possession stuff for unrelated and or old felonies and just some old guy with an antique or whatever. All I can really remember.

[Anonymous User]

Yeah, I've only had hypos in 1 out of 3 interviews, with warning ahead of time, but basically the ones I had have all been variations on discovery issues.

why prosecution
why federal prosecution
why this office
tell us about your experience with trials
tell us about your experience running investigations/relationships with agents (cops)
tell us about your relationship with defense counsel
(maybe) what do you find hardest about the job
(maybe) tell us how you prepare for sentencing

(those are all questions I've been asked - the first 6 were pretty common, from there it kind of depends what your interviewers are like I think)

What else would they ask current state prosecutors? What types of info would help one state prosecutor to distinguish himself from another?

The reason offices are interested in state prosecutors is for their actual experience as prosecutors, so they're going to focus on the bolded stuff. Probably one thing to address is to be able to have a reason for going federal that isn't just better pay, and is also realistic. Also be someone they'd like to work with.