Public interest in NYC: which is the best option for future FedGov plans? Forum

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openwindow

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Public interest in NYC: which is the best option for future FedGov plans?

Post by openwindow » Thu Jun 21, 2018 11:45 am

Hello everyone!

I am from NYC and am preparing for my LSAT as we speak. I know I want to go into public interest (corporate law is not my thing so I'm the rare breed who does not want BigLaw in NYC...) with my end goal being BigFed or federal government in any capacity. I'm most interested in economic crime.

What public interest position would give me the best options to end up in federal government? Assistant District Attorney, Assistant Attorney General or Assistant Corporation Counsel?

Thank you! :D

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Re: Public interest in NYC: which is the best option for future FedGov plans?

Post by Anonymous User » Thu Jun 21, 2018 11:49 am

openwindow wrote:Hello everyone!

I am from NYC and am preparing for my LSAT as we speak. I know I want to go into public interest (corporate law is not my thing so I'm the rare breed who does not want BigLaw in NYC...) with my end goal being BigFed or federal government in any capacity. I'm most interested in economic crime.

What public interest position would give me the best options to end up in federal government? Assistant District Attorney, Assistant Attorney General or Assistant Corporation Counsel?

Thank you! :D
TBH go to a firm. easiest way to get to one of those places.

openwindow

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Re: Public interest in NYC: which is the best option for future FedGov plans?

Post by openwindow » Thu Jun 21, 2018 2:05 pm

Are you saying that BigLaw is a requisite for state or federal government work? I'm not sure how that it possible especially at the state level.

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Re: Public interest in NYC: which is the best option for future FedGov plans?

Post by Anonymous User » Thu Jun 21, 2018 2:19 pm

openwindow wrote:Are you saying that BigLaw is a requisite for state or federal government work? I'm not sure how that it possible especially at the state level.
For federal government? yeah it kind of is. not state.

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Re: Public interest in NYC: which is the best option for future FedGov plans?

Post by Anonymous User » Thu Jun 21, 2018 2:45 pm

If you want to do white collar prosecution, big firm is definitely the way to go.

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openwindow

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Re: Public interest in NYC: which is the best option for future FedGov plans?

Post by openwindow » Thu Jun 21, 2018 2:49 pm

Thanks for your input. Do you know how long I would need to be in the private sector before jumping ship? It's just a means to an end for me, really.

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Re: Public interest in NYC: which is the best option for future FedGov plans?

Post by jennyf » Thu Jun 21, 2018 4:19 pm

It's good to be thinking about these things before law school, but what you get on your LSAT and where you go to Law school are going to seriously impact your options.

If you're looking for SEC work or certain DOJ divisions, the Honors Program is the best way to get in to those. The SEC has been on a hiring freeze except for internal promotions for a long while now. Biglaw can help if you don't start your career at one of these agencies, but I wouldn't say it's necessary.

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Re: Public interest in NYC: which is the best option for future FedGov plans?

Post by Anonymous User » Thu Jun 21, 2018 4:23 pm

jennyf wrote:It's good to be thinking about these things before law school, but what you get on your LSAT and where you go to Law school are going to seriously impact your options.

If you're looking for SEC work or certain DOJ divisions, the Honors Program is the best way to get in to those. The SEC has been on a hiring freeze except for internal promotions for a long while now. Biglaw can help if you don't start your career at one of these agencies, but I wouldn't say it's necessary.
The Honors Program is not something one can plan for. That's like saying "it's so easy to do appellate litigation, just get an appellate clerkship!" If you want to go to the federal government, there are really two tracks if you're an average to above average student in law school (which you should plan for). This is for most students, unless you're top 20% at HYS, top 10% at rest of T14, and top 1-3 people at rest:

Graduate --> clerk (optional)--> big law for 4-6 years --> AUSA
Graduate --> clerk (optional) --> DA's office somewhere --> continually look for AUSA openings, most of the time doesn't happen till ~ 8 years down the line.

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Re: Public interest in NYC: which is the best option for future FedGov plans?

Post by jennyf » Thu Jun 21, 2018 4:30 pm

Anonymous User wrote: The Honors Program is not something one can plan for. That's like saying "it's so easy to do appellate litigation, just get an appellate clerkship!" If you want to go to the federal government, there are really two tracks if you're an average to above average student in law school (which you should plan for). This is for most students, unless you're top 20% at HYS, top 10% at rest of T14, and top 1-3 people at rest:

Graduate --> clerk (optional)--> big law for 4-6 years --> AUSA
Graduate --> clerk (optional) --> DA's office somewhere --> continually look for AUSA openings, most of the time doesn't happen till ~ 8 years down the line.
Why are you anon? Just wondering.

Yes, Honors is rare, but it's the best path to the SEC (only path currently) and the divisions of DOJ that deal most with economic crime. This person hasn't even taken their LSAT yet it's hard to really guide them. In all likelihood if they get into a decent school they're probably going to end up in big law to pay back loans for a while anyway.

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Re: Public interest in NYC: which is the best option for future FedGov plans?

Post by Anonymous User » Thu Jun 21, 2018 4:34 pm

Anonymous User wrote:
jennyf wrote:It's good to be thinking about these things before law school, but what you get on your LSAT and where you go to Law school are going to seriously impact your options.

If you're looking for SEC work or certain DOJ divisions, the Honors Program is the best way to get in to those. The SEC has been on a hiring freeze except for internal promotions for a long while now. Biglaw can help if you don't start your career at one of these agencies, but I wouldn't say it's necessary.
The Honors Program is not something one can plan for. That's like saying "it's so easy to do appellate litigation, just get an appellate clerkship!" If you want to go to the federal government, there are really two tracks if you're an average to above average student in law school (which you should plan for). This is for most students, unless you're top 20% at HYS, top 10% at rest of T14, and top 1-3 people at rest:

Graduate --> clerk (optional)--> big law for 4-6 years --> AUSA
Graduate --> clerk (optional) --> DA's office somewhere --> continually look for AUSA openings, most of the time doesn't happen till ~ 8 years down the line.

Not sure clerking is optional anymore for those looking to be hired as AUSAs from biglaw.

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Re: Public interest in NYC: which is the best option for future FedGov plans?

Post by openwindow » Thu Jun 21, 2018 4:44 pm

Hey everyone, thanks. :)

I don't want to put the cart before the horse (is that how the saying goes?) but I am actively preparing for my LSAT and am doing okay! With my GPA (3.87) I believe I would have a shot at at least a lower t-14 but I am by no means a gunner.

I essentially want to work either prosecuting financial crimes or working in financial crime regulation/compliance. I'm not picky about where I end up, though I do prefer it be entirely in the public sphere. Another option I hadn't thought of: what about gaining experience and then (trying to get hired at) going to the Investor Protection Division of the OAG? That honestly would be right up my alley. I could see myself staying there for a long time.

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Re: Public interest in NYC: which is the best option for future FedGov plans?

Post by Anonymous User » Thu Jun 21, 2018 5:07 pm

jennyf wrote:
Anonymous User wrote: The Honors Program is not something one can plan for. That's like saying "it's so easy to do appellate litigation, just get an appellate clerkship!" If you want to go to the federal government, there are really two tracks if you're an average to above average student in law school (which you should plan for). This is for most students, unless you're top 20% at HYS, top 10% at rest of T14, and top 1-3 people at rest:

Graduate --> clerk (optional)--> big law for 4-6 years --> AUSA
Graduate --> clerk (optional) --> DA's office somewhere --> continually look for AUSA openings, most of the time doesn't happen till ~ 8 years down the line.
Why are you anon? Just wondering.

Yes, Honors is rare, but it's the best path to the SEC (only path currently) and the divisions of DOJ that deal most with economic crime. This person hasn't even taken their LSAT yet it's hard to really guide them. In all likelihood if they get into a decent school they're probably going to end up in big law to pay back loans for a while anyway.

I'm anon cause I want to be.

Also, idk what "best path to the SEC means." By the time OP gets in and out of law school, policies could have changed. A goal to be in SEC Honors is not realistic.

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Re: Public interest in NYC: which is the best option for future FedGov plans?

Post by openwindow » Thu Jun 21, 2018 6:14 pm

I agree, which is why I am casting a wider net.

So the consensus is there is no public interest job in NYC that would allow one to be hired by the federal government. Damn.

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Re: Public interest in NYC: which is the best option for future FedGov plans?

Post by radio1nowhere » Thu Jun 21, 2018 7:48 pm

openwindow wrote:I agree, which is why I am casting a wider net.

So the consensus is there is no public interest job in NYC that would allow one to be hired by the federal government. Damn.
Well, a previous poster pointed out that ADA -> AUSA has proven to be a workable track, although it isn't easy. There's not much else one can say at such a general level to someone who hasn't even taken the LSAT yet. Your options will probably depend more on what school you go to and what grades you get there than it will on what your first job is out of law school (although that definitely matters).

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