Job Pick Forum

[Anonymous User]

Hi everyone,

I'm a junior attorney- was at a regional BL firm like Jackson Walker for a bit and have been an AUSA now for a couple years. I went to a SMU/A&M/Baylor type of school and did well. I was offered a job with an AG office of special litigation. This is something I'm really interested in pursuing. Career goals would be to be State AG or SG, judge (state or fed), or USA. I'd be happy staying as a career AUSA, but feel I've kinda hit a ceiling (I could certainly be wrong here), and would be excited to take the plunge. What do you all think? Obviously, there are a lot of other factors, but gut is telling me it's not a bad move.

[Sackboy]

The law is a career that heavily rewards seniority, especially for the long-term roles you're interested in. Sticking it out as an AUSA and getting involved politically (to whatever degree you can and submitting yourself for USA/judicial vacancies or eventually leaving to make a run for State AG would probably be best. Hopping to special litigation in a state's AG office isn't likely to fast track you any more than being well known in a USAO. When you figure that out in a couple of years, will you regret leaving the presumably higher pay of the AUSA position? Will you be looking for your next career "accelerator?"

[crouton62]

The law is a career that heavily rewards seniority, especially for the long-term roles you're interested in. Sticking it out as an AUSA and getting involved politically (to whatever degree you can and submitting yourself for USA/judicial vacancies or eventually leaving to make a run for State AG would probably be best. Hopping to special litigation in a state's AG office isn't likely to fast track you any more than being well known in a USAO. When you figure that out in a couple of years, will you regret leaving the presumably higher pay of the AUSA position? Will you be looking for your next career "accelerator?"

Given their goals of something more state-level that is politically-adjacent, I actually think transitioning into the state AG's office to start making those connections within the state government now is the move. If this person wanted to end up back in BigLaw, being a more senior-level AUSA could be helpful for that transition and I would agree that they stay put. If their state is anything like my state, being part of the system and directly working with and around the folks who make the decisions on state judgeship appointments, etc. is extremely helpful for those goals. I hear your point about OP staying with USAO and trying to be involved politically outside of work, but I wonder for OP's sake if there are any kind of restrictions on AUSA's being involved in state and local politics, e.g., can they run for a state house seat, be a campaign chair for a state-wide office political candidate?

[CanadianWolf]

The law is a career that heavily rewards seniority, especially for the long-term roles you're interested in. Sticking it out as an AUSA and getting involved politically (to whatever degree you can and submitting yourself for USA/judicial vacancies or eventually leaving to make a run for State AG would probably be best. Hopping to special litigation in a state's AG office isn't likely to fast track you any more than being well known in a USAO. When you figure that out in a couple of years, will you regret leaving the presumably higher pay of the AUSA position? Will you be looking for your next career "accelerator?"

Given their goals of something more state-level that is politically-adjacent, I actually think transitioning into the state AG's office to start making those connections within the state government now is the move. If this person wanted to end up back in BigLaw, being a more senior-level AUSA could be helpful for that transition and I would agree that they stay put. If their state is anything like my state, being part of the system and directly working with and around the folks who make the decisions on state judgeship appointments, etc. is extremely helpful for those goals. I hear your point about OP staying with USAO and trying to be involved politically outside of work, but I wonder for OP's sake if there are any kind of restrictions on AUSA's being involved in state and local politics, e.g., can they run for a state house seat, be a campaign chair for a state-wide office political candidate?

Do you have any knowledge regarding the bolded ? My impression is that you do not.

[Anonymous User]

This is the OP. I do really appreciate the advice. Problem is, my AUSA gig is kind of not in a location where it would help me much, and I've basically hit a ceiling until I can become a supervisor in 10-15 years or so (nobody leaves my office). And we are not encouraged to pursue things outside the office (judgeship or political matters in general). I'm in a state like TX.
I do agree about the money. I make 100-110 right now- and for where I am, that's decent money. The state role does pay more (135-145) but I'm not sure it does the kind of yearly wage adjustments that come with my job and it is also in a more expensive city (but state capital) (think El Paso/Waco to Austin).
Candidly, I might regret leaving my role, as I do actually enjoy it, it has good benefits, and I'm well liked in the office/given a lot of responsibilities for how dumb/inexperienced I am.
I have no interest in BL and am really focused on state work (not opposed to fed, by any means, but goals really are more state oriented).
Again, I'm just spit balling, and I really do appreciate the advice.

[Anonymous User]

I don’t actually think an AUSA gig, on its own, is a great foundation for a more political role. From what I know from a friend in a state AG’s office, he works on much more political issues than I do as an AUSA. I think this is especially the case if the office of special litigation you’re referring to is bringing affirmative civil suits. You can certainly make a name for yourself prosecuting crime (assuming you’re currently doing criminal work), but some of what you do is just going to be determined by the crime that’s out there. My sense is that an AG’s office is much more strategic in pursuing affirmative civil cases.

Certainly people go from AUSA to being a judge, but that’s not going to happen for a while whether in the state or federal system, and is dependent on so many factors you just can’t control, especially now. Same for becoming a USA. It can depend a lot on where you are and what that legal community is like.

For instance, in my current district, there’s one former AUSA in the federal district court and one in the federal COA, but it’s been very rare for AUSAs to go to state courts (I’m not actually aware of any), and certainly not without some kind of state government experience. It’s much more common to go from state work to the USA than for AUSAs to end up as SG or AG. Similarly, I don’t know of anyone from this office ending up as the USA, at least not in the last 30 years. That said, I do see a lot of long-time AUSAs get appointed USA in other parts of the country, but again, that’s why I think it depends a lot on your legal community.

So I think you’d likely be best off talking to people local to you who know more about what historically people have done.

(If you’re a civil AUSA I’d say definitely go to the state job.)