writing a cover letter to a DA's office? Forum

[imisscollege]

what would you say in a cover letter to a DA's office? I have no idea how to write one of these.

[imisscollege]

anybody?

[AR75]

Just be sure to mention that you WANT to be a prosecutor. This may sound obvious, but you'd be surprised at how many positive responses I (and others) got because it was exactly the reason we came to law school. I worked for two different DA's during LS, and the consensus was that, while grades were somewhat important, they wanted people who simply wanted to be prosecutors AND had the mindset to do so.

For the cover letter, you may mention, if any, certain connections you have with the jurisdiction in which the office sits or any relevant experience you have. I am a former pig, so it made it a little easier for me to convincingly sell.

It also depends on whether this is for a full-time employment position (post-JD), or if it's for an intern/externship. In my experience, DA's are readily willing to help out those who offer free services.

Good luck

[Anonymous User]

Just be sure to mention that you WANT to be a prosecutor. This may sound obvious, but you'd be surprised at how many positive responses I (and others) got because it was exactly the reason we came to law school. I worked for two different DA's during LS, and the consensus was that, while grades were somewhat important, they wanted people who simply wanted to be prosecutors AND had the mindset to do so.

For the cover letter, you may mention, if any, certain connections you have with the jurisdiction in which the office sits or any relevant experience you have. I am a former pig, so it made it a little easier for me to convincingly sell.

It also depends on whether this is for a full-time employment position (post-JD), or if it's for an intern/externship. In my experience, DA's are readily willing to help out those who offer free services.

Good luck

Do you want to become a DA when you graduate? I am in a T10 in NYC area and surprised at how few people apply to the Manhattan DAs office for summer 2L position. Is this not a prestigious job? I thought it would be!

[imisscollege]

Yeah I heard that if you don't get a clerkship, DA's office is the most interesting and best way to break into litigation, assuming money is not a huge issue. reasonable hours and you get to appear in court fairly early and it looks really good if you want to go private.

Just be sure to mention that you WANT to be a prosecutor. This may sound obvious, but you'd be surprised at how many positive responses I (and others) got because it was exactly the reason we came to law school. I worked for two different DA's during LS, and the consensus was that, while grades were somewhat important, they wanted people who simply wanted to be prosecutors AND had the mindset to do so.

For the cover letter, you may mention, if any, certain connections you have with the jurisdiction in which the office sits or any relevant experience you have. I am a former pig, so it made it a little easier for me to convincingly sell.

It also depends on whether this is for a full-time employment position (post-JD), or if it's for an intern/externship. In my experience, DA's are readily willing to help out those who offer free services.

Good luck

Do you want to become a DA when you graduate? I am in a T10 in NYC area and surprised at how few people apply to the Manhattan DAs office for summer 2L position. Is this not a prestigious job? I thought it would be!

[AR75]

I'm in the Midwest, so I can't really relate to the NY dynamic. However, hiring in the regional DA's offices tends to be regional-school-based. I didn't know anybody going into it, but my eventual supervisor and I attended the same school. I'd love to be a DA, but I've already accepted another job. I will keep my feelers out for the right office, though.

Regarding imisscollege's last post, you can certainly sell potential employers on the courtroom experience you get, provided that it's substantial. I was able to get jury trial, bench trial, preliminary hearing, suppression motion, juvenile, CINC, and traffic court experience between the two offices I worked in. I would expect that to garner at least a little interest from an employer. You should have plenty of opportunities to get in meaningful courtroom time.

[robin600]

Will my degree in Criminal Justice help at all, like something to list for experience?

[leobowski]

Will my degree in Criminal Justice help at all, like something to list for experience?

It certainly wouldn't hurt. Don't draw attention to it for firm jobs, though.

[prezidentv8]

what would you say in a cover letter to a DA's office? I have no idea how to write one of these.

FTFY

[Voyager]

Here is what I used for ADA positions. Got offers. Notes in brackets:

I am a 3L at _____ School of Law and I would like to work as an Assistant District Attorney in the ____ County District Attorney's Office. The previous jobs which I have enjoyed the most offered me an opportunity to serve the public, a sense of greater purpose and camaraderie. Based on my understanding of your office and on my experience working with federal prosecutors, I am convinced I will have similarly important and satisfying experiences as an Assistant District Attorney. [general statement of who I am and what I want]

I have a long-standing commitment to public service having [done a bunch of public service shit]. I also have litigation research and writing experience in both the private and public sectors. [demonstration of my fit for the organization and what I bring to the table]

I thrive on legal work that requires significant responsibility and accountability, not only to the organization itself but also to the public. I was impressed that the federal prosecutors I worked with were not focused solely on obtaining the harshest punishment for the defendants they prosecuted. Instead, they worried about arriving at a fair result. [idea in this paragraph is to explain why you want to be a prosecutor in a little more detail... ADAs love hearing about ethics...]

A career with the Bronx County District Attorney's Office would be the natural outcome of my longstanding commitment to public service generally and prosecution specifically, and my academic concentration on criminal law, procedure and litigation. [conclusion which shows why only an idiot could not see why my life path should bring me to the DA's office.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,

Easy. Short. Keep it to 1 page.

Do you want to become a DA when you graduate? I am in a T10 in NYC area and surprised at how few people apply to the Manhattan DAs office for summer 2L position. Is this not a prestigious job? I thought it would be!

Sure. I guess. Except have you spent any time at all getting exposure to what new ADAs actually do? I found I disliked it. Federal prosecution is where it is at, I think. Also, most kids go to top schools to make lots of money, not fight crime.

[JPeavy44]

Here is what I used for ADA positions. Got offers. Notes in brackets:

I am a 3L at _____ School of Law and I would like to work as an Assistant District Attorney in the ____ County District Attorney's Office. The previous jobs which I have enjoyed the most offered me an opportunity to serve the public, a sense of greater purpose and camaraderie. Based on my understanding of your office and on my experience working with federal prosecutors, I am convinced I will have similarly important and satisfying experiences as an Assistant District Attorney. [general statement of who I am and what I want]

I have a long-standing commitment to public service having [done a bunch of public service shit]. I also have litigation research and writing experience in both the private and public sectors. [demonstration of my fit for the organization and what I bring to the table]

I thrive on legal work that requires significant responsibility and accountability, not only to the organization itself but also to the public. I was impressed that the federal prosecutors I worked with were not focused solely on obtaining the harshest punishment for the defendants they prosecuted. Instead, they worried about arriving at a fair result. [idea in this paragraph is to explain why you want to be a prosecutor in a little more detail... ADAs love hearing about ethics...]

A career with the Bronx County District Attorney's Office would be the natural outcome of my longstanding commitment to public service generally and prosecution specifically, and my academic concentration on criminal law, procedure and litigation. [conclusion which shows why only an idiot could not see why my life path should bring me to the DA's office.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,

Easy. Short. Keep it to 1 page.

Do you want to become a DA when you graduate? I am in a T10 in NYC area and surprised at how few people apply to the Manhattan DAs office for summer 2L position. Is this not a prestigious job? I thought it would be!

Sure. I guess. Except have you spent any time at all getting exposure to what new ADAs actually do? I found I disliked it. Federal prosecution is where it is at, I think. Also, most kids go to top schools to make lots of money, not fight crime.

Awesome for you to share that. Thanks!

[Voyager]

Hey. Happy to help. If anyone wants interview advice for DA interviews, please let me know. I got offers from tough offices in a brutal economy and think I have a pretty good grasp on what they are looking for.

[Series70]

^ Interview advice would be greatly appreciated. I'm only an 0L at this point, but I will be attending a T5 school for the sole purpose of fighting crime. I plan to get as much experience as possible during LS (summer and semester internships, clinics, tons of crim law classes, part-time job in the DA office's complaint room), which will hopefully help. Any info on the types of questions they ask and the answers you gave would be awesome. Thanks!

(Would it be a bad idea to say something like: "I want to put criminals in jail where they belong and help to make my city a safer place to live in")

[Voyager]

^ Interview advice would be greatly appreciated. I'm only an 0L at this point, but I will be attending a T5 school for the sole purpose of fighting crime. I plan to get as much experience as possible during LS (summer and semester internships, clinics, tons of crim law classes, part-time job in the DA office's complaint room), which will hopefully help. Any info on the types of questions they ask and the answers you gave would be awesome. Thanks!

(Would it be a bad idea to say something like: "I want to put criminals in jail where they belong and help to make my city a safer place to live in")

Ok. Well first, if you are at a T5 and want to fight crime, I HIGHLY recommend pursuing DOJ and/or an AUSA position. The jobs deal with more serious crimes and the work you do is a little more... cerebral. Having interned at a U.S. Attorney's Office, I can tell you that the job is a just a ton more interesting. You also have the opportunity to handle cases correctly instead of simply acting as a criminal administrator.

As an added bonus, V100 firms will HIGHLY value either experience... they do NOT value being an ADA. So if you decide you want to make money, your best bet is Federal, not state.

Trust me.

How do you get there? DOJ Honors and AUSA positions are very difficult to get... I concede that. DOJ Honors hires directly out of school. Get good grades, do moot court, take crim classes and evidence. Intern with an USAO. That is huge.

You might also consider taking some securities classes to have a shot at the SEC honors program (which is also awesome).

To become an AUSA, you generally need a federal clerkship. Get one. They usually do NOT hire out of law school directly. Otherwise, the tips below apply.

Ok, so none of that worked out and you want to be an ADA? Here are my recommendations:
-take DA externships during the school year (years 2 or 3). See if you can find one where they allow you to prosecute cases. If you are in NY: Scott Kessler's Queens DV unit allows students to prosecute misdemeanor DV cases. DO THIS. GREAT experience no matter what you do. I think he is offering a externship for credit at CLS this coming year. He already has one at St. John's.
-Expose yourself to how the system works (or doesn't). The job was not for me. I am glad I figured that out.
-Your first summer, take an internship with an USAO. LOTS of fun. Looks good for USAOs and DA offices.
-2nd summer... TAKE THE MONEY AT A FIRM. This will NOT preclude you from getting ADA offers and it is nice to have that experience and to see if you like it. Make sure you do litigation. Also, making $30k for 10 weeks of work is nice.

Interview tips:
-Be ready to demonstrate a commitment to public service
-A commitment to prosecution.
-Confidence. In the second round the interviewers will be intentionally rude to you, tell you your understanding of the law is wrong/questionable when it is not, etc... Be polite, smile and stick to you guns. They want to know you won't wilt in front of an aggressive judge/defense attorney.
-ETHICS. This is huge. You need to show that you want to do the RIGHT thing, not simply lock people up forever.
-Track down ADA alumni from you school and ask them about the interview process. What sorts of questions are asked? If you are in New York (which I assume you are): ROSARIO. Big time. Always asked that. KNOW IT. See the ethics point above? yeah. that.
-Review evidence and crim law before the interviews.

[Series70]

^ THANK YOU! That is excellent advice (already copied, pasted, and saved in a document for future reference).

[Voyager]

^ THANK YOU! That is excellent advice (already copied, pasted, and saved in a document for future reference).

You should go speak with any of the professors that have federal prosecution experience.

You should also make sure to bid on USAO offices during 1L OCI. Show up to them confident and ready to talk prosecution. Getting that 1L summer USAO gig was awesome.

Also, to make the federal stuff possible you need good grades (top 1/3 at least at CCN).... so take a law school exam prep class and study hard. CRUSH your 1L exams!

[tortbook]

-Your first summer, take an internship with an USAO. LOTS of fun. Looks good for USAOs and DA offices.

In your experience at the USAO, do you think a federal judicial externship during 1L summer is valued by the USAO? Or should one just focus on gaining experience in the USAO & DOJ offices?

[JPeavy44]

I'm not really familiar with the USAO, but would the summer internship program for current 2L's but the SLIP program?

[Voyager]

In your experience at the USAO, do you think a federal judicial externship during 1L summer is valued by the USAO? Or should one just focus on gaining experience in the USAO & DOJ offices?

Sure... if it is a federal externship... but I think actual service in a USAO is more valuable for a couple of reasons. First (especially if you go SDNY), it really helps to be able to show that one office already liked you even as a student. Second, and more importantly, recommendations from AUSAs are HUGE for getting AUSA jobs down the road.

On the other hand, if you have the grades to get a federal clerkship after law school, I suppose you'd be fine doing the 1L judicial externship... I just think working at the USAO is a hell of a lot more fun.

I'm not really familiar with the USAO, but would the summer internship program for current 2L's but the SLIP program?

I am not really sure what you are asking... but I can say the SLIP is a great way to get into DOJ... it is very competitive, however... and I think you still have to apply for the DOJ honors program in the fall... offers are not automatic out of SLIP.

[emilybeth]

tag

[bk1]

Just want to give props to Voyager. I understand that as people progress through law school and especially once they have a job they often post less and less on TLS, but it is nice when people who have gotten that far post very useful advice.

[BeautifulSW]

The OP asked what to say in a cover letter to a DA. I spent years in DA and PD offices at the state level. I have two pieces of advice to offer:

1) Criminal litigation is not the same as civil litigation. For one thing, in criminal law, you do a lot more actual jury work than you will ever do as a civil litigator. For another, criminal rules, especially jury instructions, are very cut-and-dried compared with the civil equivalents. So time doing crim law does give you jury experience but I wouldn't do it for too long unless you want to make it your (poorly paid) career. You just don't do enough lawyering in crim law. It's mostly straight advocacy.

2) You might get bit by the crim law bug and decide to make it your career. Crim law is an absolute blast. I mean it. It's fun and the high level of responsibility new lawyers quickly assume is head spinning. But see #1 above regarding the poor pay.

So I think I'd be pretty upfront in the cover letter to the DA. Do NOT talk about Maimi CSI or being the Hammer of God. Instead, it's perfectly understandable and legitimate to say that you are looking for an opportunity to get courtroom experience with solid supervision. DAs have used this as a recruiting argument for years; they know where you are coming from.

A crim justice major won't matter either way. A clerkship probably won't matter either way. Your school's rank didn't USED to matter either way but ITE, who can say? Your class rank ditto. Your transcript probably will matter if you can show that you took more than the bare minimum of Crim Law and Crim Pro.

Good luck and I hope you get the job!

[Voyager]

Just want to give props to Voyager. I understand that as people progress through law school and especially once they have a job they often post less and less on TLS, but it is nice when people who have gotten that far post very useful advice.

happy to help. I'll always try to make myself available as a forum resource even as I begin work in the fall. If you guys have job questions I'll try to help... just shoot me a PM.

[tortbook]

Thank you!

[leobowski]

A crim justice major won't matter either way. A clerkship probably won't matter either way. Your school's rank didn't USED to matter either way but ITE, who can say? Your class rank ditto. Your transcript probably will matter if you can show that you took more than the bare minimum of Crim Law and Crim Pro.

Good luck and I hope you get the job!

Pffft, yeah right.