How to be a Prosecution/PD Gunner? Forum

[Anonymous User]

I'm seeing mostly ny pd offices and some of the places on the EJW list (popular offices). has anyone targeted offices outside this? I'm sure some of the 3L's have widened the search. I'd love to hear more about other offices. Massachusetts, Missouri, Oregon, Washington? Thanks!

For PDs: CPCS was at EJW and is hiring. Missouri, I don't know. Washington and Oregon aren't hiring, at least not for the big cities I've sent apps to.

EDIT: I'm a 3L, so my references to hiring relate to full time jobs.

[Anonymous User]

Second round from Colorado PD, from EJW.

[seatown12]

I'm seeing mostly ny pd offices and some of the places on the EJW list (popular offices). has anyone targeted offices outside this? I'm sure some of the 3L's have widened the search. I'd love to hear more about other offices. Massachusetts, Missouri, Oregon, Washington? Thanks!

PDs in Seattle are similar to NY in that they are organizations that contract with the government to provide services. The biggest are Associated Counsel for the Accused and The Defender Association. I think they draw heavily from the local schools and possibly also top schools like NYU and Georgetown; I couldn't even get an interview for an internship there. Counties other than King all have contract attorney panels I believe.

Massachusetts is CPCS as mentioned; don't know anything about Oregon; DON'T work for Missouri State PD

[Anonymous User]

Second round from Colorado PD, from EJW.

how did they contact you?

[purr se]

DON'T work for Missouri State PD

What's up with Missouri? I was thinking about applying there ...

[Anonymous User]

Second round from Colorado PD, from EJW.

how did they contact you?

Email

[Anonymous User]

Any movement from Bronx DA?

[Anonymous User]

I think you all underestimate how busy these public defender agencies (and their attorneys) are. They all said they'd get back to us in November, but I'd expect it to be later rather than sooner.

Mecklenburg told me last week.

As in they gave you an answer?

As in I was supposed to hear last week.

[Anonymous User]

DON'T work for Missouri State PD

What's up with Missouri? I was thinking about applying there ...

I will second that Missouri state pd system is not good. I didn't like the staff much when I worked there and the pay is horrible. That being said they're always hiring for rural areas but usually only take people post bar or graduation pending bar results. I can pm you if you want more info but its not a good office training wise.

[dextermorgan]

I'm applying for 1L positions with PD and Juvenile PD offices. Does anyone know what 1L summer positions entail in these organizations, or have any advice for securing them? Obviously I haven't taken evidence, trial ad, or anything remotely useful. I was a social worker with parolees for over two years prior to law school.

[Anonymous User]

I'm applying for 1L positions with PD and Juvenile PD offices. Does anyone know what 1L summer positions entail in these organizations, or have any advice for securing them? Obviously I haven't taken evidence, trial ad, or anything remotely useful. I was a social worker with parolees for over two years prior to law school.

Ditto, but wanna know about securing 1L positions in DAs offices. Have work experience serving DV victims but like poster above, haven't had the chance to take any remotely useful classes yet (will take crim in the spring, selected crim pro and evidence as top choices for my 1L spring elective)

[Anonymous User]

I'm applying for 1L positions with PD and Juvenile PD offices. Does anyone know what 1L summer positions entail in these organizations, or have any advice for securing them? Obviously I haven't taken evidence, trial ad, or anything remotely useful. I was a social worker with parolees for over two years prior to law school.

Ditto, but wanna know about securing 1L positions in DAs offices. Have work experience serving DV victims but like poster above, haven't had the chance to take any remotely useful classes yet (will take crim in the spring, selected crim pro and evidence as top choices for my 1L spring elective)

I interned with a DA office 1L and it pretty much was just observing court, helping with paperwork (while in court) and making recs on misdemeanor cases. I basically called every DA office within driving distance starting Feb 1st. I ended up getting a job without interviewing.

Honestly, you won't really get substantive work as a 1L but it show dedication when your 2L summer starts. It's better than working for a judge, in my opinion, because everyone does that.

[Tanicius]

I'm applying for 1L positions with PD and Juvenile PD offices. Does anyone know what 1L summer positions entail in these organizations, or have any advice for securing them? Obviously I haven't taken evidence, trial ad, or anything remotely useful. I was a social worker with parolees for over two years prior to law school.

Ditto, but wanna know about securing 1L positions in DAs offices. Have work experience serving DV victims but like poster above, haven't had the chance to take any remotely useful classes yet (will take crim in the spring, selected crim pro and evidence as top choices for my 1L spring elective)

I interned with a DA office 1L and it pretty much was just observing court, helping with paperwork (while in court) and making recs on misdemeanor cases. I basically called every DA office within driving distance starting Feb 1st. I ended up getting a job without interviewing.

Honestly, you won't really get substantive work as a 1L but it show dedication when your 2L summer starts. It's better than working for a judge, in my opinion, because everyone does that.

This really depends on the office, and your personal goals for what you want to get out of the summer. I wrote motions all summer at my PD office. Probably three out of five days a week were spent in front of a computer researching and writing. On the other days, I'd be skipping across the street to watch some kind of trial or following an attorney to the jail.

[edit] I should clarify the reason I did so much motion writing was because that's what I wanted to do. I did not think of myself as a particularly strong legal writer, so I kept the motion assignments flowing to my desk. When you're essentially a volunteer intern, you have more control over what you do than at, say, a firm summer. If you want to spend the entire summer watching court, you pretty much can do that. If you want to do substantive work, then just tell the person in charge and you'll have the cases flooding in before you can blink.

[Anonymous User]

I am interested in prosecution, but was considering doing an internship with the local Innocence Project chapter. Will that hurt me severely, or will it show experience in criminal law?

[RW65]

I am interested in prosecution, but was considering doing an internship with the local Innocence Project chapter. Will that hurt me severely, or will it show experience in criminal law?

Why do you want to do the IP over interning with a DAs office?

[Anonymous User]

Why do you want to do the IP over interning with a DAs office?

Interning with the DA would be my first choice, but around here they don't let students intern with a DA until 2L. I'm only a 1L.

[Anonymous User]

How about something with the state AG, criminal appeals maybe? Or for a city prosecuting misdos and ordinance violations? [EDIT: Some USAOs take 1Ls, too. Another option....]

I would strongly advise you off of interning with the Innocence Project. Most of the people there are true believers and that is going to get attributed to you too. I would even recommend a PD's office or crim defense shop over IP.

[Anonymous User]

How about something with the state AG, criminal appeals maybe? Or for a city prosecuting misdos and ordinance violations? [EDIT: Some USAOs take 1Ls, too. Another option....]

I would strongly advise you off of interning with the Innocence Project. Most of the people there are true believers and that is going to get attributed to you too. I would even recommend a PD's office or crim defense shop over IP.

true believers in making sure innocent people aren't convicted and sentenced to long prison terms or even death? that's a bad thing?

[Anonymous User]

To most prosecutor's offices? Yes. It is.

I had to do a lot of talking to get around the fact I worked at a private crim defense firm. As a legal secretary. 10 years ago.

[seatown12]

I am interested in prosecution, but was considering doing an internship with the local Innocence Project chapter. Will that hurt me severely, or will it show experience in criminal law?

Innocence Project is appellate which is not directly relevant to the work of a DA. It is also defense which, like it or not, many DA offices will not want to see on your resume. Overall this is not going to be a positive the ideal thing to have on your resume.

In my opinion you should try to work for either a trial court judge in your area or an out of town DA office. The experience will be more directly beneficial and won't give offices any reason to doubt your commitment to prosecution.

[BlueLotus]

I'm applying for 1L positions with PD and Juvenile PD offices. Does anyone know what 1L summer positions entail in these organizations, or have any advice for securing them? Obviously I haven't taken evidence, trial ad, or anything remotely useful. I was a social worker with parolees for over two years prior to law school.

Ditto, but wanna know about securing 1L positions in DAs offices. Have work experience serving DV victims but like poster above, haven't had the chance to take any remotely useful classes yet (will take crim in the spring, selected crim pro and evidence as top choices for my 1L spring elective)

I interned with a DA office 1L and it pretty much was just observing court, helping with paperwork (while in court) and making recs on misdemeanor cases. I basically called every DA office within driving distance starting Feb 1st. I ended up getting a job without interviewing.

Honestly, you won't really get substantive work as a 1L but it show dedication when your 2L summer starts. It's better than working for a judge, in my opinion, because everyone does that.

Thanks! Wow, surprised that you reached out to DAs offices on Feb 1st...TLS makes it seem like you're f*cked if you don't get your resumes and cover letters out on midnight 12/1 I suppose PI/gov is on a different timeline than hiring for firms/federal judicial internships, though.

What do you have in your background/work experience that made them pick you without even interviewing? Top grades? Was it a big city DAs office?

[Anonymous User]

I'm the IP anon. Thanks so much. I really appreciate a lot of those suggestions!

[Anonymous User]

I'm applying for 1L positions with PD and Juvenile PD offices. Does anyone know what 1L summer positions entail in these organizations, or have any advice for securing them? Obviously I haven't taken evidence, trial ad, or anything remotely useful. I was a social worker with parolees for over two years prior to law school.

Ditto, but wanna know about securing 1L positions in DAs offices. Have work experience serving DV victims but like poster above, haven't had the chance to take any remotely useful classes yet (will take crim in the spring, selected crim pro and evidence as top choices for my 1L spring elective)

I interned with a DA office 1L and it pretty much was just observing court, helping with paperwork (while in court) and making recs on misdemeanor cases. I basically called every DA office within driving distance starting Feb 1st. I ended up getting a job without interviewing.

Honestly, you won't really get substantive work as a 1L but it show dedication when your 2L summer starts. It's better than working for a judge, in my opinion, because everyone does that.

Thanks! Wow, surprised that you reached out to DAs offices on Feb 1st...TLS makes it seem like you're f*cked if you don't get your resumes and cover letters out on midnight 12/1 I suppose PI/gov is on a different timeline than hiring for firms/federal judicial internships, though.

What do you have in your background/work experience that made them pick you without even interviewing? Top grades? Was it a big city DAs office?

Largest office in the state. I think it really was just the lady I spoke with and my genuine interest in prosecution. We had a someone lengthy talk on the phone and at the end she told me that she would make a spot for me over the summer. She told me I was the first 1L intern the office had hired for a summer internship. You'll find most DA offices don't like to hire first years because you can't really do anything.

Also remember, 1L positions aren't really anything other than resume fillers. You can get some decent experience, but grades aren't going to matter for 1L gov't work. Around here, no office is even going to know what 2Ls they're hiring for summer before February. Most offices don't even interview until then.

Oh and obviously it wasn't paid.

[FlanAl]

http://www.boston.com/news/local/massac ... is_passed/

is this effecting CPCS's hiring? Also anyone think there's going to be a lot of appellate work to do in Colorado and Washington?

[Anonymous User]

http://www.boston.com/news/local/massac ... is_passed/

is this effecting CPCS's hiring? Also anyone think there's going to be a lot of appellate work to do in Colorado and Washington?

Yes, definitely. CPCS has been growing exponentially b/c of these measures in Mass.