How to be a Prosecution/PD Gunner? Forum

[Anonymous User]

I should wear a suit to an interview with the PD's office, right? At the two offices I've been to, almost everyone was in business casual or less except when going to court. Just wondering. This is for Alameda county PD if that makes any difference.

[Borhas]

I should wear a suit to an interview with the PD's office, right? At the two offices I've been to, almost everyone was in business casual or less except when going to court. Just wondering. This is for Alameda county PD if that makes any difference.

absolutely.

[Anonymous User]

I should wear a suit to an interview with the PD's office, right? At the two offices I've been to, almost everyone was in business casual or less except when going to court. Just wondering. This is for Alameda county PD if that makes any difference.

Are you interviewing for post-bar now, or fall internship? Your answer doesn't change the fact that you need to wear a suit to the interview, but just wanted to know if they started post-bar interviewing yet.

[Anonymous User]

Does anyone know which prosecution offices hire pre-bar? I feel like every time someone asks this question, the only answers are for PD offices. Is there a list for DA/SA offices somewhere and I totally missed it?

Also, how early is too early to apply for job openings listed on DA office websites? For rising 3Ls, is it too early? December?

From when I was a 3L

Manhattan (early fall)
Miami (fall-winter)
Chicago (october deadline)
Philadelphia (october deadline)
Broward (not sure)

The following offices interviewed pre-bar but didn't necessarily extend offers before the bar, or before you had to choose
Queens
Bronx
Brooklyn
Suffolk County (Boston)
Middlesex (Boston)

There may be more, but these are the ones I remember. In regards to sheer volume Miami, Chicago and Manhattan are your best bets. At my office, we bought in 40 new attorneys when I started. We're bringing in 50ish this year.

[iShotFirst]

Miami in fall, as said above. About Broward, for what its worth this year they called out for interviews in early June.

West Palm Beach seems to hire in spring, Orlando in summer.

[Anonymous User]

Rising 2L from T30. Which DA's offices are less grades-conscious? I have a strongly public service oriented resume, but transcript is spotty as fuck.

Heard Manhattan's a total grades whore. What's the scoop on the Boston-area DA offices? (i.e. Middlesex, Suffolk, Essex, Norfolk, etc.)

[Anonymous User]

How important is it to have ties to the state/city for these DA offices. I would go just about anywhere if they gave me an offer before the bar...

[target]

Does anyone know which prosecution offices hire pre-bar? I feel like every time someone asks this question, the only answers are for PD offices. Is there a list for DA/SA offices somewhere and I totally missed it?

Also, how early is too early to apply for job openings listed on DA office websites? For rising 3Ls, is it too early? December?

From when I was a 3L

Manhattan (early fall)
Miami (fall-winter)
Chicago (october deadline)
Philadelphia (october deadline)
Broward (not sure)

The following offices interviewed pre-bar but didn't necessarily extend offers before the bar, or before you had to choose
Queens
Bronx
Brooklyn
Suffolk County (Boston)
Middlesex (Boston)

There may be more, but these are the ones I remember. In regards to sheer volume Miami, Chicago and Manhattan are your best bets. At my office, we bought in 40 new attorneys when I started. We're bringing in 50ish this year.

Do you mind pm me what is your office?

[Anonymous User]

Are you interviewing for post-bar now, or fall internship? Your answer doesn't change the fact that you need to wear a suit to the interview, but just wanted to know if they started post-bar interviewing yet.

This is actually for a summer 2014 internsnip, through my school's on tour interview program (Duke, UVA, GULC, some other schools I forget).

[Anonymous User]

Hey everyone. Great thread.

Wondering if anyone has any thoughts on moving from BigLaw associate to PD without any connections in the field?

Possible? or pipe dream?

[Tanicius]

Hey everyone. Great thread.

Wondering if anyone has any thoughts on moving from BigLaw associate to PD without any connections in the field?

Possible? or pipe dream?

Target federal offices. Your lack of court experience won't be as much of a problem applying to those offices so long as you did advanced research and writing.

[Anonymous User]

Hey everyone. Great thread.

Wondering if anyone has any thoughts on moving from BigLaw associate to PD without any connections in the field?

Possible? or pipe dream?

Target federal offices. Your lack of court experience won't be as much of a problem applying to those offices so long as you did advanced research and writing.

Thanks. But what about county level PD? That's where the action is, imo.

[seatown12]

Hey everyone. Great thread.

Wondering if anyone has any thoughts on moving from BigLaw associate to PD without any connections in the field?

Possible? or pipe dream?

Target federal offices. Your lack of court experience won't be as much of a problem applying to those offices so long as you did advanced research and writing.

Thanks. But what about county level PD? That's where the action is, imo.

Do you have anything on your resume that shows commitment to serving indigent populations? Do you have any experience advocating in court, or any kind of mock trial type experience to demonstrate that you might be good in court? Those are basically the minimum requirements to even be considered for a PD job.

[FlanAl]

Well, depending on how much money you saved up from biglaw I'm sure some office wouldn't mind having you as a volunteer attorney for a while. If you work for no pay for like 6 months to a year (something a lot of PD gunners have to do anyways) I would think that that would be your best way in. Oh, and my guess is that you'll get paid a first year PD salary once you get hired.

[Anonymous User]

So just heard today that PDS isn't hiring for 2014 grads, can anyone confirm?

[Anonymous User]

So just heard today that PDS isn't hiring for 2014 grads, can anyone confirm?

Oof. What's the source on that?

[Anonymous User]

So just heard today that PDS isn't hiring for 2014 grads, can anyone confirm?

Oof. What's the source on that?

Another law student. But PDS comes to my school every year for interviews, but this year they are only resume collecting. Trying to confirm if others know about this, maybe PDS interns?

[brassmonkey7]

Hey everyone. Great thread.

Wondering if anyone has any thoughts on moving from BigLaw associate to PD without any connections in the field?

Possible? or pipe dream?

Target federal offices. Your lack of court experience won't be as much of a problem applying to those offices so long as you did advanced research and writing.

Thanks. But what about county level PD? That's where the action is, imo.

Both of the state-level PD offices I spent my summers at had people who left Biglaw to come to the office. As others have said, you would be wise to lay a foundation and demonstrate interest in law school if possible. For instance, make sure to do criminal defense clinic if you can or take an externship with a local PD. If you're a rising 2L planning to bid OCI and state PD is a really serious exit option in your mind, also consider firms that do pro bono with area PD offices or let you do an externship or something with the PD office. I know for instance that some of the big law firms in NYC have short-term externships at the NYC PD orgs that they let their summer associates and full time associates participate in.

[Anonymous User]

I don't understand how this whole prosecution job search is supposed to work

Only a handful hire before passing the bar in the state. So people are just supposed to guess where they could find a job take the bar there and then apply?

[akili]

I don't understand how this whole prosecution job search is supposed to work

Only a handful hire before passing the bar in the state. So people are just supposed to guess where they could find a job take the bar there and then apply?

From all I have seen, yes. And it is driving me crazy! I would go anywhere if they hired me pre-bar! But instead I'm stuck hoping that I'll get something in my home state AFTER I commit to living there...

[Borhas]

I don't understand how this whole prosecution job search is supposed to work

Only a handful hire before passing the bar in the state. So people are just supposed to guess where they could find a job take the bar there and then apply?

for most people you try to volunteer at an office that hires people (aka a big office) and then hope to get a job before you run out of money

[Mroberts3]

I don't understand how this whole prosecution job search is supposed to work

Only a handful hire before passing the bar in the state. So people are just supposed to guess where they could find a job take the bar there and then apply?

for most people you try to volunteer at an office that hires people (aka a big office) and then hope to get a job before you run out of money

My strategy was to do internship during school and take a post bar unpaid DA position (in a different office). This way I'm at least getting relevant experience while I run out of money. We'll see if this pays off...

[Anonymous User]

This is anon who asked about moving from BigLaw to PD. Just wanted to thank all who answered.

btw, Riverside County PD office is hiring now for those who are California licensed.

edit: sorry it's riverside county, not san bernadino

[Anonymous User]

This is anon who asked about moving from BigLaw to PD. Just wanted to thank all who answered.

btw, Riverside County PD office is hiring now for those who are California licensed.

edit: sorry it's riverside county, not san bernadino

San Bernadino PD and DA are both hiring right now as well. Gives me hope considering San Bernadino went bankrupt last year. I've noticed a lot of counties in CA are ramping up their hiring these days. Are we finally rolling into consecutive year hirings as opposed to 1 year on, 3 years off?

[BlueLotus]

Does Philly PD hire pre-bar?