How to be a Prosecution/PD Gunner? Forum

[BlueLotus]

I applied to several PD positions at EJW and heard back from one office today inquiring about whether I have or will be completing a practice program before graduation. Anyone else hear anything at all?

*crickets* so far...

they have until oct 3 to make decisions about who to interview, tho.

[Borhas]

I applied to several PD positions at EJW and heard back from one office today inquiring about whether I have or will be completing a practice program before graduation. Anyone else hear anything at all?

Was it Miami? They asked me that last year (didn't get an interview though)

[BlueLotus]

I applied to several PD positions at EJW and heard back from one office today inquiring about whether I have or will be completing a practice program before graduation. Anyone else hear anything at all?

Was it Miami? They asked me that last year (didn't get an interview though)

by "practice program" do they mean being certified to represent clients in court (i.e. 3:03 in MA)?

[Anonymous User]

I applied to several PD positions at EJW and heard back from one office today inquiring about whether I have or will be completing a practice program before graduation. Anyone else hear anything at all?

Was it Miami? They asked me that last year (didn't get an interview though)

Yes it was Miami. I guess all it means is they haven't dinged me, yet.

[Anonymous User]

I applied to several PD positions at EJW and heard back from one office today inquiring about whether I have or will be completing a practice program before graduation. Anyone else hear anything at all?

Was it Miami? They asked me that last year (didn't get an interview though)

by "practice program" do they mean being certified to represent clients in court (i.e. 3:03 in MA)?

I believe you have to have received school credit. So if it was work over the summer while 3:03 certified, then you would not qualify. However, if it was an externship where you used 3:03 certification and received credit, then it would qualify. It's a bit of a technicality so you can be certified under Florida's student practice rule while you are waiting for bar results.

[BlueLotus]

^gotcha, thanks.

are externships obtained on your own on par with more structured, school-based clinical experience? I really wanted a clinic, but 3Ls get preference. I am doing an externship, though.

[Anonymous User]

^gotcha, thanks.

are externships obtained on your own on par with more structured, school-based clinical experience? I really wanted a clinic, but 3Ls get preference. I am doing an externship, though.

I think it really depends on the office you end up at. I have found that sometimes PD's are very protective of their cases and want to be the only ones working on them. I have also found other offices where that is not the case and the PD's give you a lot of freedom to work on the cases. If you are able to get cases from the beginning (arraignment), then you should be able to really get into them. Personally, externships are a little more "real world" than the clinics.

[BlueLotus]

^thanks!

what's better--volunteering at one office throughout 2L and 3L, or volunteering at various offices? I'm enjoying my internship, and debating whether i should continue with the same office next spring, or find another internship and get my name out there to more people.

[Pretzel_Logic]

^thanks!

what's better--volunteering at one office throughout 2L and 3L, or volunteering at various offices? I'm enjoying my internship, and debating whether i should continue with the same office next spring, or find another internship and get my name out there to more people.

That really depends on how much you want to be tied to that office. I worked at three different offices during law school and I personally like having the larger web of contacts, but people have also gotten jobs by remaining visible at one office for an extended period.

[Borhas]

^thanks!

what's better--volunteering at one office throughout 2L and 3L, or volunteering at various offices? I'm enjoying my internship, and debating whether i should continue with the same office next spring, or find another internship and get my name out there to more people.

volunteering at one office if you get progressively goo experience in court, and if the office regularly hires interns

[Myself]

.

[adonai]

I remember this thread was poppin' a lot more last fall. Has the PD/prosecutor market taken a big hit this year?

I don't think so. Interviews are just beginning for most places. I would argue that the hiring market is getting better. I've seen many offices hiring in my state, though I don't know how many individuals they are each hiring.

[spleenworship]

Apart from that email from Miami, I haven't heard crap from the EJW employers. Are they all taking their sweet time, or are other people getting interview offers?

[xChiTowNx]

Crickets.

If you head to page 40-ish of this thread you can see when results started trickling in - pretty close to the Oct 3rd deadline.

[mtyler19]

.

[Anonymous User]

how would school disciplinary actions be viewed by PD/Legal Aid employers? would this have to be disclosed, even if it was for stupid shit? criminal record is clean as a whistle, but have disciplinary actions during law school (behavioral, not academic)

[spleenworship]

how would school disciplinary actions be viewed by PD/Legal Aid employers? would this have to be disclosed, even if it was for stupid shit? criminal record is clean as a whistle, but have disciplinary actions during law school (behavioral, not academic)

Presumably, if you passed bar C&F you'd be good to go.

That said, how would they find out in the first place? I mean, they are probably relying off a simple background check plus bar C&F.

[Anonymous User]

how would school disciplinary actions be viewed by PD/Legal Aid employers? would this have to be disclosed, even if it was for stupid shit? criminal record is clean as a whistle, but have disciplinary actions during law school (behavioral, not academic)

Presumably, if you passed bar C&F you'd be good to go.

That said, how would they find out in the first place? I mean, they are probably relying off a simple background check plus bar C&F.

i obviously disclose this to c&f. could they find out from c&f?

[Void]

how would school disciplinary actions be viewed by PD/Legal Aid employers? would this have to be disclosed, even if it was for stupid shit? criminal record is clean as a whistle, but have disciplinary actions during law school (behavioral, not academic)

Presumably, if you passed bar C&F you'd be good to go.

That said, how would they find out in the first place? I mean, they are probably relying off a simple background check plus bar C&F.

i obviously disclose this to c&f. could they find out from c&f?

I am about to start my full time permanent post-grad PD position and they never even asked for a transcript. I kind of doubt your school disciplinary record will make its way to potential employers unless you hand it to them.

[Anonymous User]

how would school disciplinary actions be viewed by PD/Legal Aid employers? would this have to be disclosed, even if it was for stupid shit? criminal record is clean as a whistle, but have disciplinary actions during law school (behavioral, not academic)

Presumably, if you passed bar C&F you'd be good to go.

That said, how would they find out in the first place? I mean, they are probably relying off a simple background check plus bar C&F.

i obviously disclose this to c&f. could they find out from c&f?

I am about to start my full time permanent post-grad PD position and they never even asked for a transcript. I kind of doubt your school disciplinary record will make its way to potential employers unless you hand it to them.

thanks. hopefully the shit i pulled won't delay admission by so long that it becomes a red flag.

[RaleighStClair]

Hey all,

Couple of questions:

1) I'm currently a 2L looking for opportunities for my 2L summer. My state (WA) has a rule allowing students to practice after they've completed 2 years of school, under attorney supervision, and I'm wondering if anyone knows where I might find a comprehensive list of states that have a similar rule?

2) Has anyone here had any luck finding (preferably paid) summer positions with local DA/Prosecutor offices or State AGs merely through applying with the "mass mail" strategy. I'd prefer to work in WA, but the number of counties offering paid positions that give you courtroom experience are few and far between - as far as I know (if anyone can dispel this for me that'd be awesome too).

For what it's worth, I have decent grades (top third) at a T2, and worked in a large county's prosecutor's office this past summer.

Thanks in advance.

ETA: I'm primarily interested in the Mountain West, Alaska, and New England, but I'll take anything I can get.

[Void]

Hey all,

Couple of questions:

1) I'm currently a 2L looking for opportunities for my 2L summer. My state (WA) has a rule allowing students to practice after they've completed 2 years of school, under attorney supervision, and I'm wondering if anyone knows where I might find a comprehensive list of states that have a similar rule?

2) Has anyone here had any luck finding (preferably paid) summer positions with local DA/Prosecutor offices or State AGs merely through applying with the "mass mail" strategy. I'd prefer to work in WA, but the number of counties offering paid positions that give you courtroom experience are few and far between - as far as I know (if anyone can dispel this for me that'd be awesome too).

For what it's worth, I have decent grades (top third) at a T2, and worked in a large county's prosecutor's office this past summer.

Thanks in advance.

ETA: I'm primarily interested in the Mountain West, Alaska, and New England, but I'll take anything I can get.

I'm in New England, and I'm pretty sure there is no such thing as a paid state govt internship in any New England state. Even asking about it would probably result in being laughed at around here. I know graduates who have been volunteering DA offices for months, so there's no chance they'd pay a rising 3L. Good luck.

[Anonymous User]

Alameda County California paid 21/hr the summer I was there.

[spleenworship]

Hey all,

Couple of questions:

1) I'm currently a 2L looking for opportunities for my 2L summer. My state (WA) has a rule allowing students to practice after they've completed 2 years of school, under attorney supervision, and I'm wondering if anyone knows where I might find a comprehensive list of states that have a similar rule?

2) Has anyone here had any luck finding (preferably paid) summer positions with local DA/Prosecutor offices or State AGs merely through applying with the "mass mail" strategy. I'd prefer to work in WA, but the number of counties offering paid positions that give you courtroom experience are few and far between - as far as I know (if anyone can dispel this for me that'd be awesome too).

For what it's worth, I have decent grades (top third) at a T2, and worked in a large county's prosecutor's office this past summer.

Thanks in advance.

ETA: I'm primarily interested in the Mountain West, Alaska, and New England, but I'll take anything I can get.

SW/MW is unpaid to the best of my knowledge.

[Pretzel_Logic]

I never got paid for prosecutor work but I did qualify for my school's Public Interest grant, which carried me one summer. You might look into that.