How to be a Prosecution/PD Gunner? Forum

[BlueLotus]

started applying to PD offices. Wouldnt mind seeing their reactions when/if they open my materials and see a resume with nothing but prosecution experience.

I'm going to have to do this will similar credentials. Not sure it'll go over.

I got a lot of questions about my 1L summer at a prosecutors office. They seemed skeptical of me. Just FYI.

PM me if you are looking for a post bar DA position in BFE. I know of a few.

spleen, how did you answer questions re: your 1L prosecution summer?

I have no prosecution experience, but i have worked with DV/SA/trafficking victims in various capacities, so i'd be curious as to how to go about addressing their skepticism. Spent 1L summer at an immigration legal aid org doing U visas and VAWA self-petitions. is my experience an auto-ding for some PDs offices?

[BlueLotus]

in addition, do private crim defense firms look down on prosecution experience the same way that PDs do?

[Borhas]

in addition, do private crim defense firms look down on prosecution experience the same way that PDs do?

no I don't think so, they still prefer defense work though

[spleenworship]

started applying to PD offices. Wouldnt mind seeing their reactions when/if they open my materials and see a resume with nothing but prosecution experience.

I'm going to have to do this will similar credentials. Not sure it'll go over.

I got a lot of questions about my 1L summer at a prosecutors office. They seemed skeptical of me. Just FYI.

PM me if you are looking for a post bar DA position in BFE. I know of a few.

spleen, how did you answer questions re: your 1L prosecution summer?

I have no prosecution experience, but i have worked with DV/SA/trafficking victims in various capacities, so i'd be curious as to how to go about addressing their skepticism. Spent 1L summer at an immigration legal aid org doing U visas and VAWA self-petitions. is my experience an auto-ding for some PDs offices?

I just told the truth: my experience there made me want to be a defense attorney because they were railroading people into pleas for shit they didn't do.

[Lawst]

I was feeling pretty good about how things started out, but after several interviews, and other seemingly promising leads back in September and October, I'm starting to feel a bit like this as the rejections roll in, along with the implied rejections as others get 2nd rounds with places that interviewed me and haven't been in contact at all.



Here's hoping to a better spring job cycle, so I don't have to go be a "volunteer attorney" at this time next year while still trying to find a job.

[Anonymous User]

Has anyone heard back from KY about first round yet?

[robin600]

I was feeling pretty good about how things started out, but after several interviews, and other seemingly promising leads back in September and October, I'm starting to feel a bit like this as the rejections roll in, along with the implied rejections as others get 2nd rounds with places that interviewed me and haven't been in contact at all.



Here's hoping to a better spring job cycle, so I don't have to go be a "volunteer attorney" at this time next year while still trying to find a job.

Don't give up hope yet many places haven't started second rounds or selected all of their second rounds! Where have you applied so far?

[FlanAl]

in addition, do private crim defense firms look down on prosecution experience the same way that PDs do?

no I don't think so, they still prefer defense work though

This is probably true, but there are a ton of private criminal defense lawyers out there who came from prosecution - I suspect it's a mixture of spleen's reason, and a general desire to go into private practice (which of course requires switching sides because there's no such thing as being a private prosecutor). Most private criminal defense law seems to be done solo/very small firms (apart from the fancy white-collar branches of biglaw), so I would think having any kind of experience would be a big plus.

(Based on my experience in the parts of the country where I've been, anyway.)

I think a lot of this is because a lot of places just had court appointed counsel and no pd office so the only place to really get training was in a prosecutors office

[Lawst]

I was feeling pretty good about how things started out, but after several interviews, and other seemingly promising leads back in September and October, I'm starting to feel a bit like this as the rejections roll in, along with the implied rejections as others get 2nd rounds with places that interviewed me and haven't been in contact at all.



Here's hoping to a better spring job cycle, so I don't have to go be a "volunteer attorney" at this time next year while still trying to find a job.

Don't give up hope yet many places haven't started second rounds or selected all of their second rounds! Where have you applied so far?

Some of the places to which I've applied, and interviewed with, have given 2nd round interviews, according to some of the posts here, but it doesn't mean of course that they're done with 2nd rounds. Anyway, thank you - I am half-joking, half-morose about my prospects at this point, but I haven't given up hope yet. I was hoping to have something figured out by winter break, at least an idea of which bar I will be taking in July.

[Void]

Here's hoping to a better spring job cycle, so I don't have to go be a "volunteer attorney" at this time next year while still trying to find a job.

Don't get too down about this. Keep in mind that a permanent offer from any govt employer prior to graduation/bar passage is actually VERY rare, despite how much this website might make it seem. The normal hiring model for most PD offices is post-bar, or at least post-grad, and lots of places simply do not hire applicants who haven't at least volunteered yet. I know it feels terrible and urgent but believe me- it's not that bad. I graduated jobless and didnt get an offer until after I sat for the bar, and honestly it wasn't that terrible at all, especially since studying for the bar feels like an extra semester of law school anyway.

Keep your head up, and don't stop trying to improve that resume. Maximize your exposure to helping out in the real world. Good luck!

[Anonymous User]

2nd round after EJW? How'd they notify you, if you don't mind my asking?

Phone call.

3L thread said that some 2Ls have been contacted post EJW, but not sure if they were referring to NH or CO.

[Anonymous User]

2nd round after EJW? How'd they notify you, if you don't mind my asking?

Phone call.

3L thread said that some 2Ls have been contacted post EJW, but not sure if they were referring to NH or CO.

Wait so is this NH or CO?

[deadpanic]

From what I have gathered, CO has a lot of PD jobs because the state legislature recently expanded the funding for it, right?

Is that why other states, with not huge job markets, like NH, KY, etc. are widely discussed on here?

[Anonymous User]

Wait so is this NH or CO?

CO.

Not me, but a quote from the 3L PD thread http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... &start=400:

Got a second round interview from Colorado earlier this week, and a second round interview from NHPD today.

Did you interview at EJW? I've only heard they contacted 2Ls

Yes, I interviewed through EJW for both.

[Anonymous User]

Has anyone heard from CO that applied regularly?

[FlanAl]

Anyone know anything about Rhode Island, Connecticut, Delaware or Vermont state public defense systems? My plan is to just send them my resume etc. saying that I would be interested in a full-time position or possibly a volunteer attorney position but I'm wondering when the best time to do this would be, I kinda feel like now would be too early.

Also, anyone hear back from palm beach? I applied directly and did their table talk but haven't heard a peep.

[Lawst]

Anyone know anything about Rhode Island, Connecticut, Delaware or Vermont state public defense systems? My plan is to just send them my resume etc. saying that I would be interested in a full-time position or possibly a volunteer attorney position but I'm wondering when the best time to do this would be, I kinda feel like now would be too early.

Also, anyone hear back from palm beach? I applied directly and did their table talk but haven't heard a peep.

If you table talked with Palm Beach were you supposed to follow up with an online application? Same question about Colorado, actually.

[FlanAl]

Anyone know anything about Rhode Island, Connecticut, Delaware or Vermont state public defense systems? My plan is to just send them my resume etc. saying that I would be interested in a full-time position or possibly a volunteer attorney position but I'm wondering when the best time to do this would be, I kinda feel like now would be too early.

Also, anyone hear back from palm beach? I applied directly and did their table talk but haven't heard a peep.

If you table talked with Palm Beach were you supposed to follow up with an online application? Same question about Colorado, actually.

Colorado made me feel like I wasn't supposed to follow up other than with the person I talked to. I really liked the palm beach people and just wanted to make sure I covered all the bases. I followed up with the person I talked to and then sent an email to the employment person listed on their site mentioning the table talk etc. I still haven't heard back.

[Lawst]

Anyone know anything about Rhode Island, Connecticut, Delaware or Vermont state public defense systems? My plan is to just send them my resume etc. saying that I would be interested in a full-time position or possibly a volunteer attorney position but I'm wondering when the best time to do this would be, I kinda feel like now would be too early.

Also, anyone hear back from palm beach? I applied directly and did their table talk but haven't heard a peep.

If you table talked with Palm Beach were you supposed to follow up with an online application? Same question about Colorado, actually.

Colorado made me feel like I wasn't supposed to follow up other than with the person I talked to. I really liked the palm beach people and just wanted to make sure I covered all the bases. I followed up with the person I talked to and then sent an email to the employment person listed on their site mentioning the table talk etc. I still haven't heard back.

Yeah, maybe I should too, just to be safe. I also liked the Palm Beach people, and the iPad photo thing was very clever.

[FlanAl]

Decided to get rid of that post because I submitted the app and don't want to second guess myself now haha.

BUT has anyone started emailing like continued interest emails to people? I applied to Bronx about a month ago and haven't heard a thing and was kind of thinking about reminding them of my existence. Also, how long do you think we should wait before totally showing our cards and telling offices that we will work there for free for like 6 months if they'll let us.

[Anonymous User]

Decided to get rid of that post because I submitted the app and don't want to second guess myself now haha.

BUT has anyone started emailing like continued interest emails to people? I applied to Bronx about a month ago and haven't heard a thing and was kind of thinking about reminding them of my existence. Also, how long do you think we should wait before totally showing our cards and telling offices that we will work there for free for like 6 months if they'll let us.

titcq. my school offers a fellowship for public interest where they will pay us to volunteer at an office. dont exactly know when i should bring that up. I know the place i'm at now will keep me on after graduation under the program but i'd rather use it at a place i'd like to work at full time if i cant get a job there off the bat.

[Anonymous User]

Decided to get rid of that post because I submitted the app and don't want to second guess myself now haha.

BUT has anyone started emailing like continued interest emails to people? I applied to Bronx about a month ago and haven't heard a thing and was kind of thinking about reminding them of my existence. Also, how long do you think we should wait before totally showing our cards and telling offices that we will work there for free for like 6 months if they'll let us.

Many offices don't start interviewing seriously until the new year. I'd try to figure out through your career services office or alumni when these offices do their hiring so you're not overwhelming them with messages before then.

Re: Bronx Defenders, I've been told they don't start interviewing 3Ls until late November. I know many people who have interned there and applied as 3Ls, yet none have heard about interviews yet. Since Bronx prefers former interns, the fact that none of those people have heard anything may be a decent indication that they're not yet inviting people to interview.

[Anonymous User]

Decided to get rid of that post because I submitted the app and don't want to second guess myself now haha.

BUT has anyone started emailing like continued interest emails to people? I applied to Bronx about a month ago and haven't heard a thing and was kind of thinking about reminding them of my existence. Also, how long do you think we should wait before totally showing our cards and telling offices that we will work there for free for like 6 months if they'll let us.

Many offices don't start interviewing seriously until the new year. I'd try to figure out through your career services office or alumni when these offices do their hiring so you're not overwhelming them with messages before then.

Re: Bronx Defenders, I've been told they don't start interviewing 3Ls until late November. I know many people who have interned there and applied as 3Ls, yet none have heard about interviews yet. Since Bronx prefers former interns, the fact that none of those people have heard anything may be a decent indication that they're not yet inviting people to interview.

^^ Credited only like 5 or so interns have heard back already

[Anonymous User]

has anyone heard about first interviews with contra costa for a post bar position? apparently they were supposed to start notifying us in november...

[Anonymous User]

has anyone heard about first interviews with contra costa for a post bar position? apparently they were supposed to start notifying us in november...

do they have an official post bar program? i looked around and couldn't find anything so i just emailed my materials to the contact info they have listed for law clerks. havent gotten a response though.