Which PI employers are less grades-conscious? Forum

[Anonymous User]

Da office

DA Office will generally check grades; PD generally ngaf.

Not true concerning DA's Office's. They generally won't. If they do it's for what classes you took, not your GPA.

But doesn't it depend on the geographic location? I can imagine a rural DA's office in the boonies not being concerned with prestige, but I'm sure that more desirable. competitive locales (i.e. Miami, NYC, etc.) would care a great deal about grades?

[Rootbeer]

Da office

Depends on the office, right? I thought big city DA offices can be as prestige hungry as BigLaw? (Manhattan comes to mind)

Yes it does depend on the office. It's mostly just Manhattan and a few other offices. Think of it as the exception rather than the rule. Most hire the same way PDs do...trial experience, commitment to public service, commitment to prosecution, commitment to the office, and good interviews. Some put on their website that they care about "excellent academic credentials," but they really don't. If grades are even a factor, they're more like icing than the cake.

[Kronk]

Well the DA offices in Colorado do, regardless of whether it's rural or urban, and the DA offices in San Francisco and the Bay Area do.

[Anonymous User]

Da office

Depends on the office, right? I thought big city DA offices can be as prestige hungry as BigLaw? (Manhattan comes to mind)

Yes it does depend on the office. It's mostly just Manhattan and a few other offices. Think of it as the exception rather than the rule. Most hire the same way PDs do...trial experience, commitment to public service, commitment to prosecution, commitment to the office, and good interviews. Some put on their website that they care about "excellent academic credentials," but they really don't. If grades are even a factor, they're more like icing than the cake.

Thanks, this is helpful!

Anyone know anything about the Boston-area DAs offices (i.e. Suffolk, Middlesex, Essex)?

[Rootbeer]

Da office

DA Office will generally check grades; PD generally ngaf.

Not true concerning DA's Office's. They generally won't. If they do it's for what classes you took, not your GPA.

But doesn't it depend on the geographic location? I can imagine a rural DA's office in the boonies not being concerned with prestige, but I'm sure that more desirable. competitive locales (i.e. Miami, NYC, etc.) would care a great deal about grades?

Yes, but there are plenty of big cities who operate the same way. I'll also see small offices outwardly say they want good grades and not mean it in reality. NYC, particularly Manhattahan and Bronx make hay of GPA, but Brooklyn and Queens not so much, from my experience. Aside from NYC, since you mentioned them, I can definitely tell you Miami's about the interview and crap grades/school won't stop you from getting one. Experience is a big deal to them too. I can't speak to every office, but of the ones I'm familiar with, NYC offices are the only ones who give them significant weight. You'll have to speak to people in the office though to get the real scoop...websites and job postings won't give it to you.

[Anonymous User]

Rootbeer...have the scoop on Philly DA and surrounding 'burbs?

[Rootbeer]

Rootbeer...have the scoop on Philly DA and surrounding 'burbs?

What I will say about those is that it's mixed among the burbs. Grades/school do not matter a lick to Philly DA, though they may matter if you are looking to go to Appeals.

[Anonymous User]

Fast Food and Walmart

[Anonymous User]

^nice anon abuse...way to kick someone when they're down. :-/
Thanks to all others for constructive responses.

Is moot ct. pretty much a prerequisite for DA/PD work? I'm doing a clinic next semester, which I'm told should help a great deal in gaining practical skills and showing commitment to public service.

[Kronk]

^nice anon abuse...way to kick someone when they're down. :-/
Thanks to all others for constructive responses.

Is moot ct. pretty much a prerequisite for DA/PD work? I'm doing a clinic next semester, which I'm told should help a great deal in gaining practical skills and showing commitment to public service.

I think it helps a lot. I had a PD offer without, but that was because I nabbed a 1L internship with the PD so they knew me. If you don't have moot court, at least have a criminal trial practice class or something.

[Anonymous User]

Will having worked with immigrant DV/SA victims this summer be a red flag to PD offices?

[A. Nony Mouse]

^nice anon abuse...way to kick someone when they're down. :-/
Thanks to all others for constructive responses.

Is moot ct. pretty much a prerequisite for DA/PD work? I'm doing a clinic next semester, which I'm told should help a great deal in gaining practical skills and showing commitment to public service.

I think mock trial is more interesting to DA/PD employers, but that's just anecdotal based on the situation at my school - may not be universal.

[Rootbeer]

Clinics/Internships are the most important...Mock Trial is good, but not as good as real experience. Clinics/Internships far and away make you a more attractive candidate. If anything else in law school is prerequisite, it would be Trial Ad and Crim-related classes. They definitely don't expect you to be on Trial Team, but if your transcript/resume doesn't show interest in what they do, you're usually not a good candidate. Moot Court depends on the office and if you're interested in Appeals. It's definitely NOT a prereq, but it's a nice thing to have for the main purpose of showing that you have public speaking skills. I can tell you that when it comes to actually doing the job, you'll find out both Mock and Moot are just edutainment, with Moot being the less valuable of the two.

[A. Nony Mouse]

Clinics/Internships are the most important...Mock Trial is good, but not as good as real experience. Clinics/Internships far and away make you a more attractive candidate. If anything else in law school is prerequisite, it would be Trial Ad and Crim-related classes. They definitely don't expect you to be on Trial Team, but if your transcript/resume doesn't show interest in what they do, you're usually not a good candidate. Moot Court depends on the office and if you're interested in Appeals. It's definitely NOT a prereq, but it's a nice thing to have for the main purpose of showing that you have public speaking skills. I can tell you that when it comes to actually doing the job, you'll find out both Mock and Moot are just edutainment, with Moot being the less valuable of the two.

Yes, I meant only that mock trial is more interesting than moot court - NOT that it (or either) are better than clinics, which I agree are most important.

[Bronte]

Will having worked with immigrant DV/SA victims this summer be a red flag to PD offices?

Isn't victim work closer to the prosecution side than the defense side? Maybe not. Anyway, lawyers should recognize that lawyers are hired guns and don't necessarily espouse the cause of their clients. Unfortunately, a lot of lawyers don't seem to get this and think of themselves and other lawyers as activists. But what are you going to do? Just have good answer ready.

[Anonymous User]

Clinics/Internships are the most important...Mock Trial is good, but not as good as real experience. Clinics/Internships far and away make you a more attractive candidate. If anything else in law school is prerequisite, it would be Trial Ad and Crim-related classes. They definitely don't expect you to be on Trial Team, but if your transcript/resume doesn't show interest in what they do, you're usually not a good candidate. Moot Court depends on the office and if you're interested in Appeals. It's definitely NOT a prereq, but it's a nice thing to have for the main purpose of showing that you have public speaking skills. I can tell you that when it comes to actually doing the job, you'll find out both Mock and Moot are just edutainment, with Moot being the less valuable of the two.

Yes, I meant only that mock trial is more interesting than moot court - NOT that it (or either) are better than clinics, which I agree are most important.

Great! I'm actually enrolled in a Juvenile Justice clinic for the fall semester, which I can continue into the spring.

[Anonymous User]

Would Spanish fluency help my candidacy for DA/PD apps?

[Anonymous User]

Rootbeer...have the scoop on Philly DA and surrounding 'burbs?

What I will say about those is that it's mixed among the burbs. Grades/school do not matter a lick to Philly DA, though they may matter if you are looking to go to Appeals.

If they don't care, then why would they ask for transcripts? (read: http://www.phila.gov/districtattorney/c ... dents.html) To see that you have taken relevant coursework? (i.e. trial ad, evidence, crim pro, etc.)

[Rootbeer]

^--- Yes.

[BeautifulSW]

Around here, Spanish fluency is helpful for Public Defender (State AND federal, btw) but it's REALLY a leg up for other types of indigent law such as immigration or legal aid. N. Mex. is practically a bi-lingual state, though, so our situation may be unique.