DOJ Honors 2014 Forum

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Re: DOJ Honors 2014

Post by Anonymous User » Sun Aug 18, 2013 10:06 am

Apparently Bureau of Prisons is done hiring. Anybody else hearing anything?

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Re: DOJ Honors 2014

Post by Anonymous User » Sun Aug 18, 2013 7:24 pm

Top 10% at a bad school
Worked full-time in a small firm throughout 1L and 2L (2 1/2 years total experience)
US Attorney's Office internship
Clinic
CALI awards, academic achievement award from school

I want to do civil. I'm not terribly optimistic, but I received an intern offer from one of the hiring components after I accepted my USAO gig. Still in touch with the deputy director. That has to be worth something, right?

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Re: DOJ Honors 2014

Post by Anonymous User » Sun Aug 18, 2013 8:16 pm

Yea I would think that since you kept in touch and they wanted you as a slip has to speak well for you. Good luck!!

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Re: DOJ Honors 2014

Post by Anonymous User » Mon Aug 19, 2013 10:34 am

Possibly dumb question: reading the new eligibility criteria, am I correct in taking from it that people who are three years out of law school shouldn't bother applying, even if all of that post-LS time has been spent in clerkships?

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Re: DOJ Honors 2014

Post by Anonymous User » Mon Aug 19, 2013 10:42 am

Anonymous User wrote:Possibly dumb question: reading the new eligibility criteria, am I correct in taking from it that people who are three years out of law school shouldn't bother applying, even if all of that post-LS time has been spent in clerkships?
That's what it looks like. What year did you graduate? It sounds like to apply this year, you must have graduated no earlier than 2011.

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Re: DOJ Honors 2014

Post by Anonymous User » Mon Aug 19, 2013 10:44 am

Anonymous User wrote:
Anonymous User wrote:Possibly dumb question: reading the new eligibility criteria, am I correct in taking from it that people who are three years out of law school shouldn't bother applying, even if all of that post-LS time has been spent in clerkships?
That's what it looks like. What year did you graduate? It sounds like to apply this year, you must have graduated no earlier than 2011.

2010, which is annoying as balls. Am I correct in thinking that this is a new addition to the policy? Of course, spending four years in clerkship-like positions is rare, but it happens (and no, mine wasn't illustrious; pool/pro se clerk gigs are still "clerkships").

Can someone with access to the application tell me whether it indicates which USAOs are informally participating?

(and for those speculating about the Special AUSA positions earlier: I was informed during a prior season that the Honors Program is actually an exception to the hiring freeze generally in place even before the sequester. So the fact that certain offices can't hire regularly doesn't mean they can't hire through the HP)

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Re: DOJ Honors 2014

Post by Anonymous User » Mon Aug 19, 2013 2:44 pm

Anonymous User wrote:
Anyone also apply for DHS Honors?
I'm applying to DHS/IRS/and DOT as well as DOJ anyone have any idea how many spots other agencies hire can't seem to find a number anywhere?
I'm a current DOT Honors Attorney. There were nine selected out of about 2800 applications, I believe around 100 people were interviewed. Class size should be the same this time around.

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Re: DOJ Honors 2014

Post by Anonymous User » Mon Aug 19, 2013 3:24 pm

I'm a current DOT Honors Attorney. There were nine selected out of about 2800 applications, I believe around 100 people were interviewed. Class size should be the same this time around.

Damn, that's just depressing.

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Re: DOJ Honors 2014

Post by Anonymous User » Mon Aug 19, 2013 3:38 pm

Anonymous User wrote:
Anonymous User wrote:
Anonymous User wrote:Possibly dumb question: reading the new eligibility criteria, am I correct in taking from it that people who are three years out of law school shouldn't bother applying, even if all of that post-LS time has been spent in clerkships?
That's what it looks like. What year did you graduate? It sounds like to apply this year, you must have graduated no earlier than 2011.

2010, which is annoying as balls. Am I correct in thinking that this is a new addition to the policy? Of course, spending four years in clerkship-like positions is rare, but it happens (and no, mine wasn't illustrious; pool/pro se clerk gigs are still "clerkships").

Can someone with access to the application tell me whether it indicates which USAOs are informally participating?

(and for those speculating about the Special AUSA positions earlier: I was informed during a prior season that the Honors Program is actually an exception to the hiring freeze generally in place even before the sequester. So the fact that certain offices can't hire regularly doesn't mean they can't hire through the HP)
Yeah, it's a new policy; it wasn't in place last year. It does suck to have the terms change like that.

And yes, I was told last year that the HP hire was an exception to the general hiring freeze, though I don't know how that plays out for the informal participation (since there don't seem to be slots set aside for the informal participants, I don't think the HP exception to freeze would apply, but that's just speculation).

(Don't have access to the application, sorry.)

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Re: DOJ Honors 2014

Post by Anonymous User » Mon Aug 19, 2013 4:03 pm

T14 top 15%
Secondary journal
Two publications re crim law
Trial Team (awards plus a tournament championship)
Big firm SA (lit work) 1st and 2nd Summer
USAO internship this fall

I really really REALLY want to do Criminal Trial, though the chances seem pretty much impossible. How have people dealt with firm offers? Its pretty insane to turn down the offer for such a longshot, right? Has anyone discussed with a firm accepting but pursuing honors?

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Re: DOJ Honors 2014

Post by Anonymous User » Mon Aug 19, 2013 6:24 pm

Honors hire here. I found that the large firms expect a certain number of their SA's to apply to DOJ Honors and they are willing to let you hear back before accepting the firm offer. That's at least my experience...

I had an offer at a large firm and they allowed me to postpone acceptance for over a month. After I got the offer from DOJ, the firm even said that their offer still stands if I decide to leave the honors position. They did not seem offended in the least.

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Re: DOJ Honors 2014

Post by Anonymous User » Mon Aug 19, 2013 6:56 pm

Anonymous User wrote:Honors hire here. I found that the large firms expect a certain number of their SA's to apply to DOJ Honors and they are willing to let you hear back before accepting the firm offer. That's at least my experience...

I had an offer at a large firm and they allowed me to postpone acceptance for over a month. After I got the offer from DOJ, the firm even said that their offer still stands if I decide to leave the honors position. They did not seem offended in the least.
That's great to hear. Mind sharing rough info about your credentials?

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Re: DOJ Honors 2014

Post by Anonymous User » Mon Aug 19, 2013 9:15 pm

Anonymous User wrote:I'm a current DOT Honors Attorney. There were nine selected out of about 2800 applications, I believe around 100 people were interviewed. Class size should be the same this time around.

Damn, that's just depressing.
Is top 20% at a T-14 and federal appellate clerkship enough to get an interview? Assume clerkship is only government experience.

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Re: DOJ Honors 2014

Post by Anonymous User » Mon Aug 19, 2013 9:32 pm

T50 ~15-17%
Law Review - Senior Editor
Moot Court - immigration competition
RA this year
1L - fed. judge
2L - DOJ
Previous immigration experience
Going for EOIR

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Re: DOJ Honors 2014

Post by Anonymous User » Tue Aug 20, 2013 8:40 pm

Anonymous User wrote:
Anonymous User wrote:I'm a current DOT Honors Attorney. There were nine selected out of about 2800 applications, I believe around 100 people were interviewed. Class size should be the same this time around.

Damn, that's just depressing.
Is top 20% at a T-14 and federal appellate clerkship enough to get an interview? Assume clerkship is only government experience.
No one can know. I worked at DOJ my 2L summer, and the section chief (in CrimDiv) said that he/she looks explicitly for promise in the essay section. He/she really wanted to see someone who wanted to be there at DOJ, be a trial attorney, be a prosecutor, and so on.

There is a strong preference for previous Gov experience, but some sections, like Appellate, really value clerkship/T14/high grades/"prestigious" stuff. Other sections in CrimDiv don't really care, they're more interested in someone who is going to be a good attorney to work with. Someone who is going to be a part of the cause.

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Re: DOJ Honors 2014

Post by Anonymous User » Tue Aug 20, 2013 8:50 pm

Really seems like it can vary from year to year, component by component. A 3L at my school (TT) did both 1L and 2L summers at a Lit component and still didn't get an offer.

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Re: DOJ Honors 2014

Post by Anonymous User » Thu Aug 22, 2013 5:23 pm

Anyone else looking at this HP application and thinking that the massive headache, coupled with enormous long odds, make it just not worth the damn trouble?

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Re: DOJ Honors 2014

Post by Anonymous User » Thu Aug 22, 2013 5:42 pm

Anonymous User wrote:
Anonymous User wrote:
Anyone also apply for DHS Honors?
I'm applying to DHS/IRS/and DOT as well as DOJ anyone have any idea how many spots other agencies hire can't seem to find a number anywhere?
I'm a current DOT Honors Attorney. There were nine selected out of about 2800 applications, I believe around 100 people were interviewed. Class size should be the same this time around.
When you say 100 people were interviewed do you mean first round/OCI or callbacks in DC?

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Re: DOJ Honors 2014

Post by Anonymous User » Mon Aug 26, 2013 11:54 am

Selecting a component to list first adds a lot of pressure to this ridiculous process. So my entire career path my be determined just because I guessed wrongly which office to list as number one? Hate this!

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Re: DOJ Honors 2014

Post by Anonymous User » Tue Aug 27, 2013 9:45 pm

Has anyone ever heard of a component paying for bar courses? I'm guessing not, considering how broke the government is. Just curious.

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Re: DOJ Honors 2014

Post by Anonymous User » Wed Aug 28, 2013 6:28 pm

Anonymous User wrote:
Anonymous User wrote:
Anonymous User wrote:
Anyone also apply for DHS Honors?
I'm applying to DHS/IRS/and DOT as well as DOJ anyone have any idea how many spots other agencies hire can't seem to find a number anywhere?
I'm a current DOT Honors Attorney. There were nine selected out of about 2800 applications, I believe around 100 people were interviewed. Class size should be the same this time around.
When you say 100 people were interviewed do you mean first round/OCI or callbacks in DC?
I'd like to second this question

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Re: DOJ Honors 2014

Post by Anonymous User » Thu Aug 29, 2013 11:25 am

nearing the deadline...anybody hearing anything?

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Re: DOJ Honors 2014

Post by Anonymous User » Thu Aug 29, 2013 11:28 am

You won't hear anything until after the deadline; they don't release applications until the deadline.

(Unless you mean inside scoop from someone involved in hiring, in which case, carry on.)

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Re: DOJ Honors 2014

Post by Anonymous User » Thu Aug 29, 2013 11:34 am

Anonymous User wrote:You won't hear anything until after the deadline; they don't release applications until the deadline.

(Unless you mean inside scoop from someone involved in hiring, in which case, carry on.)
Honestly, I mean anything :| I want an HP slot so badly I'm pretty much hanging on every detail. I really thought we would have heard about more funnel offers by now

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Re: DOJ Honors 2014

Post by Anonymous User » Thu Aug 29, 2013 11:53 am

Anonymous User wrote:
Anonymous User wrote:You won't hear anything until after the deadline; they don't release applications until the deadline.

(Unless you mean inside scoop from someone involved in hiring, in which case, carry on.)
Honestly, I mean anything :| I want an HP slot so badly I'm pretty much hanging on every detail. I really thought we would have heard about more funnel offers by now
Honestly, I went through this process twice and never heard any significant info about funnel offers (though I could just have been out of the loop). I don't think there are very many of them? You have to have interned through SLIP to get a funnel offer, not all components do funnel offers, and not everyone who does SLIP necessarily wants to do the Honors program (it used to be fairly common to split SLIP/firm). So I don't think it's strange not to have heard anything about them - it's a small number of people and they may well not be on TLS.

Seriously? What are you waiting for?

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