District Attorneys' Offices 2014 Forum

[Anonymous User]

Anyone heard about first round interview offers from Philly?

[Anonymous User]

Nothing from Philly, has anyone heard from Nassau or Suffolk (NY)?

[Anonymous User]

Hey guys! New ADA here. I can answer general questions about the application process - I know it would've been nice to have that last year when I was applying. Sorry, I can't say anything about my specific office. I will do my best to check back but I can't promise I will be able to answer every question right away. Just some words of advise from the get go: be patient. If you're not a patient person, you are in for a very long year.

[Anonymous User]

Hey guys! New ADA here. I can answer general questions about the application process - I know it would've been nice to have that last year when I was applying. Sorry, I can't say anything about my specific office. I will do my best to check back but I can't promise I will be able to answer every question right away. Just some words of advise from the get go: be patient. If you're not a patient person, you are in for a very long year.

I have a panel interview with a DAs office, and it is the first round. Safe to say it is not just a screener, but a hypo/pressure interview?

Also, do you think a good resume can overshadow an average or slightly below average interview?

[Anonymous User]

Hey guys! New ADA here. I can answer general questions about the application process - I know it would've been nice to have that last year when I was applying. Sorry, I can't say anything about my specific office. I will do my best to check back but I can't promise I will be able to answer every question right away. Just some words of advise from the get go: be patient. If you're not a patient person, you are in for a very long year.

I have a panel interview with a DAs office, and it is the first round. Safe to say it is not just a screener, but a hypo/pressure interview?

Also, do you think a good resume can overshadow an average or slightly below average interview?

Usually first rounds are just screeners. They want to make sure you have a genuine interest in and passion for this kind of work. However, I have heard of people getting hypos in first rounds. I got a hypo in one first round interview. I would say it's always best to be over-prepared.

As far as your second question, I can't speak to what an interviewer would think but based on my experience and knowing people who had great resumes but didn't get very far, I would say your interview will be extremely important and a great resume would most likely not overshadow a poor interview. Keep in mind that you will be representing your office and the DA when you're in court. They want to know that you can present yourself well in high pressure situations. I also know people whose resumes didn't shout criminal law but went very far with interviews.

Just a disclaimer that nothing I say is 100% - this is based solely on my own experience.

[Anonymous User]

Hey guys! New ADA here. I can answer general questions about the application process - I know it would've been nice to have that last year when I was applying. Sorry, I can't say anything about my specific office. I will do my best to check back but I can't promise I will be able to answer every question right away. Just some words of advise from the get go: be patient. If you're not a patient person, you are in for a very long year.

I have a panel interview with a DAs office, and it is the first round. Safe to say it is not just a screener, but a hypo/pressure interview?

Also, do you think a good resume can overshadow an average or slightly below average interview?

Usually first rounds are just screeners. They want to make sure you have a genuine interest in and passion for this kind of work. However, I have heard of people getting hypos in first rounds. I got a hypo in one first round interview. I would say it's always best to be over-prepared.

As far as your second question, I can't speak to what an interviewer would think but based on my experience and knowing people who had great resumes but didn't get very far, I would say your interview will be extremely important and a great resume would most likely not overshadow a poor interview. Keep in mind that you will be representing your office and the DA when you're in court. They want to know that you can present yourself well in high pressure situations. I also know people whose resumes didn't shout criminal law but went very far with interviews.

Just a disclaimer that nothing I say is 100% - this is based solely on my own experience.

Thanks. I mean, I know what qualities DA offices are looking for (public service, courtroom experience, ability to think on feet, etc.). My resume screams all of those. What concerns me is what I can say (that isn't already said on paper) that can distinguish me from everyone else. Everyone is bound to say the same thing or overlap significantly (e.g. "I'm here for teh justicez"). Do I stand out by being louder vocally, more verbose, or what? It is kind of hard to grasp....I understand you aren't an interviewer, but as someone who went through the hoops and got there ITE I'd just like to know your opinion and suggestions.

[Anonymous User]

Hey guys! New ADA here. I can answer general questions about the application process - I know it would've been nice to have that last year when I was applying. Sorry, I can't say anything about my specific office. I will do my best to check back but I can't promise I will be able to answer every question right away. Just some words of advise from the get go: be patient. If you're not a patient person, you are in for a very long year.

1) Did you have geographic ties to your office? If not, what did you say to try and emphasize your willingness to live in your area? If you DID have ties already, any recommendations on what to say if an applicant does not?

2) How did you prepare for hypos and stress interviewing?

Thanks for doing this!

[Anonymous User]

Hey guys! New ADA here. I can answer general questions about the application process - I know it would've been nice to have that last year when I was applying. Sorry, I can't say anything about my specific office. I will do my best to check back but I can't promise I will be able to answer every question right away. Just some words of advise from the get go: be patient. If you're not a patient person, you are in for a very long year.

I have a panel interview with a DAs office, and it is the first round. Safe to say it is not just a screener, but a hypo/pressure interview?

Also, do you think a good resume can overshadow an average or slightly below average interview?

Usually first rounds are just screeners. They want to make sure you have a genuine interest in and passion for this kind of work. However, I have heard of people getting hypos in first rounds. I got a hypo in one first round interview. I would say it's always best to be over-prepared.

As far as your second question, I can't speak to what an interviewer would think but based on my experience and knowing people who had great resumes but didn't get very far, I would say your interview will be extremely important and a great resume would most likely not overshadow a poor interview. Keep in mind that you will be representing your office and the DA when you're in court. They want to know that you can present yourself well in high pressure situations. I also know people whose resumes didn't shout criminal law but went very far with interviews.

Just a disclaimer that nothing I say is 100% - this is based solely on my own experience.

Thanks. I mean, I know what qualities DA offices are looking for (public service, courtroom experience, ability to think on feet, etc.). My resume screams all of those. What concerns me is what I can say (that isn't already said on paper) that can distinguish me from everyone else. Everyone is bound to say the same thing or overlap significantly (e.g. "I'm here for teh justicez"). Do I stand out by being louder vocally, more verbose, or what? It is kind of hard to grasp....I understand you aren't an interviewer, but as someone who went through the hoops and got there ITE I'd just like to know your opinion and suggestions.

I have to run out the door soon so I can give you a lengthier answer later, but it's not a matter of being loud, quiet, etc. Everyone has different styles, you need to be yourself. You'll hear a million times that "so and so has this style but I could never do that." Obviously they want someone who is articulate - that goes without saying. But they are looking for people who can recognize ethical dilemmas and know how to handle those situations. They also want to hear your thought process. Don't just give your answer, but really explain how you came to that conclusion. Be honest, because they have strong BS detectors. If you don't know an answer it's okay to say "I'm not positive but this is how I would handle situation X." You can give the wrong answer and still rock your interview as long as you are logical and your answer is well thought out.

At the same time, don't overlook some of what you might thing are the standard answers that they hear all the time. You'd be amazed at how many people don't know how to answer "what does a prosecutor do?" Also, you need to have an answer for "why this office?" Those are crucial for first rounds. I think what got me so far was the fact that I had very clear answers to those questions and I came off as genuine and ethical. I didn't always know the answer but I did my best to explain why I thought the way I did. And stick to your guns because they will try to make you second guess yourself.

[Anonymous User]

Hey guys! New ADA here. I can answer general questions about the application process - I know it would've been nice to have that last year when I was applying. Sorry, I can't say anything about my specific office. I will do my best to check back but I can't promise I will be able to answer every question right away. Just some words of advise from the get go: be patient. If you're not a patient person, you are in for a very long year.

1) Did you have geographic ties to your office? If not, what did you say to try and emphasize your willingness to live in your area? If you DID have ties already, any recommendations on what to say if an applicant does not?

2) How did you prepare for hypos and stress interviewing?

Thanks for doing this!

1) Yes, I had geographic ties to my office. I am from that area, but I did not go to law school there. For areas that you do not have ties to, you should focus on what it is about that specific office that is appealing to you. For instance, vertical vs. horizontal prosecution. If you have friends in the area, have always wanted to live there, or have interned there in the past, tell your interviewer. Beyond that I'm not sure what you can really say. I won't name specific offices, but you might just be SOL for certain offices. For major cities it can be a little easier to get by with no ties, but I can't stress enough how important it is to know about that specific office and why you want to be there.

2) I interned at DA's offices, so I talked to as many ADAs as possible about the hypos. I did a lot of research and read over my 1L crim law and crim pro outlines. I know everyone stresses ethics, but for some offices you really need to know your crim pro. It was most helpful to sit down with an ADA and do a mock interview where he just threw hypo after hypo at me.

[Anonymous User]

Hey guys! New ADA here. I can answer general questions about the application process - I know it would've been nice to have that last year when I was applying. Sorry, I can't say anything about my specific office. I will do my best to check back but I can't promise I will be able to answer every question right away. Just some words of advise from the get go: be patient. If you're not a patient person, you are in for a very long year.

1) Did you have geographic ties to your office? If not, what did you say to try and emphasize your willingness to live in your area? If you DID have ties already, any recommendations on what to say if an applicant does not?

2) How did you prepare for hypos and stress interviewing?

Thanks for doing this!

1) Yes, I had geographic ties to my office. I am from that area, but I did not go to law school there. For areas that you do not have ties to, you should focus on what it is about that specific office that is appealing to you. For instance, vertical vs. horizontal prosecution. If you have friends in the area, have always wanted to live there, or have interned there in the past, tell your interviewer. Beyond that I'm not sure what you can really say I won't name specific offices, but you might just be SOL for certain offices. For major cities it can be a little easier to get by with no ties, but I can't stress enough how important it is to know about that specific office and why you want to be there.

2) I interned at DA's offices, so I talked to as many ADAs as possible about the hypos. I did a lot of research and read over my 1L crim law and crim pro outlines. I know everyone stresses ethics, but for some offices you really need to know your crim pro. It was most helpful to sit down with an ADA and do a mock interview where he just threw hypo after hypo at me.

Thanks very much. The office I'm interviewing with is very large and in a very large city, and I was surprised at how much the screener put an emphasis on ties to the area. I suspect it's something that might come up in panel interviews, assuming that I move forward, and I'm trying to brain storm ideas. I basically did exactly what you said: emphasized the office itself as reason enough to move to the area. The guy just didn't seem to buy it, and I'm trying to brainstorm other approaches.

But thanks again! By the way, how is the job? Do you like it? Love it? Hate it?

[Anonymous User]

Hey guys! New ADA here. I can answer general questions about the application process - I know it would've been nice to have that last year when I was applying. Sorry, I can't say anything about my specific office. I will do my best to check back but I can't promise I will be able to answer every question right away. Just some words of advise from the get go: be patient. If you're not a patient person, you are in for a very long year.

1) Did you have geographic ties to your office? If not, what did you say to try and emphasize your willingness to live in your area? If you DID have ties already, any recommendations on what to say if an applicant does not?

2) How did you prepare for hypos and stress interviewing?

Thanks for doing this!

1) Yes, I had geographic ties to my office. I am from that area, but I did not go to law school there. For areas that you do not have ties to, you should focus on what it is about that specific office that is appealing to you. For instance, vertical vs. horizontal prosecution. If you have friends in the area, have always wanted to live there, or have interned there in the past, tell your interviewer. Beyond that I'm not sure what you can really say I won't name specific offices, but you might just be SOL for certain offices. For major cities it can be a little easier to get by with no ties, but I can't stress enough how important it is to know about that specific office and why you want to be there.

2) I interned at DA's offices, so I talked to as many ADAs as possible about the hypos. I did a lot of research and read over my 1L crim law and crim pro outlines. I know everyone stresses ethics, but for some offices you really need to know your crim pro. It was most helpful to sit down with an ADA and do a mock interview where he just threw hypo after hypo at me.

Thanks very much. The office I'm interviewing with is very large and in a very large city, and I was surprised at how much the screener put an emphasis on ties to the area. I suspect it's something that might come up in panel interviews, assuming that I move forward, and I'm trying to brain storm ideas. I basically did exactly what you said: emphasized the office itself as reason enough to move to the area. The guy just didn't seem to buy it, and I'm trying to brainstorm other approaches.

But thanks again! By the way, how is the job? Do you like it? Love it? Hate it?

Unfortunately, sometimes there just isn't much more you can say. But something like that is out of your hands and you just have to put your best foot forward and hope it's enough. Loving the job so far! I have to run out the door but I'll check back later for more questions.

[Anonymous User]

Unfortunately, sometimes there just isn't much more you can say. But something like that is out of your hands and you just have to put your best foot forward and hope it's enough. Loving the job so far! I have to run out the door but I'll check back later for more questions.

Maybe you could give us a quick bio? Without doing too much to out yourself, approximate rank of LS attended, grades, internships and externships, LS activities, etc.

[Anonymous User]

I have interviews coming up in the next two weeks with Bronx, Queens, and Nassau, and I'm waiting to hear from Suffolk (e-mailed application last week). Manhattan does not look probable at this point.

[Anonymous User]

Unfortunately, sometimes there just isn't much more you can say. But something like that is out of your hands and you just have to put your best foot forward and hope it's enough. Loving the job so far! I have to run out the door but I'll check back later for more questions.

Maybe you could give us a quick bio? Without doing too much to out yourself, approximate rank of LS attended, grades, internships and externships, LS activities, etc.

I graduated from a T2, somewhere in the middle of my class. I externed for a judge my 1L summer, interned at my current office my 2L summer, and interned at another DA's office during 3L. I did not do moot court or mock trial since being on a journal and working as a TA took up too much time, but I took trial ad and participated in a prosecution practicum that included lectures and extern hours but was basically a year-long, extremely intense trial ad class.

[Anonymous User]

Hey guys! New ADA here. I can answer general questions about the application process - I know it would've been nice to have that last year when I was applying. Sorry, I can't say anything about my specific office. I will do my best to check back but I can't promise I will be able to answer every question right away. Just some words of advise from the get go: be patient. If you're not a patient person, you are in for a very long year.

Thanks for doing this!

How important do you think it was that you interned for DA's in the past? I really want crim, but I'm not sure my resume screams that - how difficult will it be to overcome?

[Anonymous User]

Hey guys! New ADA here. I can answer general questions about the application process - I know it would've been nice to have that last year when I was applying. Sorry, I can't say anything about my specific office. I will do my best to check back but I can't promise I will be able to answer every question right away. Just some words of advise from the get go: be patient. If you're not a patient person, you are in for a very long year.

Thanks for doing this!

How important do you think it was that you interned for DA's in the past? I really want crim, but I'm not sure my resume screams that - how difficult will it be to overcome?

It's pretty important. Most people I've met interned at a DA's office during law school or participated in some kind of prosecution clinic. Some also interned for a PD office or defense firm. That being said, it is not impossible and it's also not unheard of for people to get hired without that experience. It's just another hoop to jump through and you'll have to do some extra convincing as to why you want to do this and why you never got the experience. If you have a decent explanation and an awesome interview it should not be a total bar.

[Anonymous User]

Anyone heard anything from Suffolk?

[Anonymous User]

Question: Does anyone know anyone supposed to be Starting at Kings County NY in Jan 2014. (Hired this past spring). I've heard mixed reports that their offers are contingent on Hynes' reelection (which doesnt seem to be happening) and other people have said that those ADAs will be hired as planned.

Does anyone have any contacts that might know?

[eastcoastlaw2]

Has anyone received first round interviews from the Bronx, Brooklyn or Suffolk from mail-in applications? or are most interviews so far from OCI?

[Anonymous User]

I heard for Bronx a few days ago, a mailed in my app in late august. Nothing yet from Suffolk, anyone else?

[Anonymous User]

Manhattan is the only office that I know has done interviews. They're typically earlier, too. I bet initial interviews for other counties start coming in the next few weeks. Need to get my KCDA app in...

[Anonymous User]

This thread only for people looking for full time jobs? I have a callback (I guess you can call it that?) with the Philly DA's office in a few weeks, but I'm just a 2L looking for a summer job.

[Anonymous User]

I have a 2nd round panel interview with Nassau DA and an upcoming screener with Manhattan. So at least Nassau is moving forward at this point.

[Anonymous User]

I have a 2nd round panel interview with Nassau DA and an upcoming screener with Manhattan. So at least Nassau is moving forward at this point.

Wow, that's fast. When did you have your Nassau screener?

[Anonymous User]

I have a 2nd round panel interview with Nassau DA and an upcoming screener with Manhattan. So at least Nassau is moving forward at this point.

Wow, that's fast. When did you have your Nassau screener?

~4 weeks ago. The notice of getting to second round came in the mail a week ago.