SEC v. USAO (NY) Forum

[Anonymous User]

Hey, folks --

1L here. Deciding between an internship in the SEC (enforcement division) and the NY USAO offices. Any advice? I think I'm more interested in being an AUSA long-term, but applied to the SEC because the work came highly recommended and it seemed like a good opportunity to learn more about securities litigation/financial regulation. Any advice much appreciated. I don't really feel like I can go wrong here, but I wanted to check in if anyone out in the ether has worked in both.

Thanks!

[Grazzhoppa]

have you heard back from either?

[gfd973]

Seconded. Waiting to hear back from both as well. OP, what was your interview timeline to offer date?

[OutCold]

You can't go wrong. It really depends on what you are interested in. Bear in mind that your 1L summer is your chance to explore anything you might be interested in before getting shackled to a firm for a few years.

[Anonymous User]

OP here. Yes, I've heard back from all of these. I got the news within a week to two weeks of interviewing.

Re: OutCold -- yeah. I guess I have a sense that I'd get to see a greater variety of work at any of the USAO offices, but that the work at the SEC might be more substantive. But for now, I'm leaning towards USAO.

[Pete Venkman]

I feel like a 1L stint with the SEC is more rare than USAO internships, so it might help you stand out more/be more unique.

[OutCold]

OP here. Yes, I've heard back from all of these. I got the news within a week to two weeks of interviewing.

Re: OutCold -- yeah. I guess I have a sense that I'd get to see a greater variety of work at any of the USAO offices, but that the work at the SEC might be more substantive. But for now, I'm leaning towards USAO.

Friends that have worked in the NYC USAOs have all said they got a really good substantive experience. Either way, if you make a few connections, they will serve you well later if you try to go back down the road. I know the USAO hiring process is pretty political.

[jselson]

OP here. Yes, I've heard back from all of these. I got the news within a week to two weeks of interviewing.

Re: OutCold -- yeah. I guess I have a sense that I'd get to see a greater variety of work at any of the USAO offices, but that the work at the SEC might be more substantive. But for now, I'm leaning towards USAO.

Friends that have worked in the NYC USAOs have all said they got a really good substantive experience. Either way, if you make a few connections, they will serve you well later if you try to go back down the road. I know the USAO hiring process is pretty political.

This. If you want to be an AUSA, having interned at a USAO, especially the one you want to work for, is a big help. (Or so all my interviewers told me during my USAO interview.)