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I was wondering how good a school has to be (not in the region) relative to the other (in the region) if you want a DA's position to warrant leaving the region. A lot of us seem to just assume BigLaw when picking a school or at least it appears that way. Let's take some hypotheticals

note: I have only gotten into about half the schools I'm mentioning. If that bothers anybody, don't complain about it just leave the thread. I'm trying to learn something here.

DA's office in Boston:
UT vs. BC

GULC vs. BC

Mich vs. BC

Boalt vs. BC

NYU vs. BC



DA's office in SoCal
Michigan vs. UCLA

UVA vs. UCLA

NYU vs. UCLA

Harvard vs. UCLA

Regionality is definitely key at the Suffolk County D.A. in Boston and probably also key in surrounding jurisdictions like Middlesex (Cambridge, Lowell). It's hard to find a straight-up list of Suffolk County ADAs, but if you look through lists like this one --LinkRemoved-- you'll see very few law degrees from outside the Boston area.

My sense is that if you really want to prosecute in Boston, Harvard > T14, but even Suffolk/Northeastern are not bad bets. BC definitely beats UT in this comparison, and it's probably better than GULC and Mich, due to proximity/internships and the parochial nature of Boston.

notaname wrote:Regionality is definitely key at the Suffolk County D.A. in Boston and probably also key in surrounding jurisdictions like Middlesex (Cambridge, Lowell). It's hard to find a straight-up list of Suffolk County ADAs, but if you look through lists like this one --LinkRemoved-- you'll see very few law degrees from outside the Boston area.

My sense is that if you really want to prosecute in Boston, Harvard > T14, but even Suffolk/Northeastern are not bad bets. BC definitely beats UT in this comparison, and it's probably better than GULC and Mich, due to proximity/internships and the parochial nature of Boston.

Absolutely agree. I've heard anecdotally that these offices favor schools from their region.

tram988 wrote:

notaname wrote:Regionality is definitely key at the Suffolk County D.A. in Boston and probably also key in surrounding jurisdictions like Middlesex (Cambridge, Lowell). It's hard to find a straight-up list of Suffolk County ADAs, but if you look through lists like this one --LinkRemoved-- you'll see very few law degrees from outside the Boston area.

My sense is that if you really want to prosecute in Boston, Harvard > T14, but even Suffolk/Northeastern are not bad bets. BC definitely beats UT in this comparison, and it's probably better than GULC and Mich, due to proximity/internships and the parochial nature of Boston.

Absolutely agree. I've heard anecdotally that these offices favor schools from their region.

These offices being DA's offices in general or Boston DA's offices?

imisscollege wrote:

tram988 wrote:

notaname wrote:Regionality is definitely key at the Suffolk County D.A. in Boston and probably also key in surrounding jurisdictions like Middlesex (Cambridge, Lowell). It's hard to find a straight-up list of Suffolk County ADAs, but if you look through lists like this one --LinkRemoved-- you'll see very few law degrees from outside the Boston area.

My sense is that if you really want to prosecute in Boston, Harvard > T14, but even Suffolk/Northeastern are not bad bets. BC definitely beats UT in this comparison, and it's probably better than GULC and Mich, due to proximity/internships and the parochial nature of Boston.

Absolutely agree. I've heard anecdotally that these offices favor schools from their region.

These offices being DA's offices in general or Boston DA's offices?

Sorry-- Boston's. Again, this may not be true but I do have quite a few attorney contacts in Boston who have told me this information.

The real issue is which DA offices, b/c you also ask about LA . . . It really depends on the office - the more prestigious offices (Manhattan) the better school really matters . . . but there are a lot of factors to consider:

1) Grades in law school

2) Quality of law school

3) Dedication to prosecution / public service
a) crim internships, etc.
b) pro bono work

4) Ties to the area / ability to demonstrate that you are going to settle down in that area

So many people on this board spout off without knowing anything. The real key to getting a position in any DA's office is who you know, not where you went to school.

yourdadcalled wrote:So many people on this board spout off without knowing anything. The real key to getting a position in any DA's office is who you know, not where you went to school.

And you know more than "so many" people how?

Not saying you're wrong, I haven't a clue about these hiring practices, but why should I believe you and disregard the previous statements. If you are going to contradict someone, you should at least show me why your info is better.

Grades + volunteering/interning while in school. Make your own way in; it's how the people who are successful at it do it.

Mroberts3 wrote:

yourdadcalled wrote:So many people on this board spout off without knowing anything. The real key to getting a position in any DA's office is who you know, not where you went to school.

And you know more than "so many" people how?

Not saying you're wrong, I haven't a clue about these hiring practices, but why should I believe you and disregard the previous statements. If you are going to contradict someone, you should at least show me why your info is better.

you are still in undergrad, aren't you

yourdadcalled wrote:

Mroberts3 wrote:

yourdadcalled wrote:So many people on this board spout off without knowing anything. The real key to getting a position in any DA's office is who you know, not where you went to school.

And you know more than "so many" people how?

Not saying you're wrong, I haven't a clue about these hiring practices, but why should I believe you and disregard the previous statements. If you are going to contradict someone, you should at least show me why your info is better.

you are still in undergrad, aren't you

No, I'm not.