How to be a Prosecution/PD Gunner? Forum

[robin600]

3L dinged from BDS also. Used to live in Brooklyn, really want to move back, sorta crushed.

There are several other PD offices in New York - Bronx Defenders, Legal Aid Society, Neighborhood Harlem Defender Services of Harlem (although they very rarely hire right out of law school), New York County Defenders, Appellate Advocates - apply to all of them. And Legal Aid Society has several offices in Brooklyn.

You could also try to arrange for a fellowship to work at one of those offices for a year.

If you're dinged from a screener can you not regularly apply to the agency? IDK the answer curious to what people think on this

[Borhas]

3L dinged from BDS also. Used to live in Brooklyn, really want to move back, sorta crushed.

There are several other PD offices in New York - Bronx Defenders, Legal Aid Society, Neighborhood Harlem Defender Services of Harlem (although they very rarely hire right out of law school), New York County Defenders, Appellate Advocates - apply to all of them. And Legal Aid Society has several offices in Brooklyn.

You could also try to arrange for a fellowship to work at one of those offices for a year.

If you're dinged from a screener can you not regularly apply to the agency? IDK the answer curious to what people think on this

It couldn't hurt

[Anonymous User]

i'm a little confused about how 2L's are getting 'offers'. I worked at a PD office last summer, and was offered a chance to come back after my 2L year as a certified law student. But it definitely is not an offer of full employment after graduation. My understanding is that you can't get an actual offer at a government office until you pass the bar.

i'm not trying to split hairs here, its awesome that people are getting offered positions. I would just like to know if there actually are offices giving out post-grad offers to 2Ls.

Actually, I'm 99% sure that in Colorado, the PD will make offers to people at the end of their 2L summer for permanent employment after graduation/passing the bar. I didn't do this, so I'm not sure exactly how the process works - you might have to go through a formal interview again? - but I know people who had employment with the PD confirmed well before graduation. (They're certainly hired before passing the bar because it's a thing in Colorado that as soon as the bar results come out - I mean, literally the moment they come out - if a newbie PD didn't pass, and is in court, their supervisor literally has to go haul them out of the courtroom that instant because they can no longer practice on the student license thing.)

[Rocío]

If you're dinged from a screener can you not regularly apply to the agency? IDK the answer curious to what people think on this

I did this with a couple offices last year, there's no harm in trying. Brooklyn Defender Services' website doesn't really make it clear when 3Ls can directly apply to them, though, but the poster who was upset about not getting an interview through EJW could always call/email BDS and inquire about this.

[robin600]

i'm a little confused about how 2L's are getting 'offers'. I worked at a PD office last summer, and was offered a chance to come back after my 2L year as a certified law student. But it definitely is not an offer of full employment after graduation. My understanding is that you can't get an actual offer at a government office until you pass the bar.

i'm not trying to split hairs here, its awesome that people are getting offered positions. I would just like to know if there actually are offices giving out post-grad offers to 2Ls.

Actually, I'm 99% sure that in Colorado, the PD will make offers to people at the end of their 2L summer for permanent employment after graduation/passing the bar. I didn't do this, so I'm not sure exactly how the process works - you might have to go through a formal interview again? - but I know people who had employment with the PD confirmed well before graduation. (They're certainly hired before passing the bar because it's a thing in Colorado that as soon as the bar results come out - I mean, literally the moment they come out - if a newbie PD didn't pass, and is in court, their supervisor literally has to go haul them out of the courtroom that instant because they can no longer practice on the student license thing.)

offers may also mean summer offer for a 2L.

[Anonymous User]

3L dinged from BDS also. Used to live in Brooklyn, really want to move back, sorta crushed.

There are several other PD offices in New York - Bronx Defenders, Legal Aid Society, Neighborhood Harlem Defender Services of Harlem (although they very rarely hire right out of law school), New York County Defenders, Appellate Advocates - apply to all of them. And Legal Aid Society has several offices in Brooklyn.

You could also try to arrange for a fellowship to work at one of those offices for a year.

If you're dinged from a screener can you not regularly apply to the agency? IDK the answer curious to what people think on this

It couldn't hurt

seriously. what are they going to do, ultrareject you?

[Anonymous User]

2L just rejected from Maryland PD. They wanted to interview me 1L year but i had to decline because I accepted another offer. Hopefully that didn't rub anyone the wrong way yikes!

[Anonymous User]

EJW ding from Maryland OPD.

3L at a DMV school. Maybe I should apply directly or see if they come to my school this year?

[Anonymous User]

EJW ding from Maryland OPD.

3L at a DMV school. Maybe I should apply directly or see if they come to my school this year?

Go for it, but note that they do not hire until bar results come in usually.

[Anonymous User]

EJW ding from Maryland OPD.

3L at a DMV school. Maybe I should apply directly or see if they come to my school this year?

Go for it, but note that they do not hire until bar results come in usually.

I guess I shouldn't waste my time. MD is not even in my top five. I would only take the bar there if I had an offer in advance.

[Anonymous User]

3L BDS Ding

Brooklyn native with two PD summers at offices typically thought of as prestigious on this forum.

Well, this is frustrating lol.

[Anonymous User]

Ding from Brooklyn and Maryland.

3L at T2 with two summers of indigent crim defense experience.

[Anonymous User]

Did any 3L get BDS?

[Anonymous User]

Did any 3L get BDS?

yes

got BDS

dinged at Maryland, San Diego, and Meckelenburg

T1 Top 1/3 no journal, or moot court

2 summers at big city PD offices, completed semester long PD clinic, and currently working part time at a private criminal defense firm


the Maryland ding pissed me off because I think it's because I didn't write anything about "why MD" I thought going to a DMV UG would have made it self explanatory.

[Anonymous User]

I'm a 3L. After OCI interview w/ PDS, I got an invite for a second-round interview. Will be scheduled in Oct. or Nov.

Stats?

T14, two PD summers at same office (think SF-Bronx-Miami caliber). Two clinics. Lemme know if any other info would be helpful.

Same user as PDS poster here. Now have a second round with NJ, as well, after OCI screener.

Same 3L user as above. EJW results: Mecklenburg accept, Brooklyn ding (though BDS came to OCI and interviewed me--had applied via both avenues before knowing which would happen first), Maryland ding, San Diego ding.

[Anonymous User]

This has been covered some earlier in the thread I'm sure, but I wanted to hear some current thoughts on what you guys view as the most helpful classes for people interested in being a prosecutor or PD. I'm assuming Crim Law, a crim pro class (for schools that divide it between pretrial and post trial, is there a difference in value between the two?), and an advocacy class. How about Federal Criminal Law? A Habeas Coprus course? A course on federal sentencing? Any thoughts or general input would be greatly appreciated.

[Tanicius]

This has been covered some earlier in the thread I'm sure, but I wanted to hear some current thoughts on what you guys view as the most helpful classes for people interested in being a prosecutor or PD. I'm assuming Crim Law, a crim pro class (for schools that divide it between pretrial and post trial, is there a difference in value between the two?), and an advocacy class. How about Federal Criminal Law? A Habeas Coprus course? A course on federal sentencing? Any thoughts or general input would be greatly appreciated.

1.) Federal sentencing is really its own beast and would probably not be helpful if you plan on working in state court (which is a more realistic option for the vast majority of people vying for criminal law work).
2.) The most important classes you need to take are Evidence and a CrimPro.
3.) Within CrimPro, there are typically two kinds of classes - "investigations" and "adjudications." Investigations covers everything leading up to arrests; "adjudications" everything afterwards. If you can only take one before completion of 2L, take Investigations.
4.) Focus on any skills-related criminal courses you can. Clinics, mock trial, or trial ad classes are all pretty useful. Even civil trial ad classes.

[Anonymous User]

This has been covered some earlier in the thread I'm sure, but I wanted to hear some current thoughts on what you guys view as the most helpful classes for people interested in being a prosecutor or PD. I'm assuming Crim Law, a crim pro class (for schools that divide it between pretrial and post trial, is there a difference in value between the two?), and an advocacy class. How about Federal Criminal Law? A Habeas Coprus course? A course on federal sentencing? Any thoughts or general input would be greatly appreciated.

Do folks put "relevant coursework" that mentions crim pro, evidence, etc. on their resume? I don't, but I wonder if I'm selling myself short. (I relied on the fact that I was a certified law student to speak to these courses.)

[Anonymous User]

2L Dinged from NOPD interview. Probably sour grapes but I heard pretty bad things about their office from PDs from the area. ie they bulked up too much post katrina and now are really lacking funding.

[dreakol]

This has been covered some earlier in the thread I'm sure, but I wanted to hear some current thoughts on what you guys view as the most helpful classes for people interested in being a prosecutor or PD. I'm assuming Crim Law, a crim pro class (for schools that divide it between pretrial and post trial, is there a difference in value between the two?), and an advocacy class. How about Federal Criminal Law? A Habeas Coprus course? A course on federal sentencing? Any thoughts or general input would be greatly appreciated.

Do folks put "relevant coursework" that mentions crim pro, evidence, etc. on their resume? I don't, but I wonder if I'm selling myself short. (I relied on the fact that I was a certified law student to speak to these courses.)

i put it in my cover letter. "this semester, I will be taking blah blah blah." career services told me that was the best place for it

[beggingocean1]

Hey guys, I was hoping for some help. I want to become a prosecutor and am currently a 1L. I want to go to my crim law professor's office and chit-chat about his career as a prosecutor/let him know I'm interested in prosecution to establish some ties with him. Also, today a prosecutor is coming to the college for a Q&A.

I want to ask questions to both, but am at a loss at what to ask. Any suggestions?

[Anonymous User]

Do folks put "relevant coursework" that mentions crim pro, evidence, etc. on their resume? I don't, but I wonder if I'm selling myself short. (I relied on the fact that I was a certified law student to speak to these courses.)

I do. But I am a 3L and have taken nearly 10 crim/trial ad courses.

[Anonymous User]

Miami PD ding

I didn't think I'd get an interview b/c I haven't done a clinic and don't think I could meet the Florida student practice requirements.

[Anonymous User]

3L who posted before (T14, two PD summers at same office (think SF-Bronx-Miami caliber)). Two clinics.

From OCI: PDS second-round, NJ second-round.

EJW accepts:Mecklenberg, Miami.
EJW dings: Maryland, San Diego

[Anonymous User]

Do folks put "relevant coursework" that mentions crim pro, evidence, etc. on their resume? I don't, but I wonder if I'm selling myself short. (I relied on the fact that I was a certified law student to speak to these courses.)

I do. But I am a 3L and have taken nearly 10 crim/trial ad courses.

School tier? Other experience (e.g., clinic, externship, arguing under student practice order)? Trying to contextualize.