District Attorney's Offices 2015 Forum

[Anonymous User]

Question for people who have already interviewed (especially 2nd round) with NYC offices -- did you get the initial interviews through OCI? Because from all I can tell, most offices say they aren't even accepting 2L apps yet (e.g. Manhattan says November 1, Queens says Dec. 1).

[Anonymous User]

Question for people who have already interviewed (especially 2nd round) with NYC offices -- did you get the initial interviews through OCI? Because from all I can tell, most offices say they aren't even accepting 2L apps yet (e.g. Manhattan says November 1, Queens says Dec. 1).

That's for the summer internship program. Most of us talking about "rounds" are talking about permanent hiring. There's only one interview for the summer internship program.

[Anonymous User]

What is starting salary for Middlesex (MA) DA?

$37,500

The legislature pretty much disregarded the "Blue Ribbon Panel" on DA and PD Salaries (which had recommended an immediate bump of all line ADAs to $50k). They did make some additional funds available to pay ADAs more, but it was a paltry sum that if split evenly works out to about a $700 raise for every ADA.

The DAs themselves got big raises though. As did judges last year, from $130k to $160k. Though, admittedly MA had some of the lowest paid judges in the country.

JFC, that is revolting. I'm assuming CPCS pay is similarly low?

Slightly higher, but yes similarly low. CPCS hires you into their District/Superior/Family divisions and each pays slightly differently, but the range from people I know who've received full-time offers is $40-44k.

[Anonymous User]

Any consensus on when/how quickly to schedule 2nd round with DANY? Is ASAP the credited move?

If you got the email invite for a 2nd round, you want to schedule that asap.

Thanks, this is where i was leaning and went ahead and scheduled it. Tough to balance the urge to schedule it on the closest available day VS scheduling it to give yourself a couple more days to prep/drill crim pro.

Any advice on 2nd rounds in general/DANY in particular?

[Anonymous User]

Any consensus on when/how quickly to schedule 2nd round with DANY? Is ASAP the credited move?

If you got the email invite for a 2nd round, you want to schedule that asap.

Thanks, this is where i was leaning and went ahead and scheduled it. Tough to balance the urge to schedule it on the closest available day VS scheduling it to give yourself a couple more days to prep/drill crim pro.

Any advice on 2nd rounds in general/DANY in particular?

how long did DANY take to get back to you after the first round?

[Anonymous User]

Any consensus on when/how quickly to schedule 2nd round with DANY? Is ASAP the credited move?

If you got the email invite for a 2nd round, you want to schedule that asap.

Thanks, this is where i was leaning and went ahead and scheduled it. Tough to balance the urge to schedule it on the closest available day VS scheduling it to give yourself a couple more days to prep/drill crim pro.

Any advice on 2nd rounds in general/DANY in particular?

Know your disclosure requirements. When in doubt, disclose. Think out loud when you get the hypo, and show them your work. And, this should go without saying, but be prepared to talk about anything you've listed on your resume. Very rarely do I get questions about what I've listed in my interests, but I ended up getting a question about that in my 2nd round and learned later that the ADA who was asking actually was involved in that same interest.

[Anonymous User]

I've been awfully sick all september, family issues also. submitting applications to queens and bronx DA offices. Any chance at this point? (permanent position, not internship). I mean i know brooklyn is still looking now.

[Anonymous User]

I hope not! I'm applying today to Kings and Queens and Nassau and Suffolk early next week

[Anonymous User]

Thanks, this is where i was leaning and went ahead and scheduled it. Tough to balance the urge to schedule it on the closest available day VS scheduling it to give yourself a couple more days to prep/drill crim pro.

Any advice on 2nd rounds in general/DANY in particular?

Know your disclosure requirements. When in doubt, disclose. Think out loud when you get the hypo, and show them your work. And, this should go without saying, but be prepared to talk about anything you've listed on your resume. Very rarely do I get questions about what I've listed in my interests, but I ended up getting a question about that in my 2nd round and learned later that the ADA who was asking actually was involved in that same interest.

Will do. I'm curios about how the numbers break down round-by-round. From the second round and beyond is it safe to say that its 99% interview performance? Resume is strong in law enforcement/oral advocacy/criminal related experience, but having no direct actual experience at a DA's office has me worried...

[Anonymous User]

Will do. I'm curios about how the numbers break down round-by-round. From the second round and beyond is it safe to say that its 99% interview performance? Resume is strong in law enforcement/oral advocacy/criminal related experience, but having no direct actual experience at a DA's office has me worried...

(same anon that answered you before)

I didn't know that. You're probably going to get pressed on why prosecution a lot more then. I had DA experience on my resume. I got the question, but they didn't really press me that hard on it. Have a very good answer for why prosecution that also ties in with your actual experience. Tell them why those experiences pushed you toward prosecution.

You're also going to get pressed on why not PD a lot more than I did. A "general" experience in Crim Law is *very* ripe for that line of questioning.

[Anonymous User]

any hints or pointers on nassau 2nd round?

[BlueLotus]

Will having volunteered doing criminal record expungement work look bad to DA's offices?

[Anonymous User]

Any word on Brooklyn post-2nd round?

[Anonymous User]

im still waiting on brooklyn post 2nd round

[gdane]

Will having volunteered doing criminal record expungement work look bad to DA's offices?

Just apply.

[Anonymous User]

What are people doing for 3L spring? I'm thinking about interning at a DAs office just in case this recruiting cycle doesn't work out, but debating whether to concentrate my efforts at an office that does post-bar hiring, or intern at a pre-bar office and hope that an extra spot turns up.

[BlueLotus]

Will having volunteered doing criminal record expungement work look bad to DA's offices?

Just apply.

With that on my resume? Or shall I take it off?

FWIW, my resume as it is is very bleeding heart/PD-slanted (with 0 prosecution experience) so it is a long-shot anyway! But I know a girl in my school who snagged Middlesex DA without any prosecution experience as well, so I know it is possible but not probable.

[gdane]

prosecution offices don't look so much as you having prior prosecution experience so much as they look at whether you've had any criminal law experience and, more importantly, trial experience. Just leave everything on your resume. But if you are clearly pro-defense like you say you are you have to question whether you should even be applying to be a prosecutor.

[BlueLotus]

prosecution offices don't look so much as you having prior prosecution experience so much as they look at whether you've had any criminal law experience and, more importantly, trial experience. Just leave everything on your resume. But if you are clearly pro-defense like you say you are you have to question whether you should even be applying to be a prosecutor.

I am applying to prosecutor's offices because of ITE.

[encore1101]

Will having volunteered doing criminal record expungement work look bad to DA's offices?

I can't imagine doing criminal record expungement work benefitting or harming your chances in any significant way.

Ultimately, your resume will get your foot in the door of the interview room. You sound like you have enough experience through other experience to get an interview. I've looked at some of the resumes of the people I was hired with and we all vary greatly in terms of our criminal law experience, and I'm sure that we got the position over people that had more criminal law or trial experience than us. Interestingly, when we were hired, one of the things they asked all of us consistently was what we do in our free time or non-legal experience.

If I were you, I'd write up two resumes -- one that is tailored towards PD and one that is tailored towards DA. For PD, you want your resume to show how interested you are in defendant's rights. For DA, you'd want to show how interested you are in public service and criminal law.

[Anonymous User]

how long before sending in resume to miami did people hear back?

[Anonymous User]

Any updates on post-second round in Brooklyn or post-first round for Bronx/Queens/Nassau?

[Anonymous User]

I'm still waiting to hear from Brooklyn post-second round and from Manhattan post-first round.

For others waiting on Brooklyn after the second-round, are any of you from out-of-town or are you all local to the area? I'm wondering if they offered any third rounds right away to those traveling for the interview...

[Anonymous User]

damn, this is making me feel pretty despondent. I was sick for the begining of the semester, and only just sent my brooklyn/queens/bronx stuff in. Hope im not eating my own tardiness.

[Anonymous User]

I'm still waiting to hear from Brooklyn post-second round and from Manhattan post-first round.

For others waiting on Brooklyn after the second-round, are any of you from out-of-town or are you all local to the area? I'm wondering if they offered any third rounds right away to those traveling for the interview...

Not local to the area, and third round wasn't offered right away.