How to be a Prosecution/PD Gunner? Forum

[Easy-E]

Sending back the application for a prosecution internship I was offered (background check, etc). Do you also normally include some kind of "acceptance" cover letter? Or should I send that in response to the email that offered me the internship?

[gdane]

Sending back the application for a prosecution internship I was offered (background check, etc). Do you also normally include some kind of "acceptance" cover letter? Or should I send that in response to the email that offered me the internship?

The fuck is an acceptance cover letter...

Just send it in the mail. A lot of those forms require you to hand sign some authorizations.

[Easy-E]

Sending back the application for a prosecution internship I was offered (background check, etc). Do you also normally include some kind of "acceptance" cover letter? Or should I send that in response to the email that offered me the internship?

The fuck is an acceptance cover letter...

Just send it in the mail. A lot of those forms require you to hand sign some authorizations.

I am sending it in the mail. I was wondering if anything else should accompany it but I guess not.

Also, fuck this application is extensive. I mean, I get that they want to be thorough and I assume this is standard, but I have to dig up high school/undergrad transcripts? Sheeeeeeeeeeeeit.

[Anonymous User]

Quick question. I'm clerking 2/9/D.C. and wondering what my chances are of going straight to a USAO. For job postings like this (LinkRemoved), are they really saying "We just put 1 year experience as the minimum because we must, you really don't stand a chance unless you have significant experience," or should I send in an application?

It's possible to go straight from a clerkship to USAO, because I know someone who did. However, they went to an arguably undesirable office (in the same district as the clerkship) that has a hard time keeping people. I suspect that's not the case for Las Vegas (though I could be wrong). I suspect they will hire someone more experienced, but it's not like it hurts you to submit an application. (With the end of the hiring freeze there are craploads of jobs advertised, you've probably got a better shot now than in the past.)

i wonder how competitive the district of nevada is. smallish legal industry and the bar doesnt allow reciprocity. seems like it could be a cool place to be a federal prosecutor.

[A. Nony Mouse]

Well, you don't generally need to be admitted in-state to practice in federal court in that state. So being admitted to Nevada (or not) wouldn't make a direct difference, though it's true it probably keeps the state bar smaller.

[dreakol]

Well, you don't generally need to be admitted in-state to practice in federal court in that state. So being admitted to Nevada (or not) wouldn't make a direct difference, though it's true it probably keeps the state bar smaller.

ah i didnt know that. ty.

[spleenworship]

Well, you don't generally need to be admitted in-state to practice in federal court in that state. So being admitted to Nevada (or not) wouldn't make a direct difference, though it's true it probably keeps the state bar smaller.

Yeah, a lot of the AUSAs in the local office are barred in NY, CA, TX, etc.

[kay2016]

got an offer at my local DA office for the summer!

Nothing special but I'm glad to have it figured out.

[xChiTowNx]

got an offer at my local DA office for the summer!

Nothing special but I'm glad to have it figured out.

Congrats!

[spleenworship]

got an offer at my local DA office for the summer!

Nothing special but I'm glad to have it figured out.

Congrats!

[desiballa21]

got an offer at my local DA office for the summer!

Nothing special but I'm glad to have it figured out.

Congrats! Also at a DA office this summer!

[FlanAl]

got an offer at my local DA office for the summer!

Nothing special but I'm glad to have it figured out.

Congrats! Also at a DA office this summer!

Hey congrats to both of you!

[kay2016]

got an offer at my local DA office for the summer!

Nothing special but I'm glad to have it figured out.

Congrats! Also at a DA office this summer!

Congrats right back at ya!

Thanks guys!

[coldshoulder]

Same! Great day for everybody apparently.

[FlanAl]

Hey guys, I found out yesterday that there is a special thing to get rid of perkins loans just for public defenders. I'm pretty sure Perkins loans are minimal but just thought I'd share on the PD thread. It doesn't work for DA's though, sorry guys.

[Tanicius]

Hey guys, I found out yesterday that there is a special thing to get rid of perkins loans just for public defenders. I'm pretty sure Perkins loans are minimal but just thought I'd share on the PD thread. It doesn't work for DA's though, sorry guys.

Got any links?

[spleenworship]

Hey guys, I found out yesterday that there is a special thing to get rid of perkins loans just for public defenders. I'm pretty sure Perkins loans are minimal but just thought I'd share on the PD thread. It doesn't work for DA's though, sorry guys.

Got any links?

I don't have the links, but this is right. When I was a firefighter I could've had them discharged in 5 years.

I only have like 3% of my loans in Perkins though. Not sure if its worth not consolidating them and just havin them all go away in 10 years though. Assuming the Pres doesn't fuck that for me.

[TR Fan]

Hey guys, I found out yesterday that there is a special thing to get rid of perkins loans just for public defenders. I'm pretty sure Perkins loans are minimal but just thought I'd share on the PD thread. It doesn't work for DA's though, sorry guys.

Got any links?

http://www.ifap.ed.gov/fsahandbook/atta ... h5Oct2.pdf

Relevant info on page 6-81:

Schools must cancel up to 100% of a Perkins Loan if the borrower has served full-time as a qualifying law enforcement, corrections officer, or attorney employed in Federal Public Defender Organizations or Community Defender Organizations.

However, it looks like prosecutors can also take advantage of this. From page 6-82:

Prosecuting attorneys whose primary responsibilities are to prosecute criminal cases on behalf of public law enforcement agencies are eligible for cancellation benefits. Full-time attorneys employed in Federal Public Defender Organizations or Community Defender Organizations, are now also eligible.

[gdane]

Lol. Ifap.

[anon sequitur]

Lol. Ifap.

[Anonymous User]

How important is it (if at all) to be on a journal 2L year if I know I want to be a state public defender? Eventually, I might want to do something with wrongful convictions, but I'm pretty certain I want to start as a PD.

I've heard the Write-On competition after 1L finals is a bitch, and so is being on a journal, and I'm basically wondering if it's worth my time. I already know for sure that I will be doing an externship during my 2L year with either the state or federal public defender. Do I need to do a journal also? Is it something I don't have to do, but should do? Or is it something that doesn't matter altogether?

I'm wondering for two reasons: (1) to help with resumes/interviews/getting jobs and (2) to gain skills that may help me if/once i do have a job. I don't want to put too much on my plate, but I also don't want to look like I'm just skating by.

Thanks for any input.

[gdane]

This topic has been covered extensively. My advice, do a journal/law review. First, it's a credential that looks good if you ever want to do a clerkship down the road. Second, you meet a lot of people. Third, it's not that much work, just a few days of cite checking ever semester, and of course the competition. Finally, you can't assume that you're going to get a PD job. Even with impressive credentials, you might not be lucky. You might need a backup plan and having a journal on your resume might be necessary.

[Anonymous User]

I'm a 3L whose had a PD job lined up since December at a an office that recruits nationally. I was not on a journal pretty much due to the group think on this thread. All of my friends only did it because they thought it was helpful in getting their big law jobs. The journals themselves they see as a useless time sink. I actually think the advice to do a journal or not really depends on what school you go to and what kind of journal. If you've got grades to make law review easy I'd say go for it. If you're going to have to bust ass to be on a random secondary journal I'd say pass.

If you go to a high ranked school and are on the journal of islamic law or whatever you risk coming off as too academic on your resume. I think that PD work is one of the few areas of law where having tons of academic accolades can actually cut against you, especially if you can't overcome your striverness in an interview. (I cali'd a seminar in like bird law and they asked me a couple of times if I wanted to be a PD or a bird law lawyer)

The only other thing I would add is that although no journal is the mantra of TLS, I would venture over to the 3L PD application thread around like June and see if that actually worked out for everyone. It worked out for me and I'd guess that it will work out for everyone else but you'll be able to tell around the beginning of summer.

[spleenworship]

On a secondary journal.

In the running for four PD positions (3 of which recruit nationally). Neither the local position nor 2 of the national positions ever once mentioned or asked about my journal. Not once. Not even in passing. And, the third national position? I haven't gotten very far in their process, so who knows... but I'd be surprised, honestly, if they said anything.

ETA: I will say, though, that the journal did help get me interviews with a District Judge and a couple SSC Justices. Not that I got a clerkship or anything, but all of them mentioned it in interviews. So if you want that District Court Clerkship and you are sitting top 15-20% or higher.... I'd do journal. I, personally (YMMV), think that a District Court Clerkship would be great experience if applying to PDS, Federal Defenders, or any nationally recruiting PDs.

[Anonymous User]

How important is it (if at all) to be on a journal 2L year if I know I want to be a state public defender? Eventually, I might want to do something with wrongful convictions, but I'm pretty certain I want to start as a PD.

I've heard the Write-On competition after 1L finals is a bitch, and so is being on a journal, and I'm basically wondering if it's worth my time. I already know for sure that I will be doing an externship during my 2L year with either the state or federal public defender. Do I need to do a journal also? Is it something I don't have to do, but should do? Or is it something that doesn't matter altogether?

I'm wondering for two reasons: (1) to help with resumes/interviews/getting jobs and (2) to gain skills that may help me if/once i do have a job. I don't want to put too much on my plate, but I also don't want to look like I'm just skating by.

3L w/ DA offers from two major cities in the Northeast. Do a journal. Especially if you get academic credits for them. It's true, no one will read your comment about Justice Thomas' thoughts on the Keystone Pipeline. But when you are finished you'll be a better writer and researcher. Trust me, if you can research and write outside of the courtroom, then you'll be better for it inside the courtroom.

And, just because you aren't asked about being on the "Journal of Panda and Marsupial Law" in your interview, doesn't mean that it being on your resume didn't make you stand out a little more. It may have been what set you apart and got you the interview in the first place.

Aside, write-on is only 10-14 days! You can tough that out!