Manhattan DA Interview Forum

[Anonymous User]

Relevant Info: 1L @ Vandy/UT/UCLA here. Just got notified that I received an interview. I applied in December before grades came out. I am at the median after 1st semester ($hitty, I know.) I have public interest/government work experience in NYC that I assume helped out.

Questions:

1) In light of GPA, is it worth coughing up $300 to fly up to NYC and give this ago?

2) What can you tell me about the interview? How to prepare?

Thanks.

[Anonymous User]

I can't tell you if it's worth the money for the flight, but I can tell you about the interview. For the summer program it is a 30 minute interview which is mostly focused on why you are interested in criminal law and prosecution in general. There are also several hypos where you will be asked what would you do if this was your case...?

Does anyone know what the general time frame is for offers? And how they are made? I interviewed about 2 weeks ago and I know they called my references. Has anyone received an offer yet?

[Anonymous User]

Seriously? Hypotheticals during a 30 minute interview? The Manhattan DA interview sounds insanely intense! Thanks for sharing your insight.

[Anonymous User]

Thanks for the replies. Can you tell me any more about the hypo's? I'm in crim law this semester so I guess my answers will be sub par.

[Anonymous User]

My DA interview hypos were generally about legal ethics, not crim law, anyone can prep crim for an interview

[BobSacamano]

Hypo's a pretty typical for any crim law position (DA/PD). I'm sort of surprised they would be asking them for a 1L position, but I know it's a common interviewing technique in crim law in general.

[Anonymous User]

I can't tell you if it's worth the money for the flight, but I can tell you about the interview. For the summer program it is a 30 minute interview which is mostly focused on why you are interested in criminal law and prosecution in general. There are also several hypos where you will be asked what would you do if this was your case...?

Does anyone know what the general time frame is for offers? And how they are made? I interviewed about 2 weeks ago and I know they called my references. Has anyone received an offer yet?

Wow, also surprised about the hypos for a summer position.

My interview is late March so I'm not sure if you'll be hearing any time soon. All the interview slots up to early March were booked so they seem to be interviewing a lot of people.

[Anonymous User]

I also interviewed here about 2 weeks ago but no hypos in my interview. I did get the classic "How do you feel about working with police officers?" question.

Has anyone heard from them yet? I failed to ask what the time line for a decision would be and I don't want to pester...

[Anonymous User]

Wow. That's a classic question? I am totally unprepared for this. How did you prepare? What other 'classic' questions should I expect?

[Anonymous User]

WHY ARE YOU ASKING THE FORUM????? ... USE THE RESOURCES YOU HAVE AT YOUR LAW SCHOOL. I AM SURE THEY ARE WAAAAAY BETTER!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Anonymous User]

Wow. That's a classic question? I am totally unprepared for this. How did you prepare? What other 'classic' questions should I expect?

Try to arrange a mock interview with someone at Career Services who knows something about interviewing for jobs in prosecution. That's the #1 thing you should be doing.

Spend some time figuring out why you want to be in prosecution and not defense. They'll test your interest in prosecution and how well you've thought things out. If you say you want to get into prosecution because you want to be an advocate for victims, you'll be reminded that a lot of crimes that the DA prosecutes have no clear victims--like tax fraud, turnstyle jumping, etc--and ask how you feel about being assigned to those cases.

If something in your background suggests that you might have qualms about certain kinds of cases (like a juvenile rights or immigration background) you'll be asked about that.
Hint: I don't think you have to say, "I will prosecute anyone without a thought about their unique circumstances."

Also, know what your answer is to, "Why this District Attorney's Office?" Which means do your research. Read their press releases. Know who the DA is. Etc.

[Anonymous User]

Thanks for the insightful advice!

[Anonymous User]

Interviewed with them in January but haven't heard anything back. Anyone got an offer/rejection or know someone got an offer/rejection?

Or if you were interviewed with them, but haven't got a response, it would also be helpful to know. Thanks.

[AlasLavinia]

True story: I interviewed with a DA, and the recruiter was exceptionally rude. It was just his personality. He sat back in the chair, spread his legs, used profanity, made disparaging remarks about people from the South, and told me repeatedly that he hated his job.

I said thank you, no thanks 19 minutes into the interview and left as fast as I could. I wrote a letter expressing my "suddenly diminished interest in the position" and withdrew my ap. What a jerk.

[Anonymous User]

I also interviewed in January and they called my references 3 weeks ago. I haven't heard anything from the office.

[Anonymous User]

I interviewed at the beginning of Feb. I got an offer somewhere else 2 weeks after the interview. As they requested, I let them know about my offer and said I would like to hear from them. At that point they called my references and I was rejected 2 days later by phone. They said they got 1500 apps for the 50 intern slots.

My references claim to have said lovely things about me but one mentioned that the call was a bit weird--they weren't just asking about my character and the quality of my work, they also asked a bunch of questions about whether my ref thought I was "right" for prosecution and if I was truly interested in it.

Stats--I'm a 2L, CCN, above median, very public interesty background but no prosecutorial experience.

[Danteshek]

.

[Anonymous User]

I interviewed in early February. They called my references about a week after that. Got a rejection letter last week. I guess they call everyone's references. Anyone know if this is common elsewhere? I thought references were only called once the employer is ready to make an offer, more of a formality.

[Anonymous User]

Thanks everyone for the information (not the OP). Manhattan seems insanely competitive! I was going to hold on to this other offer until after the interview but now I think I should just accept rather than risk offending the other employer by waiting ridiculously long to respond.

Why is Manhattan so much more competitive than almost every other DA's office? Is it just because of the reputation? The $500/week?

[Anonymous User]

I interviewed in early February. They called my references about a week after that. Got a rejection letter last week. I guess they call everyone's references. Anyone know if this is common elsewhere? I thought references were only called once the employer is ready to make an offer, more of a formality.

I cancelled my interview with the DA's office after getting another offer. I interviewed with several government agencies and they all checked my references and background, so I think it may just be the nature of working for the government.

[Anonymous User]

Thanks to everyone who has been posting. Can you guys and girls offer any insight to the interview, especially if you've already accepted/been rejected and I no longer pose a threat.

[Anonymous User]

Thanks everyone for the information (not the OP). Manhattan seems insanely competitive! I was going to hold on to this other offer until after the interview but now I think I should just accept rather than risk offending the other employer by waiting ridiculously long to respond.

Why is Manhattan so much more competitive than almost every other DA's office? Is it just because of the reputation? The $500/week?

The big reasons are 1) The Manhattan DA has always been viewed as the gold standard of criminal prosecution. They do some insanely complex cases, and have a reputation for just being outstanding prosecutors. and 2) Unlike US Attorney's Offices, they hire almost exclusively right out of law school. So, if you intern for them, you have a legit shot at being hired as an ADA in a year or two.

[Anonymous User]

Any more news? Anyone got offer/rejection? Also, does anyone know if a second round of interview is required before an offer is made?

[CanadianWolf]

Question: What are the top 3 to 5 most sought after DA Office internships in the U.S.? Manhatten, Chicago, Los Angeles ???

[Anonymous User]

I still haven't heard. That said, I'm not holding out a lot of hope.