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If you attend a Top 3 law school, how difficult would it be secure a 1L summer gig with a U.S. Attorney's office in a rural area (e.g., Kansas, S Dakota)? Most threads don't focus on USAtty gigs in rural areas, and certainly not for T3 students.

This is an unusual question for sure, but chances are that all of those jobs (at least for this summer) have already been taken. You're late in the game.

If you're asking for next year, that's unusual because it's so early that it is irrelevant.

I think this is probably a troll-game. Nobody who could make it into T-3 could possibly be so cavalier to be thinking about USAO jobs this late.

However, if you're real, and going rural, I figure you probably have a connection to the area. Good luck!

FYI I have on good authority that the jobs in Kansas at the USAO are gone.

Thanks for taking the time to answer, Tree.

I do mean for next year, I am just thinking far ahead. I do not have a connection to anyone in this US Attys office, although I am connected to the state.

Tree wrote:FYI I have on good authority that the jobs in Kansas at the USAO are gone.

I go to a T13 law school, and one of my classmates secured a USAO job in Kansas over the winter break. They got interviewed and offered before grades even came out. In some of the more "rural" districts it seems like school prestige (and local ties to that part of the country) matter an awful lot.

Anonymous User wrote:

Tree wrote:FYI I have on good authority that the jobs in Kansas at the USAO are gone.

I go to a T13 law school, and one of my classmates secured a USAO job in Kansas over the winter break. They got interviewed and offered before grades even came out. In some of the more "rural" districts it seems like school prestige (and local ties to that part of the country) matter an awful lot.

T13?

Tree wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:

Tree wrote:FYI I have on good authority that the jobs in Kansas at the USAO are gone.

I go to a T13 law school, and one of my classmates secured a USAO job in Kansas over the winter break. They got interviewed and offered before grades even came out. In some of the more "rural" districts it seems like school prestige (and local ties to that part of the country) matter an awful lot.

T13?

I'm guessing this is some anti-GULC trolling. Although I typically fully endorse it, I think it is misguided in this case. I'm pretty sure the US Attorney in Kansas or the Dakotas or wherever aren't going to see much difference between G'town and Duke, much less G'town and Cornell.

Tree wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:

Tree wrote:FYI I have on good authority that the jobs in Kansas at the USAO are gone.

I go to a T13 law school, and one of my classmates secured a USAO job in Kansas over the winter break. They got interviewed and offered before grades even came out. In some of the more "rural" districts it seems like school prestige (and local ties to that part of the country) matter an awful lot.

T13?

=Cornell.

jks289 wrote:

Tree wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:

Tree wrote:FYI I have on good authority that the jobs in Kansas at the USAO are gone.

I go to a T13 law school, and one of my classmates secured a USAO job in Kansas over the winter break. They got interviewed and offered before grades even came out. In some of the more "rural" districts it seems like school prestige (and local ties to that part of the country) matter an awful lot.

T13?

=Cornell.

I don't see how your contention that someone obtained a job over winter break at all rebuts the premise that all of the Kansas USAO jobs have been sucked up. If anything, the evidence suggesting that they were filling slots so early would seem to show that these jobs disappeared weeks ago.

Anonymous User wrote:

Tree wrote:FYI I have on good authority that the jobs in Kansas at the USAO are gone.

I go to a T13 law school, and one of my classmates secured a USAO job in Kansas over the winter break. They got interviewed and offered before grades even came out. In some of the more "rural" districts it seems like school prestige (and local ties to that part of the country) matter an awful lot.

Thanks, this is the type of anecdote I was looking for and hoped to hear.

-OP

This thread is all over the place. But, OP: All USAO are going to be fairly competitive, but outside of the high-profile offices I think that school rank matters far, far, less. I spoke with someone who interned at the USAO in Colorado, and they said that the hiring decisions were based almost entirely on the writing sample, which was passed around for many attorneys to read.

Renzo wrote:This thread is all over the place. But, OP: All USAO are going to be fairly competitive, but outside of the high-profile offices I think that school rank matters far, far, less. I spoke with someone who interned at the USAO in Colorado, and they said that the hiring decisions were based almost entirely on the writing sample, which was passed around for many attorneys to read.

Ugh...useful, although unfortunate, news.

-OP

Renzo wrote:This thread is all over the place. But, OP: All USAO are going to be fairly competitive, but outside of the high-profile offices I think that school rank matters far, far, less. I spoke with someone who interned at the USAO in Colorado, and they said that the hiring decisions were based almost entirely on the writing sample, which was passed around for many attorneys to read.

I have a friend (SLS) who will be at Colorado USAO this summer who didn't even have to interview. they just called and offered job--just resume + cover letter. The friend also applied in mid January.

Renzo wrote:This thread is all over the place. But, OP: All USAO are going to be fairly competitive, but outside of the high-profile offices I think that school rank matters far, far, less. I spoke with someone who interned at the USAO in Colorado, and they said that the hiring decisions were based almost entirely on the writing sample, which was passed around for many attorneys to read.

Renzo or others: what writing sample do you use if you are applying immediately after your first quarter/semester?

legends159 wrote:

Renzo wrote:This thread is all over the place. But, OP: All USAO are going to be fairly competitive, but outside of the high-profile offices I think that school rank matters far, far, less. I spoke with someone who interned at the USAO in Colorado, and they said that the hiring decisions were based almost entirely on the writing sample, which was passed around for many attorneys to read.

I have a friend (SLS) who will be at Colorado USAO this summer who didn't even have to interview. they just called and offered job--just resume + cover letter. The friend also applied in mid January.

Awesome news, Legends. Thanks. I take it he had CO connections?

-OP

Anonymous User wrote:

legends159 wrote:

Renzo wrote:This thread is all over the place. But, OP: All USAO are going to be fairly competitive, but outside of the high-profile offices I think that school rank matters far, far, less. I spoke with someone who interned at the USAO in Colorado, and they said that the hiring decisions were based almost entirely on the writing sample, which was passed around for many attorneys to read.

I have a friend (SLS) who will be at Colorado USAO this summer who didn't even have to interview. they just called and offered job--just resume + cover letter. The friend also applied in mid January.

Awesome news, Legends. Thanks. I take it he had CO connections?

-OP

I think so. No offense, but why else would someone want to work for USAO in CO?

legends159 wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:

legends159 wrote:

Renzo wrote:This thread is all over the place. But, OP: All USAO are going to be fairly competitive, but outside of the high-profile offices I think that school rank matters far, far, less. I spoke with someone who interned at the USAO in Colorado, and they said that the hiring decisions were based almost entirely on the writing sample, which was passed around for many attorneys to read.

I have a friend (SLS) who will be at Colorado USAO this summer who didn't even have to interview. they just called and offered job--just resume + cover letter. The friend also applied in mid January.

Awesome news, Legends. Thanks. I take it he had CO connections?

-OP

I think so. No offense, but why else would someone want to work for USAO in CO?

Wouldn't a summer position in ANY USAO's office be one of the better summer jobs for people?

Anonymous User wrote:
Wouldn't a summer position in ANY USAO's office be one of the better summer jobs for people?

I think so, but that's because I'm interested in the work. It's not going to help you get a permanent job, so unless you wanted to work in whatever state it probably wouldn't be worth moving.

Tree wrote:This is an unusual question for sure, but chances are that all of those jobs (at least for this summer) have already been taken. You're late in the game.

If you're asking for next year, that's unusual because it's so early that it is irrelevant.

I think this is probably a troll-game. Nobody who could make it into T-3 could possibly be so cavalier to be thinking about USAO jobs this late.

However, if you're real, and going rural, I figure you probably have a connection to the area. Good luck!

3 of the 4 offices I applied to just now contacted me for the first time. All were in large, but not major, cities.

Believe it or not, but outside of NYC and DC, things move a bit more slowly in hiring.

I got o a T44 I believe this year ....and I got my gig VERY early on....since you go to a T3, it shouldn't be that hard

Anonymous User wrote:I got o a T44 I believe this year ....and I got my gig VERY early on....since you go to a T3, it shouldn't be that hard

What was the gig?

From what I've seen first-hand, USAOs really just want the highest caliber students they can find. In all honesty, your 1L gig most likely isn't going to turn into permanent employment in their office 2 years later. Thus, the office isn't worried about whether you want to live in city X permanently and doesn't care if you don't have connections to the area or to the office. They just want the best students who can help their overworked staff with research and writing.

ObviouslyMasochistic wrote:From what I've seen first-hand, USAOs really just want the highest caliber students they can find. In all honesty, your 1L gig DEFINITELY isn't going to turn into permanent employment in their office 2 years later. Thus, the office isn't worried about whether you want to live in city X permanently and doesn't care if you don't have connections to the area or to the office. They just want the best students who can help their overworked staff with research and writing.

Bolded: USAOs require a few years of post-law school work experience before you can even apply for permanent employment.

As for the connections issue, I had a different experience. At the USAO I worked at (major city, not NY or DC), every summer intern had a connection to the area. Obviously it could be different elsewhere, but at the office that I worked in, one of the attys on the hiring committee said that since it isn't a paid position, they look for people who have connections to the area because they are more likely to accept an offer. (Since someone with ties to the area is more likely to have a play to stay for the summer, etc.) Otherwise, they waste time interviewing people and making offers, only for people to decide they don't really want to sublease an apartment for the summer to work an unpaid position.

Edited for clarity