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Can a graduate from an out of state T2 get a job as a public defender or DA once they pass the California bar? How hard is this even if willing to go to a place like the Merced, California to work?

If you want to work in a reputable/large city DA in California, you have exactly 0% chance of getting the job unless you intern/extern for them during law school.With the California budget insanity even the hires from last years class are generally working unpaid. You have to show interest early and be lucky enough to actually be selected for an externship (~T30, high class rank with CALI in crim law was not enough for me, and im not even talking about SF or LA county, also I generally destroy at interviews).

No info on public defender, but I assume it will be very competitive, although perhaps not as competitive as DA.

For small areas like Merced I have no idea, but I have to imagine that many wannabe DA's are drawn to the higher profile areas, I know that some DA offices don't even have a formal process for hiring summer 1L interns. Good luck.

That budget craziness is most states right now. Few/no states have funding for new positions; most people applying to PD/DA/AG are going in "preferred" pools or something with similar nomenclature. Several of my friends have run into this.

It's basically a waitlist for if they get money before you go & do something else because you need money. The actual odds of being hired are quite horrible.