USAO v. SA for 1L summer Forum

[Anonymous User]

1L at CCN, engineering/IP background, currently weighing the options.

USAO(crim) is not in one of the top commonly cited offices, but still in a major city that is the secondary market I hope to end up in. Pros here would be the exposure to something completely different and fascinating. I'm interested in BigLaw initially after graduation, but not going to lie that USAO stuff is the type of work that made me excited about law in the first place, and would def. be interested in transitioning to gov. work if firm life does not work out.

SA is at a V20 that I've worked with previously, would be interested in working for full-time, and also in the secondary market I want. Pros would obviously be safety going into OCI next year (I have no grades yet, thus no idea where I stand) and to a lesser degree, the added summer income (this is a factor but not a huge factor). Con would be that I've already worked here and kind of know what the experience would be like. It would be enjoyable, but not very exploratory.

General sentiment on the board seems that 1L SA > USAO, but I tend to be an exploratory person drawn to new experiences. 1L summer seems to be a good time to explore other interests and I feel like working with the USAO is a unique aspect of the legal profession that I may not get to experience again (or at least not for a long time) if I eventually go into firm work. Thoughts?

[ntugwater]

1L at CCN, engineering/IP background, currently weighing the options.

USAO(crim) is not in one of the top commonly cited offices, but still in a major city that is the secondary market I hope to end up in. Pros here would be the exposure to something completely different and fascinating. I'm interested in BigLaw initially after graduation, but not going to lie that USAO stuff is the type of work that made me excited about law in the first place, and would def. be interested in transitioning to gov. work if firm life does not work out.

SA is at a V20 that I've worked with previously, would be interested in working for full-time, and also in the secondary market I want. Pros would obviously be safety going into OCI next year (I have no grades yet, thus no idea where I stand) and to a lesser degree, the added summer income (this is a factor but not a huge factor). Con would be that I've already worked here and kind of know what the experience would be like. It would be enjoyable, but not very exploratory.

General sentiment on the board seems that 1L SA > USAO, but I tend to be an exploratory person drawn to new experiences. 1L summer seems to be a good time to explore other interests and I feel like working with the USAO is a unique aspect of the legal profession that I may not get to experience again (or at least not for a long time) if I eventually go into firm work. Thoughts?

USAO for sure. It doesn't really matter what you do and it really sounds like you'd enjoy it a lot more in the long run (even if all you do is find out that you'd rather work at a firm)

[09042014]

If you don't take that SA can you hook DF up with a jerb?

[UCLAtransfer]

Sounds like you know the firm pretty well. Is there any way you can ask about splitting without offending anyone? Obviously this isn't necessarily universal, but I worked at a major city USAO during my 1L summer, and they were very relaxed/flexible about the summer clerk program and likely wouldn't have opposed the idea.

Something to consider.

[cornellbeez]

2L here. With an IP background, you'll probably be alright either way. However, unless you get your grades early enough and know you've done decently, I'd definitely (and even then probably) go with the firm, and not just because you'll get money. You won't get hired full-time by the USAO straight out of law school, and having a safety net (aka a potential job), imo, outweighs whatever new experiences you can get at the USAO.

[legends159]

if you don't need the money or value it over the experience, working in the USAO is great exposure to litigation.

Think of it this way: you will have the opportunity to work for the rest of your life in a law firm but very few people have the opportunity to work in the USAO. It's a great experience and you will gain some substantive skills.