USAO-MD or Manhattan DA? Forum

[Anonymous User]

T14 2L here, top 25% of class. I have an offer from one and will hear soon about the other. The Manhattan DA is paid, but (1) I can get public interest funding for the USAO-MD, and (2) I would have to pay rent in New York, but not MD. So the money pretty much equals out.

Prosecution is my #1 goal after school. I don't really have a preference for either federal or state, but I have past lawl school experience at a Main Justice CRM Division office and I loved it.

Thoughts on which of these is the better option?

ETA: 2L, worked in liberal PI (think ACLU) during 1L summer and trying to fill resume with more prosecution-oriented experience.

[Anonymous User]

Interned @ DANY as a 1L. You should absolutely take this. No-brainer. A huge chunk of each year's entering class comes from 2L interns. It was a fantastic summer and basically everyone I interacted with told me it was a fantastic place to work.

[Anonymous User]

Dont walk, run to the Manhattan DA.

[Anonymous User]

OP here.

Would the USAO give much of an edge in future permanent hiring for federal prosecutor positions, either at Main Justice or at a USAO?

I'll come out and say that the offer in hand is from the USAO, and I assume it'd be dumb to let the clock run on that before I knew about Manhattan DA. Would it be worth it to hold out for Manhattan DA if in the meantime I could secure an offer from a federal agency where I'd be doing lit, but not criminal lit?

Thanks for your thoughts.

[Anonymous User]

Northern division of USAO-MD? If so, it's a really awesome place to work. I worked there last summer, and it was an amazing experience - crazy substantive work (got to sit at counsel's table for hearings, sit in on witness prep, draft a 4th circuit brief, listen to wire taps), awesome attorneys, and really cool field-trip type experiences (firing range, prison, etc.).

[Anonymous User]

(Poster above who was 1L intern)

Call DANY and tell them you have an offer in hand. They will expedite the decision.

[Anonymous User]

Northern division of USAO-MD? If so, it's a really awesome place to work. I worked there last summer, and it was an amazing experience - crazy substantive work (got to sit at counsel's table for hearings, sit in on witness prep, draft a 4th circuit brief, listen to wire taps), awesome attorneys, and really cool field-trip type experiences (firing range, prison, etc.).

Yep, Northern Division. I'm definitely excited about the offer, though I wish they took advantage of student practice rules. The field trips do sound awesome, , though I of course can't base my (hypothetical) decision on that.

[underdawg]

Northern division of USAO-MD? If so, it's a really awesome place to work. I worked there last summer, and it was an amazing experience - crazy substantive work (got to sit at counsel's table for hearings, sit in on witness prep, draft a 4th circuit brief, listen to wire taps), awesome attorneys, and really cool field-trip type experiences (firing range, prison, etc.).

Yep, Northern Division. I'm definitely excited about the offer, though I wish they took advantage of student practice rules. The field trips do sound awesome, , though I of course can't base my (hypothetical) decision on that.

the NYPD has field trips to a fucking FIRING RANGE, and some chick from our school posed for a picture for our school website with a fucking assault rifle mang

not sure how things work outside of NYC, but SDNY and EDNY almost exclusively hire from biglaw. i heard sometimes city prosecutors eventually can make it but that is super rare. so uh...in that case, it doesn't really matter as they are both 1L prosecution jobs, and will not make a difference in your 2L biglaw prospects.

[Anonymous User]

Northern division of USAO-MD? If so, it's a really awesome place to work. I worked there last summer, and it was an amazing experience - crazy substantive work (got to sit at counsel's table for hearings, sit in on witness prep, draft a 4th circuit brief, listen to wire taps), awesome attorneys, and really cool field-trip type experiences (firing range, prison, etc.).

Yep, Northern Division. I'm definitely excited about the offer, though I wish they took advantage of student practice rules. The field trips do sound awesome, , though I of course can't base my (hypothetical) decision on that.

the NYPD has field trips to a fucking FIRING RANGE, and some chick from our school posed for a picture for our school website with a fucking assault rifle mang

not sure how things work outside of NYC, but SDNY and EDNY almost exclusively hire from biglaw. i heard sometimes city prosecutors eventually can make it but that is super rare. so uh...in that case, it doesn't really matter as they are both 1L prosecution jobs, and will not make a difference in your 2L biglaw prospects.

OP here. This is for 2L summer, and I'm not really interested in BIGLAW; first choice is BIGCITY_DA, USAO, or Main Justice CRM.

[Anonymous User]

It is true that USAO's will only hire after you've practiced for several years (and mainly from firms), but I do think the connections you make this summer can help. For example, in the MD USAO, there are multiple AUSA's who actually were summer interns in the past. When there are a ton of qualified people applying for these jobs, something like that can really set you out from the pack (especially in a not-so-huge city).

[Anonymous User]

(Poster above who was 1L intern)

Call DANY and tell them you have an offer in hand. They will expedite the decision.

Yes. Do this. It worked with this employer.

[Anonymous User]

Manhattan DA, FTW.

[Anonymous User]

Curious about why so many people are saying Manhattan DA. Really better than USAO? What about for DOJ Honors, or is that mitigated by the Main Justice experience?

[Anonymous User]

Curious about why so many people are saying Manhattan DA. Really better than USAO? What about for DOJ Honors, or is that mitigated by the Main Justice experience?

It's because of three reasons:

1) The office is hands down the best local prosecutor's office in the country, both in terms of work you do and national reputation, and

2) They hire virtually exclusively right out of law school, and they start you as a class giving you your own cases and building you up as a certain type of prosecutor. After 3-4 years, most people have done at least a dozen trials, many juries, including rape, robbery, burglary, drug distribution, etc. Many USAOs hire people out of there at around 4-5 years, including EDNY, SDNY, DNJ. A couple of people actually just left to the D. Md. recently. Or you can stay, and handle shootings and murders, or do white-collar investigations. Or move to a firm, as some do.

3) It's near impossible to get. They get 2,000 applications for 45-50 spots. But 60-70% of their interns get hired there as ADAs.

[underdawg]

Northern division of USAO-MD? If so, it's a really awesome place to work. I worked there last summer, and it was an amazing experience - crazy substantive work (got to sit at counsel's table for hearings, sit in on witness prep, draft a 4th circuit brief, listen to wire taps), awesome attorneys, and really cool field-trip type experiences (firing range, prison, etc.).

Yep, Northern Division. I'm definitely excited about the offer, though I wish they took advantage of student practice rules. The field trips do sound awesome, , though I of course can't base my (hypothetical) decision on that.

the NYPD has field trips to a fucking FIRING RANGE, and some chick from our school posed for a picture for our school website with a fucking assault rifle mang

not sure how things work outside of NYC, but SDNY and EDNY almost exclusively hire from biglaw. i heard sometimes city prosecutors eventually can make it but that is super rare. so uh...in that case, it doesn't really matter as they are both 1L prosecution jobs, and will not make a difference in your 2L biglaw prospects.

OP here. This is for 2L summer, and I'm not really interested in BIGLAW; first choice is BIGCITY_DA, USAO, or Main Justice CRM.

certain USAOs REQUIRE biglaw numbnuts. did you just scan my post for "BIGLAW" so you could say that?

[Anonymous User]

the NYPD has field trips to a fucking FIRING RANGE, and some chick from our school posed for a picture for our school website with a fucking assault rifle mang

not sure how things work outside of NYC, but SDNY and EDNY almost exclusively hire from biglaw. i heard sometimes city prosecutors eventually can make it but that is super rare. so uh...in that case, it doesn't really matter as they are both 1L prosecution jobs, and will not make a difference in your 2L biglaw prospects.

OP here. This is for 2L summer, and I'm not really interested in BIGLAW; first choice is BIGCITY_DA, USAO, or Main Justice CRM.

certain USAOs REQUIRE biglaw numbnuts. did you just scan my post for "BIGLAW" so you could say that?

I'm asking *about* my 2L summer numbnuts.