How to be a Prosecution/PD Gunner? Forum

[Anonymous User]

Prettyman offers are out, too.

Got a ding in the mail on Friday. The letter said that they had received well over a hundred applications for three spots.

[Anonymous User]

Does anyone else get frustrated knowing that you went to law school for all the right reasons and public service - whether prosecution, defense, or legal aid - is your true calling, but the current depressed legal economy pushes a lot of people who would have stared down their noses at this type of work in other years into the competition for spots - the people who went to law school because they didn't know what else to do with their lives and are really good at taking tests?

[spleenworship]

Does anyone else get frustrated knowing that you went to law school for all the right reasons and public service - whether prosecution, defense, or legal aid - is your true calling, but the current depressed legal economy pushes a lot of people who would have stared down their noses at this type of work in other years into the competition for spots - the people who went to law school because they didn't know what else to do with their lives and are really good at taking tests?

Srsly. I think the JAG guys feel the same way too. Certain things shouldn't just be a fallback job, they should be callings.

[Myself]

.

[Anonymous User]

Has anyone sent any additional materials to Colorado beyond the initial cover letter and resume? I know they didn't ask specifically for anything else and was just wondering.

[Anonymous User]

Has anyone sent any additional materials to Colorado beyond the initial cover letter and resume? I know they didn't ask specifically for anything else and was just wondering.

That's all I ever sent and I got hired.

[Anonymous User]

Has anyone sent any additional materials to Colorado beyond the initial cover letter and resume? I know they didn't ask specifically for anything else and was just wondering.

That's all I ever sent and I got hired.

If you don't mind sharing, when/how did you receive their offer? I did the second interview a couple weeks ago, and the attorney I spoke with said they'd be making decisions within the first two weeks of January.

[Anonymous User]

If you don't mind sharing, when/how did you receive their offer? I did the second interview a couple weeks ago, and the attorney I spoke with said they'd be making decisions within the first two weeks of January.

I am a December grad, so I'm guessing my experience won't have too much bearing on yours. My application process was expedited so that they could give me a decision in time for me to register for the February bar. My first interview was at the EJW fair in September and my second was in mid-November over the phone. I got an offer a day or two after the second interview via e-mail. Now I'm just studying for the bar and waiting to find out which cow town I'll be placed in

[Anonymous User]

Damn so wishing I was a December grad!

[Anonymous User]

If you don't mind sharing, when/how did you receive their offer? I did the second interview a couple weeks ago, and the attorney I spoke with said they'd be making decisions within the first two weeks of January.

I am a December grad, so I'm guessing my experience won't have too much bearing on yours. My application process was expedited so that they could give me a decision in time for me to register for the February bar. My first interview was at the EJW fair in September and my second was in mid-November over the phone. I got an offer a day or two after the second interview via e-mail. Now I'm just studying for the bar and waiting to find out which cow town I'll be placed in

Awesome. Thanks for the response! I interviewed at EJW as well, but will be taking the summer bar (although I sure wish I was in your situation!). Good luck with your placement, though. That'll be a whole different level of anxiety, haha.

[wbrother]

Hey All,

I want to know what emphasis on school rank I should place if I know I want to go the PD route. Since a lot of these jobs are super competitive should I just settle for the school that gives me the best scholly package? Or should I go for the highest ranked non sticker-price school/best regional school?

I'm sure that's already been asked on here somewhere, but I couldn't find it on this thread. I'm asking cause they standard advice seems to be go to the school that gives you the most aid, but would top 50 at 25% tuition be better than T14 at 75-85% tuition given that these jobs are incredibly competitive?

[Anonymous User]

Hey All,

I want to know what emphasis on school rank I should place if I know I want to go the PD route. Since a lot of these jobs are super competitive should I just settle for the school that gives me the best scholly package? Or should I go for the highest ranked non sticker-price school/best regional school?

I'm sure that's already been asked on here somewhere, but I couldn't find it on this thread. I'm asking cause they standard advice seems to be go to the school that gives you the most aid, but would top 50 at 25% tuition be better than T14 at 75-85% tuition given that these jobs are incredibly competitive?

From my experience (3L with big city DA offer) the better ranked school the less your grades will matter. If you're going to be doing public interest/govt work, your loans won't be an issue with IBR and debt forgiveness. Once you hit about $60k in loans, which is probably your living expenses for three years, you're most likely so far in the hole that debt forgiveness is going to be your only way out. IBR will make your monthly payments the same whether you've got $60k or $200k in loans.

I chose the better school with $150k in loans over the regional school with $80k in loans and I'm glad I did. My school's reputation probably let me skimp by without bringing my slightly below median grades into interview conversations whatsoever. That and of course knowing crim pro really well.

[Anonymous User]

Summary of where we are with PD offices for post-grad jobs.

Extended at least some offers:
- CO (for December grads)
- Bronx
- Miami
- NJ
- Prettyman
- PDS

Anything we're missing?

[Jeremyl]

Hey All,

I want to know what emphasis on school rank I should place if I know I want to go the PD route. Since a lot of these jobs are super competitive should I just settle for the school that gives me the best scholly package? Or should I go for the highest ranked non sticker-price school/best regional school?

I'm sure that's already been asked on here somewhere, but I couldn't find it on this thread. I'm asking cause they standard advice seems to be go to the school that gives you the most aid, but would top 50 at 25% tuition be better than T14 at 75-85% tuition given that these jobs are incredibly competitive?

From my experience (3L with big city DA offer) the better ranked school the less your grades will matter. If you're going to be doing public interest/govt work, your loans won't be an issue with IBR and debt forgiveness. Once you hit about $60k in loans, which is probably your living expenses for three years, you're most likely so far in the hole that debt forgiveness is going to be your only way out. IBR will make your monthly payments the same whether you've got $60k or $200k in loans.

I chose the better school with $150k in loans over the regional school with $80k in loans and I'm glad I did. My school's reputation probably let me skimp by without bringing my slightly below median grades into interview conversations whatsoever. That and of course knowing crim pro really well.

From what I've gathered, school and grades only matter for the super competitive offices (PDS, Manhattan DA, etc.), but outside those select few, interning in the office you want, along with clinics and moot court, is more important than where you went to school.

Sure, with IBR, the monthly payments may be the same. But I'll be working in a similar office, doing the same work as you, for the same pay, yet you'll be paying off your loans 10 years after I already paid off mine. COA should always be a top consideration.

[spleenworship]

Hey All,

I want to know what emphasis on school rank I should place if I know I want to go the PD route. Since a lot of these jobs are super competitive should I just settle for the school that gives me the best scholly package? Or should I go for the highest ranked non sticker-price school/best regional school?

I'm sure that's already been asked on here somewhere, but I couldn't find it on this thread. I'm asking cause they standard advice seems to be go to the school that gives you the most aid, but would top 50 at 25% tuition be better than T14 at 75-85% tuition given that these jobs are incredibly competitive?

From my experience (3L with big city DA offer) the better ranked school the less your grades will matter. If you're going to be doing public interest/govt work, your loans won't be an issue with IBR and debt forgiveness. Once you hit about $60k in loans, which is probably your living expenses for three years, you're most likely so far in the hole that debt forgiveness is going to be your only way out. IBR will make your monthly payments the same whether you've got $60k or $200k in loans.

I chose the better school with $150k in loans over the regional school with $80k in loans and I'm glad I did. My school's reputation probably let me skimp by without bringing my slightly below median grades into interview conversations whatsoever. That and of course knowing crim pro really well.

From what I've gathered, school and grades only matter for the super competitive offices (PDS, Manhattan DA, etc.), but outside those select few, interning in the office you want, along with clinics and moot court, is more important than where you went to school.

Sure, with IBR, the monthly payments may be the same. But I'll be working in a similar office, doing the same work as you, for the same pay, yet you'll be paying off your loans 10 years after I already paid off mine. COA should always be a top consideration.

Bingo. Making the connections locally combined with sincere passion for the job seems to be way more important than either grades or preftige. Since this means you might be able to get a bigger scholly by going to a strong regional or a lower ranked T14, seriously consider those options.

[Anonymous User]

Hey All,

I want to know what emphasis on school rank I should place if I know I want to go the PD route. Since a lot of these jobs are super competitive should I just settle for the school that gives me the best scholly package? Or should I go for the highest ranked non sticker-price school/best regional school?

I'm sure that's already been asked on here somewhere, but I couldn't find it on this thread. I'm asking cause they standard advice seems to be go to the school that gives you the most aid, but would top 50 at 25% tuition be better than T14 at 75-85% tuition given that these jobs are incredibly competitive?

From my experience (3L with big city DA offer) the better ranked school the less your grades will matter. If you're going to be doing public interest/govt work, your loans won't be an issue with IBR and debt forgiveness. Once you hit about $60k in loans, which is probably your living expenses for three years, you're most likely so far in the hole that debt forgiveness is going to be your only way out. IBR will make your monthly payments the same whether you've got $60k or $200k in loans.

I chose the better school with $150k in loans over the regional school with $80k in loans and I'm glad I did. My school's reputation probably let me skimp by without bringing my slightly below median grades into interview conversations whatsoever. That and of course knowing crim pro really well.

From what I've gathered, school and grades only matter for the super competitive offices (PDS, Manhattan DA, etc.), but outside those select few, interning in the office you want, along with clinics and moot court, is more important than where you went to school.

Sure, with IBR, the monthly payments may be the same. But I'll be working in a similar office, doing the same work as you, for the same pay, yet you'll be paying off your loans 10 years after I already paid off mine. COA should always be a top consideration.

I was talking about the 2-3 highly competitive offices when I said the debt/school was worth it.

[Rocío]

Hey All,

I want to know what emphasis on school rank I should place if I know I want to go the PD route. Since a lot of these jobs are super competitive should I just settle for the school that gives me the best scholly package? Or should I go for the highest ranked non sticker-price school/best regional school?

I'm sure that's already been asked on here somewhere, but I couldn't find it on this thread. I'm asking cause they standard advice seems to be go to the school that gives you the most aid, but would top 50 at 25% tuition be better than T14 at 75-85% tuition given that these jobs are incredibly competitive?

I'm a public defender and a recent law school grad. PDS (in Washington D.C.) is the most obsessed with grades and school rank. Other PD offices, including "prestigious" major metropolitan offices like Bronx Defenders, don't care about grades. Your ties to the area, plus demonstrated PD commitment, are deciding factors. For example, if you want to work in Massachusetts, going to a local T3/T4 school like Suffolk or New England is not going to sink your chances of getting a position at CPCS. But it will be difficult to get a job at the Philadelphia PD from Suffolk/New England if you don't have strong ties to Philly.

While the PD hiring process is competitive, the meaning of competitive is completely different from the Big Law and even government honors program context.

[Anonymous User]

Legal aid manhattan criminal defense office just emailed me for a summer internship interview.

[llachans]

Hey guys! Any help is much appreciated. I'm a 1L currently applying for summer jobs. My goal after graduation is to work for the county attorney's office. Unfortunately, the counties around my school only consider 2Ls for positions with the county attorney. I applied to a handful of state's attorney's offices in my home state (I suppose I could crash with my parents during the summer). If I am unable to snag a summer job with a prosecutor, what else shows commitment to criminal law or would give me any good experience?

I applied to a probation office. Besides that, I am lost. My dilemma is that if I apply to a judge, I can't reject an offer if I get one which would make it virtually impossible to then work for a prosecutor (especially because most of them are in a different state). I heard from another student that I could work for a public defender's office as long as it isn't in the same town I wish to work in after graduation. How true is this? I've also heard that doing so would be looked at very unfavorably down the road.

So please, give me some TLS guidance!

[Anonymous User]

Colorado offers are out for May grads.

[melgado]

Anyone know how hiring at the cook county pd offices goes? Their website is a mess and my school doesn't know much.

Not sure if anyone has answered this for you yet. But the CCPD doesn't hire pre-bar. There are a few people who retired in 2012 and I have heard rumors that they might be hiring again soon, but those might just be rumors. Also, I recently heard that they have done away with the lotto system. If you don't know what that is, they use to put everyone who applied name's in a computerized hat and 50 people were randomly selected for interviews.

I would suggest that you intern there or find some way to network with people in the office because that is really the best way to find out about hiring.

[dextermorgan]

Does anyone know if doing civil legal aid for 1L Summer will hurt me for a 2L position with a PD office?

[robin600]

Does anyone know if doing civil legal aid for 1L Summer will hurt me for a 2L position with a PD office?

It's not going to make you competitive but it won't hurt you.

[Jeremyl]

It's getting to be that time when I'll start hearing back and accepting an offer for a post-bar internship position.

If I get an offer from my top three choices, I'm going to take it, but if I happen to only get offers from the others I applied to, I'll have a choice to make, and I would appreciate your opinion.

Should I take a bigger city office that will likely have more prestige yet less likelihood of hiring most of its post-bar interns? Or should I go with a smaller office that maybe isn't as prestigious but that has a higher likelihood of turning into a full time gig? On one side I'd be in a big city (which is what I want) and will have a good résumé booster in case I need to apply to other counties, but it may look bad when I do apply because I didn't get offered in the county where I did post-bar. And on the other hand, after being in the smaller office, I'll still be able to apply to bigger cities after I get bar results and will have a nice backup, but I may not end up in a big city like I would have hoped. Which would y'all choose? Worth the risk to take the big city?

I guess it really comes down to whether or not there is a stigma against applicants that weren't offered after their post-bar. I would think offices would understand with all the budget cuts and wouldn't assume your work was the reason. But I don't know. What do you guys think?

[spleenworship]

It's getting to be that time when I'll start hearing back and accepting an offer for a post-bar internship position.

If I get an offer from my top three choices, I'm going to take it, but if I happen to only get offers from the others I applied to, I'll have a choice to make, and I would appreciate your opinion.

Should I take a bigger city office that will likely have more prestige yet less likelihood of hiring most of its post-bar interns? Or should I go with a smaller office that maybe isn't as prestigious but that has a higher likelihood of turning into a full time gig? On one side I'd be in a big city (which is what I want) and will have a good résumé booster in case I need to apply to other counties, but it may look bad when I do apply because I didn't get offered in the county where I did post-bar. And on the other hand, after being in the smaller office, I'll still be able to apply to bigger cities after I get bar results and will have a nice backup, but I may not end up in a big city like I would have hoped. Which would y'all choose? Worth the risk to take the big city?

I guess it really comes down to whether or not there is a stigma against applicants that weren't offered after their post-bar. I would think offices would understand with all the budget cuts and wouldn't assume your work was the reason. But I don't know. What do you guys think?

I think ITE the stigma isn't as bad as it used to be... But... All the same I'd take the small town. I'm just risk averse like that. Getting that first job offer ensures you will be a lawyer. Not getting it is too risky, IMO, and you can take risks once you have a paid gig on your resume (again - IMO).