How to be a Prosecution/PD Gunner? Forum

[Ded Precedent]

Austin doesn't hire out of law school.

How do you know?

My career services office. I have also seen it somewhere on this blog of a Travis co. DA

http://www.daconfidential.com/?m=0

Ok thank you.

[Anonymous User]

Austin doesn't hire out of law school.

How do you know?

My career services office. I have also seen it somewhere on this blog of a Travis co. DA

http://www.daconfidential.com/?m=0

Ok thank you.

Shit I already accepted, I wish they would disclose stuff like this before you accept. I feel like I'm wasting my 2L summer.

[Anonymous User]

Thanks everyone for the advice on waiting. This is the 28 yo 0L anon who is making a decision around withdrawing this cycle (or deferring if accepted) and working for a year in a pd office.

Looking for some clarification given the responses:
It was my impression from reading ITT that pre-LS pd work would tell potential pd employers that the applicant wasn't applying because of striking out at big law 1L internships/OCI and was dedicated to pd work. Is this the wrong impression? Is it in anyone's experience that a year off working in a pd office as 0L boosts relative competitiveness later? Or no effect?

This is less pertinent, but just a response to the thoughts on crs:
I definitely agree that crs won't help in landing a job or in the eventual day to day work of pd. I'm not even sure that it looks good on paper as you suggest. I'm interested in crs because I believe the subject matter/cohort would help me survive law school and keep me motivated. I recognize that's a little silly/not career minded, but I think it's pretty accurate.

[Anonymous User]

This is what is necessary to be competitive:

- Good school
- Both summers working for PDs offices/Appellate DP Work in the South
- Externship with PD's office during a semester or two

Working before law school will definitely help, but you'll still need those other things.

[reformed calvinist]

This is what is necessary to be competitive:

- Good school
- Both summers working for PDs offices/Appellate DP Work in the South
- Externship with PD's office during a semester or two

Working before law school will definitely help, but you'll still need those other things.

What do you mean by "good" school?

[Cinderella]

It was my impression from reading ITT that pre-LS pd work would tell potential pd employers that the applicant wasn't applying because of striking out at big law 1L internships/OCI and was dedicated to pd work. Is this the wrong impression? Is it in anyone's experience that a year off working in a pd office as 0L boosts relative competitiveness later? Or no effect?

My pre-LS experience at a pd was a huge boost in 1L hiring. I had a really high ratio of getting interviews after applying; I got offers to places I had no business even applying to; and I went 7/8 in terms of offer/interview ratio. I also know that I beat out other 1Ls at higher ranked schools for really competitive internships.

I think I could have found an internship with less pd experience, but it might have been a lot harder.

[barry]

Austin doesn't hire out of law school.

How do you know?

My career services office. I have also seen it somewhere on this blog of a Travis co. DA

http://www.daconfidential.com/?m=0

Ok thank you.

Does Tarrant (Ft. worth) hire out of law school?

[Anonymous User]

This is what is necessary to be competitive:

- Good school
- Both summers working for PDs offices/Appellate DP Work in the South
- Externship with PD's office during a semester or two

Working before law school will definitely help, but you'll still need those other things.

What do you mean by "good" school?

Top 3-4 schools in the area depending on where you're located. For PDS, Bronx PD, SF PD you're looking at T14 if you're not located near the office.

Speaking Spanish really helps as does being a URM.

[seatown12]

What do you mean by "good" school?

Top 3-4 schools in the area depending on where you're located. For PDS, Bronx PD, SF PD you're looking at T14 if you're not located near the office.

This is true; the best school is the local school, or one with a legitimately national reputation.

Speaking Spanish really helps as does being a URM.

Really? What's your basis? Also, why are you posting anonymously?

[Anonymous User]

What do you mean by "good" school?

Top 3-4 schools in the area depending on where you're located. For PDS, Bronx PD, SF PD you're looking at T14 if you're not located near the office.

This is true; the best school is the local school, or one with a legitimately national reputation.

Speaking Spanish really helps as does being a URM.

Really? What's your basis? Also, why are you posting anonymously?

I don't want to be linked to the offices I've worked at, so I post as an anon.

URMs and women are underrepresented in all legal fields. Most big city PDs are very liberal and recognize this as a huge issue. They also serve a lot of black and hispanic people in big cities. It makes sense to take background into account when hiring for PDs offices and it makes sense not to have a bunch of white men (like most DAs offices) when the client base is so diverse. I'm a white guy, for what it's worth, and I find the hiring practices to make a lot of sense.

[Jeremyl]

Does Tarrant (Ft. worth) hire out of law school?

Yes, from what I understand. But it is probably one of the hardest gigs in the state to get because their office has such a great reputation and they pay the highest starting salary

[Anonymous User]

It was my impression from reading ITT that pre-LS pd work would tell potential pd employers that the applicant wasn't applying because of striking out at big law 1L internships/OCI and was dedicated to pd work. Is this the wrong impression? Is it in anyone's experience that a year off working in a pd office as 0L boosts relative competitiveness later? Or no effect?

My pre-LS experience at a pd was a huge boost in 1L hiring. I had a really high ratio of getting interviews after applying; I got offers to places I had no business even applying to; and I went 7/8 in terms of offer/interview ratio. I also know that I beat out other 1Ls at higher ranked schools for really competitive internships.

I think I could have found an internship with less pd experience, but it might have been a lot harder.

Hi, same anon. Thanks everyone and especially Cinderella for advice/sharing, boosts my confidence in waiting another year. Do you mind sharing what school you attend? If others could share their experience around pre ls work boosting/having no effect on competitiveness for 1L work, it would be appreciated.

I've been thinking a lot about withdrawing/defering this cycle and aiming for the NU 2 yr jd next cycle. Seems like a tidy solution (to feeling old). Has anyone experience/heard anything about NU's AJD in terms of PD or public interest in general? I've read that when the AJD program first began it was tailored toward MBA graduates, has this changed?

[Cinderella]

It was my impression from reading ITT that pre-LS pd work would tell potential pd employers that the applicant wasn't applying because of striking out at big law 1L internships/OCI and was dedicated to pd work. Is this the wrong impression? Is it in anyone's experience that a year off working in a pd office as 0L boosts relative competitiveness later? Or no effect?

My pre-LS experience at a pd was a huge boost in 1L hiring. I had a really high ratio of getting interviews after applying; I got offers to places I had no business even applying to; and I went 7/8 in terms of offer/interview ratio. I also know that I beat out other 1Ls at higher ranked schools for really competitive internships.

I think I could have found an internship with less pd experience, but it might have been a lot harder.

Hi, same anon. Thanks everyone and especially Cinderella for advice/sharing, boosts my confidence in waiting another year. Do you mind sharing what school you attend? If others could share their experience around pre ls work boosting/having no effect on competitiveness for 1L work, it would be appreciated.

I've been thinking a lot about withdrawing/defering this cycle and aiming for the NU 2 yr jd next cycle. Seems like a tidy solution (to feeling old). Has anyone experience/heard anything about NU's AJD in terms of PD or public interest in general? I've read that when the AJD program first began it was tailored toward MBA graduates, has this changed?

I don't want to out myself. PM if interested.

[Anonymous User]

0L very interested in working for the prosecutor's office. I keep hearing how competitive it's been lately and it's shaking my confidence.

So, if people strike out with a prosecutor's office, what do they usually do instead?

[Jeremyl]

The use of anonymous has gotten a little out of hand in this thread

[target]

The use of anonymous has gotten a little out of hand in this thread forum

[reformed calvinist]

The use of anonymous has gotten a little out of hand in this thread forum

If it's not being used to flame or post Lounge-worthy comments, what difference does it make to you?

[Jeremyl]

The use of anonymous has gotten a little out of hand in this thread forum

If it's not being used to flame or post Lounge-worthy comments, what difference does it make to you?

It's annoying and unnecessary. Why do I have to try and decipher who the heck is talking and to which post they are referring to, especially when they aren't even talking about anything anyone would think is sensitive-outing material? And why would a 0l feel the need to use the anonymous feature to ask a question about alternatives/exit strategies?

[FlanAl]

Not sure if I should make a new thread for this or not but I have this lingering thought in the back of my mind. People talked a bit about the hiring process being very uncertain. I think if we end up with a Republican president budget cuts etc. might make PD/DA even more precarious. Anyone else have any thoughts on this?

[Tanicius]

Not sure if I should make a new thread for this or not but I have this lingering thought in the back of my mind. People talked a bit about the hiring process being very uncertain. I think if we end up with a Republican president budget cuts etc. might make PD/DA even more precarious. Anyone else have any thoughts on this?

It depends a lot more on state funding, frankly. Two terms of Pawlenty, preceded by Ventura, pretty much ensured that Minnesota's justice budget went in the shitter and stayed there.

[FlanAl]

since i think we're both thinking california, any thoughts jbrown and justice system funding? it seems to really vary county to county in ca which makes me feel a little less nervous. also with fed budget cuts won't states get less funding and then have to cut their own budgets?

[Tanicius]

since i think we're both thinking california, any thoughts jbrown and justice system funding? it seems to really vary county to county in ca which makes me feel a little less nervous. also with fed budget cuts won't states get less funding and then have to cut their own budgets?

I mean, probably yes. Just how much will get cut is another question. In CA the jobs available really do appear to depend on the county.

[bilbobaggins]

There's no way to tell what's going to happen with county pd budgets. Hiring has slowed down, but many people think it's about as low as it can get. There's also a demographic shift going to happen in the next 5-10 years where boomers are going to start to retire, which will make space for everyone.

CA is tough. It's a competitive market, but it also has a ton of offices and they tend to pay much better than most other states.

[Cinderella]

There's no way to tell what's going to happen with county pd budgets. Hiring has slowed down, but many people think it's about as low as it can get. There's also a demographic shift going to happen in the next 5-10 years where boomers are going to start to retire, which will make space for everyone.

But won't all the people retiring drain government funds at an insane rate, thereby reducing the number of jobs and/or salaries?

IDK what I want to accomplish by asking this question...just words of assurance I guess.

[bilbobaggins]

There's no way to tell what's going to happen with county pd budgets. Hiring has slowed down, but many people think it's about as low as it can get. There's also a demographic shift going to happen in the next 5-10 years where boomers are going to start to retire, which will make space for everyone.

But won't all the people retiring drain government funds at an insane rate, thereby reducing the number of jobs and/or salaries?

IDK what I want to accomplish by asking this question...just words of assurance I guess.

The PD's office is the only local government office required by the US Constitution. They won't go away. They're already being stretched in terms of caseloads. As soon as there's more money they'll be doing a ton of hiring. I don't know what else to tell you.