USAO internship interview advice Forum

[Anonymous User]

I have an upcoming interview for an internship during the next semester for the local U.S. Attorney's Office, and I would love input on what the interview will be like.

-I have a firm job lined up for my 2L summer (internship is for during the semester as a 3L), will this be a negative that I need to address? (Firm does not do white-collar crime. I will be doing business litigation.)

-Is it naive to say that I would love to be an AUSA later in my life after working at a firm for a few years?

-If I have a potential interest in academia down the road, is that something that can be mentioned or should that not be talked about?

-Does it matter that I have no strong preference between working with defendants as opposed to prosecuting them? (If anything, I might have slight defendant-friendly leanings.) Is that something I should admit too, or should I be much more "rah, rah, prosecution!"?

-Any specific types of questions I should be ready for that do not come up in firm-type interviews? I am used to firm interviews by now, but don't know if this interview will be similar or not.

Interview is tomorrow morning. Sorry for doing this last minute.

[Cinderella]

1) I don't think it will be a negative you need to address. Focus more on why you want to work at the USAO; they'll understand that you have a firm job. Don't brag about it or anything, and don't mention it unless you're asked about it. If you're asked about it, explain what you'll be doing, then move to point #2 below.

2) No. It would probably be a good thing -- maybe the best thing -- you can talk about.

3) Don't talk about this. It won't come up.

4) Do not say you are more defense-oriented. You don't have to be all rah-rah; prosecutors view their role as pursuing justice, even if it means not prosecuting a crime. But justice usually means putting people behind bars, so you can't come off as uncomfortable with that.

5) Why prosecution? Why this office? They might throw more hypos at you than you are used to. When in doubt about anything, remember #4, and that justice =/= cut throat.

[kalvano]

Have you taken Crim Pro or anything like that? If you have, touch on that, because it will be immensely valuable.

[dmeals]

- Say why you want further litigation exposure
- Say why you want to work for the government/serve the public
- Say why are interested in the prospect of/want to be an AUSA in the future
- Mention you have good writing/research skills. USAO's value writing much more than DA office would

[gabewatch]

Bump for this thread. Got an USAO interview for 1L Summer next week and if anyone has any advice about what kind of questions to expect or prepare I'd like to hear them. Really any information at all regarding USAO would be awesome as I don't really know all that much about how they operate or what they expect out of the 1Ls...

[Anonymous User]

Bump for this thread. Got an USAO interview for 1L Summer next week and if anyone has any advice about what kind of questions to expect or prepare I'd like to hear them. Really any information at all regarding USAO would be awesome as I don't really know all that much about how they operate or what they expect out of the 1Ls...

It's probably a good bet to prepare for ethics questions.

[gabewatch]

Interesting, hadn't really though of that. Any examples? Any other info out there? I saw a bunch of people in the 1L summer threat talking about upcoming USAO interviews they got so there must be some info out there... help?

[kalvano]

My entire interview, we talked about cars and racing. She was awesome.