Exit Options from County Attorney's Office (major city) Forum

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Exit Options from County Attorney's Office (major city)

Post by Anonymous User » Mon Oct 08, 2012 10:21 pm

I am wondering what the exit options are from a job in a County Attorney's office. It's a major city, and I was offered a paid term-time clerkship that would extend to the summer and assured there would be openings about the time I graduated.

The division itself, from what I understand, involves advising elected and appointed officials about things like elections, business development, land development, taxes, etc. Does this type of job have good exit options, or should I be aiming for something more traditional like District Attorney or U.S. Attorney (these would probably be unpaid)?

I was told in the interview that they go to the state capitol a lot during the legislative session and that their attorneys are often interacting with members of the state legislature. I'm not sure how this fits in the general duties of the office however.

Since I have an interest in policy and politics, is this a good starting job for that sort of thing?

splitmuch

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Re: Exit Options from County Attorney's Office (major city)

Post by splitmuch » Mon Oct 08, 2012 10:29 pm

I would imagine the exit options would be to other county government or legal advising rolls. If you want to do local politics, then it seems like it would be a job that will get you to know people. In this case, exit options will be entirely what you make of them as it would likely develop solely from networking that arises out of the role and not from someone looking at your resume to say hey this person worked at the county attorney's so theyd be a good fit.

I do know people who have turned the unpaid Special Assistant US Attorney gigs into mid market big law gigs, though that doesn't sound like what youre looking at.

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Re: Exit Options from County Attorney's Office (major city)

Post by Anonymous User » Mon Oct 08, 2012 10:34 pm

splitmuch wrote:I would imagine the exit options would be to other county government or legal advising rolls. If you want to do local politics, then it seems like it would be a job that will get you to know people. In this case, exit options will be entirely what you make of them as it would likely develop solely from networking that arises out of the role and not from someone looking at your resume to say hey this person worked at the county attorney's so theyd be a good fit.

I do know people who have turned the unpaid Special Assistant US Attorney gigs into mid market big law gigs, though that doesn't sound like what youre looking at.
I'd prefer, eventually, to move into something statewide (even though this county is the state capital), or into lobbying. Or maybe I'm not totally sure what I want but don't want to get stuck in some dead end. Thus, would looking at State AG's office or U.S. Attorney be better even if it's unpaid?

anon168

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Re: Exit Options from County Attorney's Office (major city)

Post by anon168 » Mon Oct 08, 2012 10:47 pm

Anonymous User wrote:
splitmuch wrote:I would imagine the exit options would be to other county government or legal advising rolls. If you want to do local politics, then it seems like it would be a job that will get you to know people. In this case, exit options will be entirely what you make of them as it would likely develop solely from networking that arises out of the role and not from someone looking at your resume to say hey this person worked at the county attorney's so theyd be a good fit.

I do know people who have turned the unpaid Special Assistant US Attorney gigs into mid market big law gigs, though that doesn't sound like what youre looking at.
I'd prefer, eventually, to move into something statewide (even though this county is the state capital), or into lobbying. Or maybe I'm not totally sure what I want but don't want to get stuck in some dead end. Thus, would looking at State AG's office or U.S. Attorney be better even if it's unpaid?
If you want to do statewide politics (or even law), or lobbying, aim for the AG's office. A County Attorney's office is generally a dead-end. For a statewide end-goal, even the USAO is not much of a springboard. Same for a lobbying position.

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