Choosing between US Attorney's Office and Law Firm (2L) Forum

[Anonymous User]

Hi,

I am a 2L at a T10 law school.

I have a job offer with the US Attorney's office for the summer. I have also scheduled an interview with a top 100 law firm which is ranked towards the very bottom of the top 100.

My thoughts in terms of pros and cons: DOJ/USAO is prestigious, high quality work experience that will look very good to employers next year. On the other hand, the law firm specializes in litigation with a diverse array of practice areas in which I am very interested, the position is paid, and I may get an exploding offer after graduation, possibly saving me the trouble of having to look for a job next year.

Anyone have any thoughts on weighing these two alternatives and which might be a superior experience and better for long-term career prospects?

Advice is greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

[fatduck]

i don't think you're using the term "exploding offer" correctly

afaik the chances of a USAO internship leading to full-time employment are pretty slim. can you split?

[anon168]

Hi,

I am a 2L at a T10 law school.

I have a job offer with the US Attorney's office for the summer. I have also scheduled an interview with a top 100 law firm which is ranked towards the very bottom of the top 100.

My thoughts in terms of pros and cons: DOJ/USAO is prestigious, high quality work experience that will look very good to employers next year. On the other hand, the law firm specializes in litigation with a diverse array of practice areas in which I am very interested, the position is paid, and I may get an exploding offer after graduation, possibly saving me the trouble of having to look for a job next year.

Anyone have any thoughts on weighing these two alternatives and which might be a superior experience and better for long-term career prospects?

Advice is greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

Take the firm job.

[Anonymous User]

Can you elaborate on why?

[Anonymous User]

Is this a Summer Associate position or one of those "Law Clerk" positions where they may, if the need arises, hire you at the end of the summer, though there's no guarantee.

[Lord Randolph McDuff]

If it were me, I'd take the job that might actually lead to permanent employment. I also don't think USAO is as prestigious as you think.

[Anonymous User]

It is a summer associate position. Putting money aside, which position is likely to give me better experience? Would I have difficulty landing a job as a 3L having worked at the Department of Justice?

[cinephile]

It is a summer associate position. Putting money aside, which position is likely to give me better experience? Would I have difficulty landing a job as a 3L having worked at the Department of Justice?

Wow. Can you really not see that the SA is a much better option?

[A. Nony Mouse]

Based on all the info here (including NALP numbers), everyone has difficulty landing a job as a 3L, because there just isn't much 3L hiring going on.

What do you actually want to do long-term?

[Anonymous User]

I want to do litigation but I don't have a strong preference between the public and private sector. I would lean slightly towards the private sector.

[A. Nony Mouse]

So why do you resist taking the firm job (if you get it) (which is how your posts are coming across)?

[fatduck]

So why do you resist taking the firm job (if you get it) (which is how your posts are coming across)?

because it's only a V100 firm

[A. Nony Mouse]

So why do you resist taking the firm job (if you get it) (which is how your posts are coming across)?

because it's only a V100 firm

Ah. I forget people care about stuff like this.

[Pokemon]

How did you get an SA interview this late in the game? Did you mass mail in January? Connections... What happened during OCI? Feel free to PM me if you do not want to share with everyone.
As to your question, do not be silly, take the firm job. It is the most certain way towards post-graduation meaningful employment.

[Citizen Genet]

Take the firm position. Try to extern/intern with the USAO during Fall.

[LawIdiot86]

No future employer would ever question why you did not spend your 2L summer at an unpaid USAO internship. Many future employers will question why you did not spend your 2L summer as a summer associate. No future employer will consider the skills you gained from the USAO internship to make up for a lack of a firm summer associate position.

[Anonymous User]

Ok, it sounds like there's a pretty clear consensus here. Basically I got a notification about this position through my school's CDO, which forwards information from firms that are still looking to hire 2Ls. I replied indicating that I was interested and I landed an interview. Question is, can I turn down the offer from the USAO a month after accepting it to take another job, now that I've already started with my background check? Any possible complications that might result from that? Of course that would be contingent on my getting the offer with the firm. Still, it would be good to know in advance.

[wired]

Ok, it sounds like there's a pretty clear consensus here. Basically I got a notification about this position through my school's CDO, which forwards information from firms that are still looking to hire 2Ls. I replied indicating that I was interested and I landed an interview. Question is, can I turn down the offer from the USAO a month after accepting it to take another job, now that I've already started with my background check? Any possible complications that might result from that? Of course that would be contingent on my getting the offer with the firm. Still, it would be good to know in advance.

PM me for advice.

[Anonymous User]

I interned at a USA Office summer after 2L year over taking a firm position. Let me just say that I'm having trouble finding any meaningful post-grad employment now. I would take the SA position.