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Currently a 2L and my overall goal is to get an offer with one of the pre-bar DA Offices (be it any borough of New York, Miami, Cook County, etc.) next year. I interned at one of these pre-bar offices during the fall semester but am unable to continue to work there per policy. I had no idea I wanted to be a prosecutor until the fall, meaning I wasted my 1L summer at a firm that I have absolutely no desire to return to.

I received an offer yesterday to work for the Federal Public Defender while I have an interview with their adversarial USAO District Office on Friday for the summer. While my ultimate goal is to work at another one of the pre-bar state levels, what are the implications of accepting the Federal Defender job while interviewing for their USAO adversaries?

Anonymous User wrote:Currently a 2L and my overall goal is to get an offer with one of the pre-bar DA Offices (be it any borough of New York, Miami, Cook County, etc.) next year. I interned at one of these pre-bar offices during the fall semester but am unable to continue to work there per policy. I had no idea I wanted to be a prosecutor until the fall, meaning I wasted my 1L summer at a firm that I have absolutely no desire to return to.

I received an offer yesterday to work for the Federal Public Defender while I have an interview with their adversarial USAO District Office on Friday for the summer. While my ultimate goal is to work at another one of the pre-bar state levels, what are the implications of accepting the Federal Defender job while interviewing for their USAO adversaries?

Based on my reading of the PD/DA gunner thread, the Federal Defender job will probably hurt you. I also read that the USAO internships, while solid experience, aren't as beneficial for landing a job at a DA office as actually interning at the office would be. I'd just take a look at that thread though.

Also... fuck it, just become a PD.

Prosecutors offices won't care that you worked for the other side. Lots of people at the prosecutors office I worked at did internships at the state and federal PDs. If you accept the federal defender job you have to withdraw from the USAO job though.

As far as getting a post grad job, you won't get one with either the USAO or the federal PDs, but it still gives you interesting stuff to talk about during an interview. But I do highly recommend working at a state prosecutors office, particularly the one you want to work at post grad, during your 3L fall. Lots of offices give their former interns preference in the hiring process. Not to mention that you get to meet people and make connections that can vouch for you.

gdane wrote:Prosecutors offices won't care that you worked for the other side. Lots of people at the prosecutors office I worked at did internships at the state and federal PDs.

Even if his only experience is 1l Firm then 2l PD? I know having PD + DA experience is chill, but having no DA experience?

gdane wrote:Prosecutors offices won't care that you worked for the other side. Lots of people at the prosecutors office I worked at did internships at the state and federal PDs. If you accept the federal defender job you have to withdraw from the USAO job though.

As far as getting a post grad job, you won't get one with either the USAO or the federal PDs, but it still gives you interesting stuff to talk about during an interview. But I do highly recommend working at a state prosecutors office, particularly the one you want to work at post grad, during your 3L fall. Lots of offices give their former interns preference in the hiring process. Not to mention that you get to meet people and make connections that can vouch for you.

OP here, I'd have to withdraw from applying to the USAO for the summer is what you're saying?

wbrother wrote:

gdane wrote:Prosecutors offices won't care that you worked for the other side. Lots of people at the prosecutors office I worked at did internships at the state and federal PDs.

Even if his only experience is 1l Firm then 2l PD? I know having PD + DA experience is chill, but having no DA experience?

I have DA experience, just completed an internship with a DA office.


EDIT: I'm in no way aiming to work for the USAO after graduation. I'm aiming for a pre-bar hiring State level prosecutor's office.

Anonymous User wrote:

gdane wrote:Prosecutors offices won't care that you worked for the other side. Lots of people at the prosecutors office I worked at did internships at the state and federal PDs. If you accept the federal defender job you have to withdraw from the USAO job though.

As far as getting a post grad job, you won't get one with either the USAO or the federal PDs, but it still gives you interesting stuff to talk about during an interview. But I do highly recommend working at a state prosecutors office, particularly the one you want to work at post grad, during your 3L fall. Lots of offices give their former interns preference in the hiring process. Not to mention that you get to meet people and make connections that can vouch for you.

OP here, I'd have to withdraw from applying to the USAO for the summer is what you're saying?

wbrother wrote:

gdane wrote:Prosecutors offices won't care that you worked for the other side. Lots of people at the prosecutors office I worked at did internships at the state and federal PDs.

Even if his only experience is 1l Firm then 2l PD? I know having PD + DA experience is chill, but having no DA experience?

I have DA experience, just completed an internship with a DA office.


EDIT: I'm in no way aiming to work for the USAO after graduation. I'm aiming for a pre-bar hiring State level prosecutor's office.

Reading comp fail, ignore me.

wbrother wrote: Reading comp fail, ignore me.

Don't worry, I now realize how ambiguous I was in my original post.

The situation is the offer for Federal PD is for the spring, USAO interview is for summer. USAO isn't my top choice for the summer, but it's nice to have a summer prospect.

Now I'm just wondering if I can only work for one or the other.

You can definitely do both, but I don't see the point. I thought you meant you were deciding between them for the summer.

Do USAO for the summer (if you get the offer) and work for a prosecutors office your 3L fall. Ideally, what is your top choice for the summer?

Anonymous User wrote:

wbrother wrote: Reading comp fail, ignore me.

Don't worry, I now realize how ambiguous I was in my original post.

The situation is the offer for Federal PD is for the spring, USAO interview is for summer. USAO isn't my top choice for the summer, but it's nice to have a summer prospect.

Now I'm just wondering if I can only work for one or the other.

Oh I get it! You're asking about conflict of interest issues, right? From my incredibly limited knowledge, it shouldn't be a problem. If seen people do PD/DA gigs in the same county. Federal PD/USAO shouldn't be that different.

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