What is like working at the Department of Justice Forum

[Connor Benz]

Hello:
For anybody who's worked at the Department of Justice, I'm curious to know what is it like working there and what is the typical day like? Are they demanding or pretty laid back, and will this be a good experience for a 1L?

Also, what should I expect at orientation?

Any thoughts are appreciated, thanks.

[Total Litigator]

Is it a litigation heavy section?

[gdane]

Orientation? You'll be put in a room with everyone else where you'll watch six hours of videotapes from the 1980's dealing with workplace do's and dont's. Expect the tapes to freeze countless times.

[Connor Benz]

Yes

[Connor Benz]

Orientation? You'll be put in a room with everyone else where you'll watch six hours of videotapes from the 1980's dealing with workplace do's and dont's. Expect the tapes to freeze countless times.

6 hours, seriously?

[Anonymous User]

Okay, I'll bite. It's probably going involve litigation. So you'll be drafting briefs and motions. From my experience it's relatively laid back compared to a firm, but they'll expect you to work hard and produce at least 'good' work product. The subjectivities matter will usually be pretty interesting. Since very few entities litigate from the perspective of the DOJ, issues of first impression are not too uncommon. I had a great experience there.

Keep in mind: My internship was unpaid (ie not Honors - maybe lower expectations?) and the section performed almost 100% litigation.

[Total Litigator]

Orientation? You'll be put in a room with everyone else where you'll watch six hours of videotapes from the 1980's dealing with workplace do's and dont's. Expect the tapes to freeze countless times.

6 hours, seriously?

No, more like 2 for me.

[Connor Benz]

Okay, I'll bite. It's probably going involve litigation. So you'll be drafting briefs and motions. From my experience it's relatively laid back compared to a firm, but they'll expect you to work hard and produce at least 'good' work product. The subjectivities matter will usually be pretty interesting. Since very few entities litigate from the perspective of the DOJ, issues of first impression are not too uncommon. I had a great experience there.

Keep in mind: My internship was unpaid (ie not Honors - maybe lower expectations?) and the section performed almost 100% litigation.

did you go to court at all or dealt with clients?

[waferthinmint]

Taggy

[gdane]

Okay, I'll bite. It's probably going involve litigation. So you'll be drafting briefs and motions. From my experience it's relatively laid back compared to a firm, but they'll expect you to work hard and produce at least 'good' work product. The subjectivities matter will usually be pretty interesting. Since very few entities litigate from the perspective of the DOJ, issues of first impression are not too uncommon. I had a great experience there.

Keep in mind: My internship was unpaid (ie not Honors - maybe lower expectations?) and the section performed almost 100% litigation.

did you go to court at all or dealt with clients?

Clients? Dude, it's a government agency. You don't have clients. Per se.

You can accompany people to court anytime. Just ask. You won't be doing anything, especially as a 1L, but it's fun to observe to learn.

[Anonymous User]

Okay, I'll bite. It's probably going involve litigation. So you'll be drafting briefs and motions. From my experience it's relatively laid back compared to a firm, but they'll expect you to work hard and produce at least 'good' work product. The subjectivities matter will usually be pretty interesting. Since very few entities litigate from the perspective of the DOJ, issues of first impression are not too uncommon. I had a great experience there.

Keep in mind: My internship was unpaid (ie not Honors - maybe lower expectations?) and the section performed almost 100% litigation.

did you go to court at all or dealt with clients?

Different anon here. At DOJ, the US is your client. If you're going to be at a USAO, you might deal with agents, or maybe possibly with victims (less likely). I wrote memos and did legal research when I interned for the USAO, as well as observing stuff in court. If you're in civil rights or similar division your experience may be very different, but someone else would have to speak to that. DOJ is a big place with very different kinds of things going on.

[Anonymous User]

Okay, I'll bite. It's probably going involve litigation. So you'll be drafting briefs and motions. From my experience it's relatively laid back compared to a firm, but they'll expect you to work hard and produce at least 'good' work product. The subjectivities matter will usually be pretty interesting. Since very few entities litigate from the perspective of the DOJ, issues of first impression are not too uncommon. I had a great experience there.

Keep in mind: My internship was unpaid (ie not Honors - maybe lower expectations?) and the section performed almost 100% litigation.

did you go to court at all or dealt with clients?

If you are in a prosecuting section, you won't have clients. However, you might get to observe a deposition or something. If you are in a defensive litigation section (there are a handful) then you might actually meet with some OGC attorneys from whatever agency is being sued. This is because when ever an agency gets *seriously sued* they ask the DOJ to help / all but take over the litigation. DOJ attorneys are expected to generally be the best trial / appellate attorneys in the government.

Regardless of whether you are with a prosecuting or defensive section, you probably won't go to court. You DEFINITELY will not be speaking in court. However, if there is a case with a trial within a 2-3 hour drive/train ride of Washington, DC, an attorney could let you go to the court and observe (this would be nice of them, not expected). The vast majority of DOJ litigation does not occur in or around DC, and while I was there, the only trials occurred over 500 miles away, so I never saw one.

A trial attorney did invite me to observe a mediation in a nearby state, which was pretty cool. I also got to actively participate in a couple client meetings and a couple conference calls to AUSA's (although I'm not sure how common it is to participate like that).

[Connor Benz]

Oh, I did not know most of the litigation occurs outside of DC. So I'm just going to be in the office typing memos and briefs? I hope I get to go to court with a few lawyers. I'd really like that.

[Anonymous User]

Oh, I did not know most of the litigation occurs outside of DC. So I'm just going to be in the office typing memos and briefs? I hope I get to go to court with a few lawyers. I'd really like that.

Someone else can chime in if they had a different experience. It may vary from department to department.

I mean, obviously, if you are interning in the office of the Solicitor General, you are going to be litigating in Court a bunch, and in only DC haha.