New York DA offices (excluding Manhattan) or NYC Law dept. Forum

[ECthegawd]

Hello, 3L here, Have interviews at NYC law Dept, and Bronx/Brooklyn/Queens DA offices. If I were to receive an offer, which would be better, the law dept., or DA's office? I came to law school to be a prosecutor and I still would like to be one, but wouldn't mind doing the type of work in a city law department. Can anyone describe their experience with any of the above offices, and which one (NYC law department or a DA office would) would be a better experience? Do you do a lot of municipal type law at the law department in the family or tort divisions?

[dixiecupdrinking]

If you want to be a prosecutor, why on earth would you choose the Law Dept?

[ECthegawd]

Well I wouldn't mind doing either. I would like to be a prosecutor, but I also like to write and would like to be a litigator. But I just want to know which office would be better in the long run. I'm pretty sure I would stay at either office for many years, but obviously life happens, and would like to know which office would provide better job opportunities in the long run.

[Anonymous User]

I think some of the biggest differences, in the long term, are that the NYC Law Dept will give you opportunities to practice in different areas of law, since they handle tort claims against the city, 1983 claims, real estate transactions, and juvenile delinquency claims. DA's Office, you will practicing mainly criminal law.

On the other hand, the NYC Law Dept. Appeals Division is notoriously hard to get into, whereas you can probably get into Appeals at a DA's Office after you do your intake/ECAB/Criminal Court stint.

My assessment would be -- if you want the opportunity to practice many areas of law, NYC Law Dept. If you want to do solely criminal law, DA's Office. Your career options after the DA's Office is obviously more limited, but your CV will probably be a wizard at crimlaw.