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I am at an average school, struck out at OCI. After 2L year I am ranked 2nd in my class (huge jump from 1L), I am not counting on 3L OCI or landing big law at this point. I have a SA in a secondary market that does not guarantee permanent offers to SAs so I am starting to look at backup options.I was wondering if it was worth it to go for an ADA position in one of the five boroughs (career services is basically telling me I have to) since I know grades are not overly important for a DA office. I have not taken Crim Pro yet and don't have much experience or demonstrated interest in crim law other than an internship with a DA office during the fall. I am wondering if gunning for a DAs office is worth it and what else I should be doing, thanks!

Depends upon your career goals & interests.

You have one internship in the fall? Nothing relevant this past spring and nothing incoming this next summer?
Do you have any other public interest/service background? Are you K-JD? Did you enjoy your internship? The DA offices have you sign a 3-year commitment, so can you see yourself doing that for three years for government pay?


You could try, but my gut instinct is that, by the time OCIs for DA Offices roll around, without anything more, you'll be cut pretty early.

The outer boroughs get between 1k to 2k applicants per fall class, for between 20-40 spots. Manhattan probably gets closer to 3k-4k. Most of the people that get hired have some mock trial/moot court, or public interest background, or various internships at DA offices, or some combination of those 4 factors.

Worked for 3 years in a small litigation firm before law school, also have moot court experience but no mock trial and I am registered for more criminal classes this fall.

I think, without more, you're going to appear as someone who didn't get a desired job and using DA Offices as backup. It's not fatal, but you'll have to explain why it took you so long to take criminal classes, why you want to be a prosecutor, etc

From my experience, you should try to intern with the DAs as much as possible and take crim-type classes if you really want to be in the DAs. Many local DA Offices want you to be devoted and will not care as much about grades. However, it can be a crapshoot because if you invest a lot of time to a local DA office, they might not have an opening available when you graduate.

encore1101 wrote:I think, without more, you're going to appear as someone who didn't get a desired job and using DA Offices as backup. It's not fatal, but you'll have to explain why it took you so long to take criminal classes, why you want to be a prosecutor, etc

Ehh, it's pretty close to fatal, especially if OP is a white male. DAs offices are incredibly competitive, and they won't care much that you're ranked 2nd in your class.

You'll be going up against people with nothing but DA internships and many will have actual trial experience. You better kill any interviews you get. Have a really good reason for why you want to be a DA and why you'll be better at it than the people who have been gunning for it since day one. I think your odds of getting a smaller firm job, or a clerkship leading to a firm job, are much better.