Route to AUSA Forum

[Anonymous User]

Hi all,

I'm currently clerking in a city (City X) whose USAO generally only hires people with many years of experience. Due to personal factors, I'll most likely be staying in this city for 1-2 years post-clerkship and then moving to an unknown new city. Recognizing that it totally varies, what kinds of jobs in City X are likely to be a boon to my future application to work as an AUSA in Unknown City Y? Is it basically biglaw or bust? I'd really prefer to avoid biglaw (first-world problem, I realize), but I'm worried that trying to go the ADA route is rather short-sighted given that City Y's USAO might not like hiring former ADAs from a totally different jurisdiction. (Plus, I doubt any ADA office here is going to want to hire me if I reveal that I have to leave within a year or two.) Are there any other jobs I'm not thinking about that could plausibly lead to an AUSA position in a new city?

[PeanutsNJam]

Depends on the US Attorney. If they did biglaw, they will prefer biglaw. Also depends if you want to do white collar or no. I think you'd be safe at any strong lit big firm, but who knows. Just do ADA in the new city once you have to move.

[Anonymous User]

So is biglaw the only option that makes sense, assuming that working as an AUSA is my long-term goal?

[Anonymous User]

[apologies in advance for minor side question]

If you are in biglaw corporate - do you still have a decent chance of getting to a USAO?

[rpupkin]

[apologies in advance for minor side question]

If you are in biglaw corporate - do you still have a decent chance of getting to a USAO?

Not really, no. If you are interested in working in the USAO, why are you working in a corporate practice group?

[Anonymous User]

From my experience, every non- NYC/CA USAO office (interned at quite a bit between HS and law school), the majority of AUSAs came from DA offices. I've heard differently from others though so who knows. just do good work, network wherever you go.

[Anonymous User]

So is biglaw the only option that makes sense, assuming that working as an AUSA is my long-term goal?

No, because I agree with this:

From my experience, every non- NYC/CA USAO office (interned at quite a bit between HS and law school), the majority of AUSAs came from DA offices. I've heard differently from others though so who knows. just do good work, network wherever you go.

It's just hard to predict which office will want what, unless you can make some connections in a specific office.

[Anonymous User]

It's just hard to predict which office will want what, unless you can make some connections in a specific office.

New anon here. I agree. I know of some offices that want generic litigation-related prestige markers (clerkships+BigLaw); I know of others that want committed career prosecutors (former ADAs, etc.), and specifically don't want BigLaw types who (in their minds) might leave to do something else in a few years. So it's hard to target an AUSA career without targeting a specific subset of USAOs.