First year v10 NYC transactional trying to become an ADA Forum

[Anonymous User]

Hi all,

I guess the title says it all. I'm in my stub year at a v10 in NYC and I hate transactional work. I've known this since my SA, but due to certain circumstances, I had to go with the offer and start. I can switch to litigation at my firm, but what I really want is to be a prosecutor. I've taken evidence and more advanced crim law classes in law school, but not crim procedure. I graduated from CCN around top 20% (although I know that doesn't matter much).

I reached out to the career services at my school to ask for advice and I'm reaching out to alumni ADAs at various offices and asking if I can take them out to lunch/coffee so I can get some some career advice. I honestly would work for free for a year in a DA office if I could afford it, but I'm poor and I don't think I can get my school's fellowship since i graduated in 2017 and I assume their fellowships are for people graduating in 2018.

Anyways, I would appreciate any input on other steps I could take right now, or even input on whether this is realistic at all.

Thanks!

[Anonymous User]

Switch to litigation + Apply for federal clerkship (district and appellate) --> Apply for AUSA position outside of the major cities --> Once AUSA , transfer to major city after X years

[A. Nony Mouse]

...except they said they want to be an ADA. I’m not an expert, but I don’t think it requires quite such a complicated path. You don’t need to become an AUSA to get hired as an ADA (it’s mostly the other way around).

[Anonymous User]

Switch to litigation + Apply for federal clerkship (district and appellate) --> Apply for AUSA position outside of the major cities --> Once AUSA , transfer to major city after X years

Thanks! But yea, not interested in AUSA but ADA, and not picky on the offices although I would prefer to stay in New York State. As to the clerkships, I'm out for any CoA obviously-top 20% at CCN won't cut it. Likely out for a good number of the district courts. However, I'm not sure that a federal clerkship is really necessary for ADA, but I could be totally wrong

[cavalier1138]

Switch to litigation + Apply for federal clerkship (district and appellate) --> Apply for AUSA position outside of the major cities --> Once AUSA , transfer to major city after X years

Thanks! But yea, not interested in AUSA but ADA, and not picky on the offices although I would prefer to stay in New York State. As to the clerkships, I'm out for any CoA obviously-top 20% at CCN won't cut it. Likely out for a good number of the district courts. However, I'm not sure that a federal clerkship is really necessary for ADA, but I could be totally wrong

I mean, you're out for CoA in New York, and maybe most of SDNY. But you're hardly out of the running for a federal clerkship.

That said, a state judge clerkship might be more valuable for a DA's office, and it would be a good reset button for your career. Beyond that, I think the only thing you can do is switch to lit and pick up as much pro bono criminal trial work as you can.

[ernie]

Switch to litigation + Apply for federal clerkship (district and appellate) --> Apply for AUSA position outside of the major cities --> Once AUSA , transfer to major city after X years

Thanks! But yea, not interested in AUSA but ADA, and not picky on the offices although I would prefer to stay in New York State. As to the clerkships, I'm out for any CoA obviously-top 20% at CCN won't cut it. Likely out for a good number of the district courts. However, I'm not sure that a federal clerkship is really necessary for ADA, but I could be totally wrong

Looking at my school's (CCN) clerkship data, top 20% is absolutely competitive for some CoA judges. Talk to your clerkship office.

[Anonymous User]

Hi all,

I guess the title says it all. I'm in my stub year at a v10 in NYC and I hate transactional work. I've known this since my SA, but due to certain circumstances, I had to go with the offer and start. I can switch to litigation at my firm, but what I really want is to be a prosecutor. I've taken evidence and more advanced crim law classes in law school, but not crim procedure. I graduated from CCN around top 20% (although I know that doesn't matter much).

I reached out to the career services at my school to ask for advice and I'm reaching out to alumni ADAs at various offices and asking if I can take them out to lunch/coffee so I can get some some career advice. I honestly would work for free for a year in a DA office if I could afford it, but I'm poor and I don't think I can get my school's fellowship since i graduated in 2017 and I assume their fellowships are for people graduating in 2018.

Anyways, I would appreciate any input on other steps I could take right now, or even input on whether this is realistic at all.

Thanks!

Just apply to the DA's office. There's 5 of them in NY city alone. Laterals usually come in in September with the rest of the starting class, so in the meantime switch to litigation at your firm.

[Lavitz]

Switch to litigation + Apply for federal clerkship (district and appellate) --> Apply for AUSA position outside of the major cities --> Once AUSA , transfer to major city after X years

Thanks! But yea, not interested in AUSA but ADA, and not picky on the offices although I would prefer to stay in New York State. As to the clerkships, I'm out for any CoA obviously-top 20% at CCN won't cut it. Likely out for a good number of the district courts. However, I'm not sure that a federal clerkship is really necessary for ADA, but I could be totally wrong

Looking at my school's (CCN) clerkship data, top 20% is absolutely competitive for some CoA judges. Talk to your clerkship office.

It is absolutely competitive, but OP shouldn't waste a year doing a federal COA clerkship if they want to be an ADA.

[A. Nony Mouse]

Exactly. There is no reason for this OP to do a federal clerkship of any kind. If they really want to clerk, as someone suggested, they could look into state clerkships, but I would ask around first to find out if the state DAs hire a lot of clerks - some DA offices see clerking as a sign that you don’t want to do trials, though I have no idea if any are in NYC. I agree with the “switch to lit, do pro bono, and just apply” advice.

[Anonymous User]

I'm not the person who suggested they clerk, but I think this individual should do a federal clerkship. A young lawyer doesn't know what (s)he wants to do. After all, this person thought that it was a good idea to go to a firm. Many many many ADAs hate the experience and want to go federal, even if they initially wanted to be just ADAs. This person should probably go do a federal clerkship and then become an ADA. That exponentially increases their ability to become an AUSA/DOJ in the future but does nothing to harm their chances of becoming an ADA.

[A. Nony Mouse]

Are NYC ADA offices receptive to hiring federal clerks? I don’t know any ADAs who’ve clerked in federal court, but I also don’t have any experience with NY. I’m not sure clerking in federal *wouldn’t* hurt one’s chances of becoming an ADA, but again, that may be a function of the offices I know.

[Anonymous User]

I'm currently a federal district clerk in NY and met an AUSA who did a federal clerkship in D.C. after law school, and then moved to upstate NY to become an ADA (before ultimately becoming an AUSA).

[PublicInterest]

Are NYC ADA offices receptive to hiring federal clerks? I don’t know any ADAs who’ve clerked in federal court, but I also don’t have any experience with NY. I’m not sure clerking in federal *wouldn’t* hurt one’s chances of becoming an ADA, but again, that may be a function of the offices I know.

I used to work in the Manhattan DA’s office (now an AUSA). Many people at the that office clerked for federal judges, some of them At the COA level. Increasingly laterals are coming from BIg Law (the office had a bit morale hit in 2012-2015 which caused half of the 3rd to 6 years there to leave, so there is a bit fo unbalance at certain levels). That said, its not the norm.