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I’m going to try not to provide so much info that I might be identifiable, but enough that my question can be answered:

I have worked a couple jobs already on the path to ausa and I’m currently a mid level biglaw lit associate with a split between civil lit and investigations. Suffice it to say that I’m not in a huge rush to get out, as I am saving a good amount of money, and I am fairly highly regarded at the firm, but I just do not see myself making that partner push. There’s no pressure on me to leave right now and I feel valued at the firm, but I sense that it’ll be take to make a move eventually.

I am not geographically flexible and am targeting only one district for ausa. It is competitive, though (think a small tier below sdny deny). I have a good enough ausa resume that I went through two rounds of interviews there a couple years ago (even without any biglaw), so I know I am within reach generally speaking.

My question is whether there is an outside limit in terms of years post law school graduation, at which point seniority starts hurting one for ausa application. To the extent there is a sweet spot for competitive districts (call it 4 years out to 7 years out), why is that a “sweet spot?”

Assume I will have saved enough by the time I make the jump that I won’t be super concerned about salary.

(Current AUSA so posting anon.) I have known people to get hired with a whole range of experience levels. The problem with getting hired later is that the more senior you are, the more expensive you are. So I think to the extent there’s a sweet spot, it’s having enough experience to be able to do the job with limited training/oversight, without having so much experience that you cost a lot. Where that spot actually falls, though, probably depends on a given office’s hiring practices. Plenty of offices will pay more to get the candidate they want, but it’s hard to say specifically what that means in a given office. I’d just suggest looking at what experience most hires in that office have had.

I assume you’re not applying to EDVA, but I know their hiring window is 3-5 years out of law school. After that, you are at a serious disadvantage.

OP here. It’s not EDVA. Maybe a small tier below that one too.

But can you elaborate regarding why edva has that window? Is it about budget?