Exit Options from Gov't Forum

[Anonymous User]

What are the typical exit options for a desirable posting at Main Justice (e.g., Fed. Programs, Antitrust, Civil Appellate, etc.) vs. a desirable USAO (e.g., SDNY)?

The two groups of jobs obviously develop different skill sets--substantive expertise in a particular area or kind of practice versus more dynamic in court experience, but less focus on a specific area--but still curious for people's thoughts.

[JOThompson]

The consensus here is that it totally depends on what type of cases you're doing at a prestigious USAO. Drugs and guns won't get you into white collar defense, for example. Others can probably post more firsthand experience. Specialized experience is generally going to be preferable to general trial experience with drug trafficking, guns, assault, etc.

[Anonymous User]

OP here.

Main Justice probably offers less time in court, though, which is a unique skill. And plenty of DOJ lawyers do not end up doing much of substance. I take your point about the USAO, however.

[nixy]

It feels a little like you're comparing apples and oranges, though, because the main justice gigs you reference are civil lit, whereas prestigious AUSA gig is criminal. (No disrespect meant to civil AUSAs, that's just not usually what people are talking about as prestigious AUSA.) So those are going to lead down two very different paths. From the USAO, typical options are biglaw white collar defense (assuming you get the pertinent experience, which admittedly you probably would in SDNY or EDNY), private criminal defense, or working as a judge. From main justice, you're going to be looking at civil lit jobs in the area in which you specialized, which suggests biglaw to me, but I suppose depends on the practice area. In any case, it seems sort of difficult to compare the two.