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My question is straightforward: what happens, if anything, to AUSAs who leave a USAO prior to completing their 3- or 4-year committment? Do people do this often? If you leave after one or two years, would it raise eyebrows with other legal employers?

I don't know generally speaking how this is handled. I do know someone who got a USAO gig (not SDNY) through the honors program and left after a year, with no issues. I don't think the commitment is binding - more of a request - and it would be more likely to burn bridges with the USAO than affect anything with other employers (depending on how much you need a reference from the office maybe).

That said, not sure why you'd leave after 1-2 years rather than just finish out the commitment. I wouldn't think that 1-2 years is going to give you enough substantive experience to make taking the job worthwhile. I think if there's some kind of personal/family reason that comes up, that's one thing, but that it doesn't make sense to plan to leave earlier.

Leavenworth.

It depends on where you go before the period runs. If you’re going to white collar defense and staying there forever then probably no big unless there’s some kind of bonus from the USAO. If you’re looking to go to a different USAO or hoping the USAO will get behind your judgeship application, that’s a different story.

Yes, there's a penalty. It's a social penalty. The USAO in any given city, NYC or anywhere, is one of the best-networked offices in the legal community. There are senior partners at biglaw offices whose best man at their marriage was a senior AUSA currently. Top criminal defense lawyers in town are drinking buddies with more AUSAs than you might think. Half of the federal judges in your town are probably former AUSAs.

So no, there's no legal consequence for breaking that social commitment to the USAO. They can't force you to do anything. But there is a social cost that will cost you dearly in ways you will likely never visibly perceive or be aware of.

Anonymous User wrote: ↑

Mon Feb 06, 2023 6:40 pm

My question is straightforward: what happens, if anything, to AUSAs who leave a USAO prior to completing their 3- or 4-year committment? Do people do this often? If you leave after one or two years, would it raise eyebrows with other legal employers?

they motion for an order and the court holds you in contempt. the us marshals then drag you out of your home, string you up like a slab of meat in the USAO office and take turns punching you like a heavybag.