Gov't --> Biglaw? Forum

Lieut Kaffee · Post by **Lieut Kaffee** » Tue Dec 08, 2009 7:54 pm

Anyone seen the movie "Fracture"? I'm wondering if it's plausible to kick enough butt as an ADA (or similar position) to be recruited by firms relatively young. Or is this a career arc only seen in the movies?

Leeroy Jenkins · Post by **Leeroy Jenkins** » Tue Dec 08, 2009 7:56 pm

LieutKaffee wrote:Anyone seen the movie "Fracture"? I'm wondering if it's plausible to kick enough butt as an ADA (or similar position) to be recruited by firms relatively young. Or is this a career arc only seen in the movies?

Really only holds true for defense firms AFAIK

Lieut Kaffee · Post by **Lieut Kaffee** » Tue Dec 08, 2009 8:02 pm

Lxw wrote:
LieutKaffee wrote:Anyone seen the movie "Fracture"? I'm wondering if it's plausible to kick enough butt as an ADA (or similar position) to be recruited by firms relatively young. Or is this a career arc only seen in the movies?
Really only holds true for defense firms AFAIK

That makes sense. Thanks for the input.

underdawg · Post by **underdawg** » Thu Dec 10, 2009 2:56 pm

um im pretty sure biglaw would love to have you, particularly in white collar defense, if you have good DA experience (and you still have good grades, good school, etc). unless you are calling biglaw "defense" firms, iuno

bahama · Post by **bahama** » Thu Dec 10, 2009 7:15 pm

I know a guy who got hired by a top tier litigation boutique after a few years as a litigator at DOJ. He clerked and graduated from a T6 school before DOJ.

Probably not going to happen from the county prosecutor's office though.

legends159 · Post by **legends159** » Thu Dec 10, 2009 7:22 pm

getting DOJ out of law school is much harder than getting big law.

General Tso · Post by **General Tso** » Thu Dec 10, 2009 7:24 pm

LieutKaffee wrote:Anyone seen the movie "Fracture"? I'm wondering if it's plausible to kick enough butt as an ADA (or similar position) to be recruited by firms relatively young. Or is this a career arc only seen in the movies?

also in that movie, biglaw associates get fired for losing a single case

legends159 · Post by **legends159** » Thu Dec 10, 2009 7:29 pm

can you imagine working your butt off to get into a biglaw position and then getting fired a month in because you failed to file a motion in time and ended up defaulting on a judgment?

That would royally suck big time.

a bit O/T but just came across my mind.

cerise · Post by **cerise** » Thu Dec 24, 2009 7:00 pm

Does this apply to other areas of government- specifically IRS's chief counsel? Maybe spending a few years at government and then lateraling over to a tax practice group in big law?

I was thinking that such a move would be unlikely because it is my understanding that when law firms hire laterals, they mainly look at the book fo business that one brings...

underdawg · Post by **underdawg** » Thu Dec 24, 2009 10:04 pm

i think a book of people you are friendly with at the government is as important as a book of business, no?

TTT-LS · Post by **TTT-LS** » Fri Dec 25, 2009 3:40 am

BradyToMoss · Post by **BradyToMoss** » Fri Dec 25, 2009 7:33 pm

Several partners and senior associates at the firm I accepted at started off their careers as an ADA. Of course, as was already mentioned, it is often more difficult to get a spot with the DA's office than with a biglaw firm. So if you're looking for a back-door into BigLaw, this probably is not it.

legends159 wrote:can you imagine working your butt off to get into a biglaw position and then getting fired a month in because you failed to file a motion in time and ended up defaulting on a judgment?

That would royally suck big time.

a bit O/T but just came across my mind.

If you just started, I doubt the firm is leaving the filing responsibility on you, so this probably isn't a valid concern.

Renzo · Post by **Renzo** » Sat Dec 26, 2009 12:12 pm

What government position is extremely relavent to your question. The financial regulators, NLRB, IRS, EPA, FDA, Commerce, etc. will all get you a private sector job, because you'll have expertise and contacts inside the regulatory agency. DOJ mostly hires biglaw associates with a few years experience, and I'm sure going back the other way would be possible.
The Manhattan DA's office prosecutes enough white-collar and financial crimes that you could probably use it as a springboard, but being a prosecutor in Macon, Alabama isn't going to get you there.

rockthelaw · Post by **rockthelaw** » Tue Dec 29, 2009 10:09 am

Renzo wrote:What government position is extremely relavent to your question. The financial regulators, NLRB, IRS, EPA, FDA, Commerce, etc. will all get you a private sector job, because you'll have expertise and contacts inside the regulatory agency. DOJ mostly hires biglaw associates with a few years experience, and I'm sure going back the other way would be possible.

My friend's "biglaw" firm recently hired a 3L who interned with my friend's practice group this past summer. The 3L had previously worked for 3 years at a government regulatory agency, and had many contacts within the agency. From what my friend told me, this particular 3L was not the best candidate for a full-time position (careless spelling and grammar errors in briefs, late filings) but the partner felt that the added contacts within the regulatory agency would benefit the group. I'm not sure if they're hiring the 3L as a staff attorney or associate, but I think associate.

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