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Is this a viable plan:

Clerk for a year. Go to an DA's office for 9 years. PSLF/IBR my loans. Then apply for Big Law litigation if I still want BL by then? Interested in doing both and would like to know if BL firms see experienced felony-level ADA's as attractive recruits. Or is it just AUSAs?

crimorbl wrote:Is this a viable plan:

Clerk for a year. Go to an DA's office for 9 years. PSLF/IBR my loans. Then apply for Big Law litigation if I still want BL by then? Interested in doing both and would like to know if BL firms see experienced felony-level ADA's as attractive recruits. Or is it just AUSAs?

The people I see coming into my BL firm from govt jobs were federal level prosecutors or in DOJ/SEC/etc, and most had prior BL experience. Problem with your plan is, from what I can see, at 9 years, that is the opening window of partner consideration, yet you have no play into the type of practice they want to gain, have no book of business, and have no experience with normal civil litigation. The candidate in your plan has nothing a BL firm wants. My understanding of the draw of federal govt. level litigation is that it parlays well into defending firm clients in SEC enforcement and white collar matters.

alphasteve wrote:

crimorbl wrote:Is this a viable plan:

Clerk for a year. Go to an DA's office for 9 years. PSLF/IBR my loans. Then apply for Big Law litigation if I still want BL by then? Interested in doing both and would like to know if BL firms see experienced felony-level ADA's as attractive recruits. Or is it just AUSAs?

The people I see coming into my BL firm from govt jobs were federal level prosecutors or in DOJ/SEC/etc, and most had prior BL experience. Problem with your plan is, from what I can see, at 9 years, that is the opening window of partner consideration, yet you have no play into the type of practice they want to gain, have no book of business, and have no experience with normal civil litigation. The candidate in your plan has nothing a BL firm wants. My understanding of the draw of federal govt. level litigation is that it parlays well into defending firm clients in SEC enforcement and white collar matters.

Thank you for your response. That makes sense. I suppose I should aim for an ADA position and then apply as much as possible for a coveted AUSA/DOJ position and hope for the best.

If you don't work in biglaw right put of law school (or clerking), it is highly unlikely that you ever will.

retake.

For the most part, if you're coming out as an ADA you're really looking at small law or mid law (if your lucky) working in areas like personal injury or most commonly, criminal defense. You'll more than likely be working with real clients as opposed to corporations. You can still make a better salary than the DA's office working in some of these practice areas but if you stay with the DA's office long enough, your salary can get in the $100k-$120k range and you have the option to not really worry about saving for retirement because you'll have a sweet pension (in my city at least). I know this from my experience in working at my local DA's office and hoping to land a job there after law school. My plan as of now is put in 20-25 years at the DA's office then leave by early 50s/late 40s hopefully hang a shingle while teaching at the local community college. Then by early 60s start collecting that $40k-$50k a yr pension while practicing part time for myself. Of course, this me at 24 saying all this so it could all change easily but for now that's what I'm hoping for. I tell u my plan to show that there are more fulfilling alternatives to leaving a DA's office than Biglaw. But then again, I'm very pro public service and can't see myself as a corporate drone. It might be different for you.

crimorbl wrote:Is this a viable plan:

Clerk for a year. Go to an DA's office for 9 years. PSLF/IBR my loans. Then apply for Big Law litigation if I still want BL by then? Interested in doing both and would like to know if BL firms see experienced felony-level ADA's as attractive recruits. Or is it just AUSAs?

+1 to all of the above.

Also, keep in mind that PSLF has been subject to some debate about a forgiveness cap. Those of us currently in school / about to graduate should be fine, but the PSLF unlimited forgiveness ship is not going to stay afloat forever.

souzakid wrote:retake.

Amazing first post

sd5289 wrote:

crimorbl wrote:Is this a viable plan:

Clerk for a year. Go to an DA's office for 9 years. PSLF/IBR my loans. Then apply for Big Law litigation if I still want BL by then? Interested in doing both and would like to know if BL firms see experienced felony-level ADA's as attractive recruits. Or is it just AUSAs?

+1 to all of the above.

Also, keep in mind that PSLF has been subject to some debate about a forgiveness cap. Those of us currently in school / about to graduate should be fine, but the PSLF unlimited forgiveness ship is not going to stay afloat forever.

This. Looks like it can get really cloudy after the class of 2017 graduates. If you're committed to public service, better make a move soon

At the firm I summered at, pretty much everyone who worked in white collar defense had been a prosecutor before. I think they were AUSAs, though.

I am vaguely under the impression that if you came in as someone with partner-level experience (e.g. 9 years) but without a significant book of business, etc., they could make you Special Counsel for a couple of years and then, if you were doing well, make you a partner. I am vaguely under the impression that that is pretty common at firms that hire semi-senior people. But I don't know the details of this, and it would bear further asking around.

I am also vaguely under the impression that you can go the other way (biglaw for long enough to pay off your loans, then become a prosecutor). So that's also something to consider if you want to do both.