And I made a promise when I took my first job, that I would offer as much help as possible to any student or intern who sought it. It is a dark road that no one understands. There was not much assistance when I tried to figure out what jobs to apply for and ultimately accept (I had two offers!).
As an aid to those in law school or those making the switch to criminal law, I thought I'd provide a little guidance on how to become an ADA:
1) Seek out the areas you want to live in and then apply to all the DA's offices around there. Do not apply to just one in the hopes they hire you. New York City DA's offices hire 40-50 new attorneys a year out of thousands of applications. Smaller counties may not even hire one a year out of thousands of applications.
2) Study some criminal law. I've conducted interviews and read many resumes. The ones that stand out show some interest in criminal law. It is a tough legal economy causing increased applications to every DA's office. Applicants who normally would seek out law firms and never studied any criminal law are now applying. No one begrudges a law student applying to many places to land a job, but you should show at least some interest in the position.
3) Mock trial, trial team, and trial technique classes are important. While these are structured (read - fictional and rehearsed) settings it demonstrates you like to be in a courtroom.
4) Intern at a DA's office. We remember the interns who completed projects on time, asked for feedback, and played on the softball team.
5) How important are grades? Thankfully, not critically important as long as you distinguish yourself in some other way. I was hired in a New York City office as an average student (mostly Bs with some As thrown in). I didn't win any awards for my scholarship. My resume and experience (mock trial, internship, criminal law job during law school) got me in the door. I showed them in the interview how well I relate to people. It's what the job's about after all.
6) Do you need to know someone? I didn't, but it can't hurt. It doesn't always help and it's usually overdone. I just read a cover letter today that dropped ten names, declared the applicant's political party, and violated every piece of the next rule.
7) Resume and cover letter - Use clear, concise, grammatically correct, and active sentences. Does this need to be said?
8) Research the office's structure, programs, and statistics before the interview so you can use the information during the interview.
9) Send handwritten thank you notes. Yes, things like this still matter.
10) Don't be afraid to follow-up. Just not too soon. Give it a week after your interview at least. Remember in small counties there are at least twenty people interviewed for every position. In major cities, that number swells to a thousand. Give them time to conduct the interviews, but not too much time so they forget you.
There are a thousand more items to discuss, but this is the nuts and bolts. Write a comment with a specific question andI I'll do my best to answer it. Or just send an email.
Check back later this week to see my journey to becoming an ADA and the qualities that make a successful ADA.
Hmm. I graduated top half of my class from a Tier 1 law school. I won two trial advocacy competitions, competed in moot court, and obtained top grades in Evidence and Criminal Trial Practice. I am admitted to 3 bars. I have 6 years of public and private criminal defense experience, and I have first chaired numerous criminal bench and jury trials not to mention a few appeals. I have hit up every prosecution office in the state incl city prosecutors, repeatedly over the past few years, and I have never been able to land an interview.
ReplyDeleteI think they are looking for something more than what I can offer, but I just don't know what it is.
You should email me if you are interested in New York State. Those credentials sound good to me.
ReplyDeleteHi,
ReplyDeleteI attend law school in Chicago and have been working at the Cook County State's Attorney's Office for the past year. I have always planned on working there, but it looks like there is a good chance my husband may be transferred to New York for his job (and I would go with him!). The deadline has passed for applying to the DA's office. What do you recommend for other possible gov jobs, and for applying with the DA's office in the future? Thanks!
Email me at prosecutorsdiscretion@gmail.com with where you would be moving and what year you are in.
DeleteI am scheduled for a panel interview (2nd round) with the Bronx D.A. Any tips? Great blog by the way. I read at least 12 entries before my first interview. It was very helpful. I understand that their will be hypos, and the most ethical answer always prevails.
ReplyDeleteSure - 3 person panel who are usually the most senior ADAs. They want to see how well you think on your feet. Learn as much as you can about the Bronx (or anywhere you interview), crime rates, how an Assistant moves through the ranks, what bureau you want to go into. Remember, everyone wants to hire someone who will be in the job for the long term and that they would be willing to work with. Show how you are always willing to help colleagues while zealously prosecuting crimes.
DeleteI go to Elmira College in upstate New York although I am from a town in PA. I am a history major as the school does not offer a pre-law major,, but have taking a few criminal justice classes and other law classes. I want to work in the District Attorney's office New York City one day or some where very close. I am looking to intern at a DA's office next summer or next spring. Would it be bad idea to try to intern at the DA's office in Elmira or at home when I do not want to work in near either one? It would be difficult for me to intern in NYC.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely. Do an internship to make sure you like it, get experience, and make you marketable in the field you want to go into. Do it in Elmira or wherever you can.
DeleteI am a recent high school graduate (graduated one semester early) and am looking into possibly pursuing a career as an ADA or a DA (girl can hope, right?). However, I am currently at a community college that does not offer pre-law or very many classes in that regard. What do you suggest I do?
ReplyDeleteI tell all aspiring attorneys that pre-law is the worst major before law school. Take classes in finance, business, economics, science, or something else to get knowledge about other topics before law school. If you want to sample pre-law classes, take just a few.
DeleteNow, I understand there are no pre-law classes available at your place. If you want to sample some, take some U.S. history, government classes, and maybe even a class involving a long critiqued research paper.
I just stumbled across your blog and might I add I love it. I'm a freshman philosophy major at a 4 year university in texas. I've always had a interest in criminal law and my question is. Will being a philosophy major direct me in the right path or should I switch to another major such as finance or economics?
ReplyDeletePhilosophy is something good to have knowledge of because it will help you understand the law and its origins. But a degree in it does not give you practical skills. You can get into law school with a philosophy degree, but if you decide not to go or do not get in, you really don't have much to fall back on. If you love it, I'm loath to tell you to switch, but can you minor in it? Dual major?
DeleteSometimes I believe that you can have too much experience. I am an attorney with 16 years of practice (all but 3 in the public sector). I a former ADA who left the office 8 years ago to pursue other legal opportunities in the government sector. I have decided to go back into prosecution, but I feel that my experience and years of practice are working against me. "...why hire me when you can hire two individuals coming out of a judicial clerkship at the same price?"
ReplyDeleteNonetheless, I am not giving up. I just had an interview this week with a different DA's office than the one that I formerly worked in. The interview was with two supervisors in the trial section & they let me know that this is just the 1st stage, but they'll report their observations & comments to the 1st Assistant. The interview was just as you described above, the questions asked were how to see how well I thought on my feet. I sent the handwritten thank you notes. I really want to seal the deal. Any advice please? I am open to all suggestions...
DA offices are constrained by budgets. It's why they would rather hire a recent grad than a 10 year experienced attorney. My advice is to keep reaching out to personal contacts you have. You have to show them why you are worth the money. How does your experience better the office?
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