If you are an attorney or a law school student, I have a few questions for you. I am considering going back to college. I currently have a good job in something completely unrelated (electronics) but through my own pending lawsuit I have found the study of law quite interesting. Having said that, all through grade school and high school my grades in english were better than math, even though I enjoyed math much more. Today, I have a greater interest in reading and writing than I ever did in school. So, my consideration right now is to back to college and get an english degree, and then continue on to law school.

Even though my lawsuit is estate oriented, through research on my own and speaking to different people I have developed a keen interest in law enforcement. In other words, I would like to work in the county prosecutor/district attorney's office. Just the thought of having access to all the evidence of a crime and then drag the person(s) charged with it through the legal system gets me rather pumped up.

Having explained all of that, here are my questions....

I know you choose your area of law to study in your second year of LS. After you graduate and pass the state bar exam, when or how is the application process for, say, the county prosecutor's office? Do you have to be part of a successfull private practice or lawfirm before the county or district would consider you? In 20 years I could see myself as a federal prosecutor. Is that a position to which you are appointed (like a federal district appeallate court judge) or do you apply?

I appreciate anyone's insight to this.

 

Im no Law Student but Federal Prosecutors are appointed....everything else is straight politics...you gotta know someone to move up

 

I'm a public defender (federal court, mostly appeals), so I'll see if I can help.

Actually, you generally don't "choose your area of law" while in law school. There are legal graduate degrees (LLMs) that you can get once you have a JD that are specialized, but you need a JD first. Once you get past the required classes in law school, you can choose stuff that is of more interest to you, however. I took stuff I was actually interested in, rather than just trying to cover bar exam topics, and it helped keep me sane. Depending on where you go to law school, you can get into a clinical program in your 2nd or 3rd year and actually work on real cases.

Nah, you just apply for the job just like any other. In fact, lots of assistant prosecutors and asssitant PDs are fresh out of law school and stay in those jobs a couple of years to get experience before jumping to private practice. Depending on where you go to law school, DA offices, PD offices, attorney generals, etc. will come to campus and recruit soon-to-be grads.

The United States Attorney in each district is appointed by the Presdient and confirmed by the Senate, just like a judge. That sometimes leaves vacancies for a while as the politics get worked out (both WV districts are without US Attorneys right now, for instance). Assistant US Attorneys, who do most of the actual work, are hired just like for any other job. The federal red tape is a little different, but it's just like any other job - watch for an opening, send in resume.

If you've got any other questions, PM me and I'll be happy to try and answer them.

 

i'd suggest getting a part time job clerking in a law firm just to get a feel for it as going to law school is very different than practicing law (i found the latter was not particularly for me but that was after 2 years already in so i specialized more in business aspects of law and do not currently practice)

another thing you want to do is make sure your school you choose has a clerkship in a public defenders office to get used to the practical criminal side (these are easier to come by), out of law school i'd look into getting a clerkship with a county or circuit court (of course this depends on your connections and grades)

 

I thank you both for your responses. I would definitely consider a clerkship at one of our county courthouses (we have two - the justice center for criminal trials and civil lawsuits and the other is probate, estates, domestic, and child support)..... I actually have met 1 of the judges and 2 magistrates at the probate courthouse.