Criminal: Prosecuting Offices
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A prosecutor is the government attorney who charges and tries cases against individuals accused of crimes. Prosecutors’ offices exist at the federal, state, and local level; at the local or state level, prosecutors work in District Attorneys’ (or State’s Attorneys’) Offices and Attorney Generals’ Offices; at the federal level, prosecutors work for the U.S. Department of Justice (including U.S. Attorney’s Offices). Larger offices may have specialized units focusing on areas such as homicide, narcotics, juvenile prosecution, domestic violence, sex crimes and appellate work.
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Work Types
- Trial Litigation
- Appellate Litigation
- Investigation
- Legal Writing
- Enforcement
How Do I Get There?
Many District Attorneys’ offices hire entry level lawyers for full-time work during their 3L or clerkship year. Entry-level jobs are rare at state Attorney Generals’ Offices, although a few states do tend to offer entry-level Honors programs or fellowships (MA, CA, WA, OR, CO, PA, OH). The U.S. Department of Justice hires 3Ls and clerks through its Honors Program; however, the majority of DOJ attorneys are hired laterally.
Employers typically look for the following in candidates:
- Commitment to public/government service
- Internships focused on criminal justice/prosecution
- Law school courses and clinical experiences focused on criminal justice/prosecution
- Litigation skills, particularly experience in oral advocacy and/or in court experience
- Writing skills, especially for appellate positions
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Both prosecutors and public defenders have varying views on how they evaluate experience on the other side. In large cities or in competitive offices, employers typically dislike experience with the opposing side. This is especially true for public defenders, perhaps less so for prosecutors.
Many new law students are not sure which side will suit them best and want to explore by interning on both sides. While this is understandable, both sides are also seeking a commitment to their respective missions, which don’t always align. Shadowing an attorney for a couple days on each side might be a good option.