United States Attorney's Office

[jeff2486]

I am a 1L and was offered a law clerk position with the USAO in San Diego. I have to let them know by Wednesday of next week.

Out of all of the jobs I have applied to this is the most appealing in terms of non-monetary factors. I want to practice in CA, so getting to know the San Diego legal community is a plus and the work itself is appealing. I had another interview with less interesting work in a less desirable area of California that would pay $16 an hour, but I have not heard back from them yet. Also I have an interview scheduled with a corporation in New England that would pay $25 an hour. The work there is interesting as well, the money is very good, but the location is not my favorite. I am work study eligible so hopefully I will be able to get funding to make $4,000 this summer at the USAO, which is around $10 an hour, but I could end up making nothing at the USAO. I am not in dire straits for money, but as we all know the money can be tempting.

Any advice. Should I take the USAO gig? Will USAO look good to firms when interviewing next year?  How prestigious if at all are these positions?

[p0six]

I had put that I worked at the USAO office this fall (I'm a 2L) and I got asked about it at almost every interview during OCI.  And this was before I even did a lick of work for them (I had been accepted for the fall internship but I hadn't started working at the time of OCI).  Take the USAO, it's an easy choice.

[jeff2486]

Thanks for your response.  Very Good to hear.

How was it in terms of the experience?  Did you do civil, criminal, both?

[craven]

Agreed, go do it.  I got an offer at a USAO well after I had accepted a job clerking for a judge.  I think those two positions are about as good as it gets as a 1L.

[jeff2486]

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