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WEEKLY RECRUITER SPEAK
The Marketability of Government Attorneys to Private Firms This week, our recruiters take on the issue of how a government attorney is likely to be viewed by law ďŹ rms looking to hire -- and the answer may surprise you.
Question
likely to occur than a move from public
If you are ready to make your move, a
I am a fourth year criminal prosecutor. How
defender in the juvenile services program to
recruiting firm will most likely be unable to
difficult is it right now to transition from a
corporate law.
help you since law firms generally require law firm experience in dealing with candi-
government position to private practice? Aside from your legal skills, job availability in
dates from recruiters. However, there are
Answer
different areas of private sector law should
many options available to you, including job
The path from public service to private
be considered. In the last few years, posi-
boards and targeted mailing services, that
practice actually occurs quite frequently.
tions in litigation have risen, while corporate
could help you find your next position.
In fact, many senior partners at law firms
law jobs have diminished. Litigation positions
have had some experience as a government
in large firms also often depend on factors
attorney. Some of the issues that private
such as a top-notch law school, law review
firms will consider are the transferability of
involvement, and the prestige of your current
your skills and the current public position
job. Additionally, job availability varies based
that you hold. Many times the skills that
on different locations in the country. Large
a government attorney has acquired from
cities on the coasts will have more jobs avail-
experience on important cases will be the
able than smaller cities and may be a safer
determining factor for firms to consider him
bet if you are looking to make a switch. Thus,
or her. For example, an experienced federal
both the area of private practice law as well
prosecutor will have an easier time finding a
as the location of your potential move should
job in a large law firm than a first-year public
be taken into account.
defender. That is not to say that only those attorneys in the loftiest government positions
Finally, before making the decision to jump,
can transfer to the private sector, but they
general differences between public and pri-
will certainly have an advantage in getting
vate sectors should be regarded. In general,
into the prestigious private firms.
a private law firm will expect more hours out of their lawyers and require more intense
You must consider the transferability of the
job evaluations. Private sector positions
skills of your current position and determine
also do not carry the almost guaranteed job
if they can be reasonably applied to a private
security of government jobs. Government
sector job. If your current position is as a
jobs also provide many lawyers with the ad-
district attorney or a federal prosecutor,
ditional emotional satisfaction of working on
then the switch to a civil litigation attorney
important and exciting cases. Your position
would be a sensible one. The more applicable
as a government attorney also places you
your current job skills are to your position of
with a higher chance of moving up to a higher
consideration, obviously the more favorable
government post, such as a judicial position
your chances are of making a switch. A move
or a position in a federal or state cabinet. Of
such as a trial attorney in the Department of
course what large private firms do offer in
Justice, environment and natural resources
exchange for all these benefits is a higher
division to a position in the environmental
salary and a chance to finally own that Ger-
defense practice of a firm would be more
man roadster you’ve been eyeing.
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