By YARED GETACHEW
In counseling sessions and through speaker events featuring prosecutors and public defenders, we have maintained that the path to charting a career toward both professions, despite the divergent outcomes that prosecutors and indigent defenders seek in their pursuit of justice, is very similar. Competition for entry-level positions, even in a flush economy, is downright brutal. But here's a reality that Virginia Law students have enjoyed for decades: 3Ls who remained steadfast in their pursuit of their dream jobs have all secured employment either through competitive 3L hiring programs or soon after they pass the bar exam. Just so everyone is clear - and I field this question each year: 3Ls and graduating students are not eligible to apply for entry-level positions with federal defender and US Attorney organizations (two exceptions for the latter - USAOs for the Southern and Central Districts of CA - see, e.g.).
So why is student preparation for both careers almost identical? The ultimate conclusion both prosecutor and public defender offices must reach when making hiring decisions is whether candidate have engaged in sustained efforts to: (1) understand substantive and procedural concepts in criminal, constitutional, and evidentiary law (take as many crim law-related courses offered at Virginia including the two key clinics); (2) hone oral advocacy skills (moot court, oral advocacy classes); (3) understand the day-to-day work of attorneys, detectives, investigators, parole and probation officers in our criminal justice system (summer internships and pro bono work); (4) show commitment to service (see 2-4 above and any volunteer endeavor - for indigent defenders, a desire to work with underserved communities is important); (5) some indicia of geographic connection; and (6) express compelling reasons to pursue either law enforcement or indigent defense work.
On Tuesday, February 8, two speakers - a prosecutor and a public defender - will expound on these issues while attempting to convince you to join their side. Joseph Platania is Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney in Charlottesville and Adam Heyman is public defender at the Brooklyn Legal Aid Society, Criminal Practice. Mr. Platania is currently detailed with the United States Attorney's Office, Western District of Virginia, and Mr. Heyman recently returned from Kathmandu, Nepal where he helped represent indigent defendants in Nepal's courts.
The event will take place at 1:00pm in WB154.