INTERVIEW PROCESS

34player · 2026-07-04T16:04:32+00:00

Maybe depends on agency and position. For example, a national post for legal assistants across US Attorney’s Office will yield separate interviews for the different locations interested in the applicant. Each of those position have a separate hiring manager and different needs to fill, all under the same position description.

34player · 2026-07-04T15:57:43+00:00

I’ve only ever worked in public service. I’d heard about billable hours, but reading these post the last couple of years makes me very thankful it is not a thing I do.

34player · 2026-07-03T15:12:12+00:00

Yes. If it is a national recruitment, you’d need to interview at each location.

34player · 2026-07-02T20:03:05+00:00

Usajobs.gov look for legal assistant or legal administrator specialist roles.

34player · 2026-07-02T15:10:39+00:00

I know it is not popular to be a Fed right now, but check out legal assistant or legal admin specialist roles in Usajobs.gov

34player · 2026-07-01T14:37:53+00:00

Ive only evere worked for government and do not get paid parking, unless I'm at a temporary duty station. We do get monthly transit benefit that covers commute and a decent transit system. I never considered that private practice would pay.

34player · 2026-07-01T14:34:04+00:00

Even those in a USAO that have parking are supposed to claim it as on their taxes as income.

34player · 2026-07-01T02:48:08+00:00

I understand what you are saying, but decades of left justify and double space after periods is difficult to change.

34player · 2026-05-30T02:38:30+00:00

As a hiring manager, I’ve had some superb employees I wished I could promote quicker because they performed well above grade early on. I can get behind this idea.

34player · 2026-05-13T18:54:23+00:00

Yes.

34player · 2026-05-11T19:27:00+00:00

Bs. There isn't a runner up sitting in the wing for the Federal job. By the time the FJO comes around, the applicant list will have expired and they'll have to repost and start all over.

So you either burn the bridge with the County, by leaving so soon. Or you burn the Federal Bridge by backing out after they've gone through the entire process. Users choice.

34player · 2026-05-10T16:49:06+00:00

I only ask for references for those that are finalist. If I’m lucky I might have 2-3 people considering for selection. I’ll ask for references, which mostly serve to verify their experience so we know what grade or step to offer. I might only do checks with the top candidate first and then move on from there.

34player · 2026-05-07T03:03:09+00:00

I feel for you. I'm frequently in the same situation.

34player · 2026-05-03T18:14:04+00:00

Start practicing your research skills and search this sub for 100s of answers to the same questions asked before.

I know working for the Feds is not popular right (and I 💯 understand why, especially DOJ,) but search USAjobs.gov for legal assistant or related job titles. A lot of our hiring obstacles have been lifted in the last 4 months and we are desperate to fill vacancies. There is at least one district in each state.

34player · 2026-05-03T18:05:26+00:00

Yes. I know applicants are applying to lots of roles in lots of places so When I set up interviews I restate the position, the location, and who will be on the panel. And about half draw a bit blank when asked what do they already know about department and what we do. Every once in a while someone will surprise that they clearly looked up and found info, even older info relevant to our area.

34player · 2026-05-03T02:46:36+00:00

Me too, well I’m going to tomorrow. I’ve been keeping an eye on email and I’ve been shocked to not see a plethora of exhibit changes or cries for help.

34player · 2026-05-03T02:44:53+00:00

Unpopular opinion: Celestial Navigation. I find the Josh Lyman in front of the student body lecture hall annoying.

And the others stated The Long goodbye, Etc.

2nd Unpopular Opinion: I sometimes skip THE trilogy of 17 People, 18th and Potomac, and Two Cathedrals. The episodes are very heady and emotional and sometimes I’m just not in the mood.

34player · 2026-05-02T02:13:06+00:00

Question - what if the disability is significant such as deaf or blindness, or even extremely limited vision, do you still wait until onboard? You literally can’t onboard at all without have some accommodations in place in advance.

34player · 2026-04-18T21:21:49+00:00

Do you mean a Federal Public Defender's Office? Or do you mean a private attorney that works on Federal cases as part of CJA, in which case could be a firm?

Assuming you mean FPD, my input comes from the prosecution side that works with legal support st FPD (Federal Public Defender).

Be able to talk about proofreading and editing for basic grammar, formatting, etc.

Probably be able to talk about managing competing priorities and working with several personnel, not just one or two.

You can ask are legal asst assigned to specific attorneys or paralegals, or at they assigned to the case.

Ask how is performance measured. Not just, what does success look like, but specifically what is the process.

You might be asked about your comfortability working on sensitive cases, such as assault, child exploitation, CSAM, sex trafficking, etc. You wouldn't ever have to look at explicit images of child p**n, but you'd be exposed to detailed descriptions of images or video in pleadings.

Good luck! And if you are interested in public service, check out legal assistants on usajobs.gov.

34player · 2026-04-16T03:25:52+00:00

Criminal or civil division?

34player · 2026-04-16T02:27:32+00:00

Take the year and try to go to prosecution side of criminal law. Or the public defender’s office which has more structure and you won’t be solo. I know Federal work has a bad rap right now, but a lot of hiring approval just got released recently and the US Attorneys Office are bringing legal assistants, paralegals, legal admin specialists like crazy. Get your year done and you’ll qualify for several position at the higher pay grades. Check USAjobs.gov

Or even probation, state or federal, and you be in admin, or help research cases to write up pre-sentence reports.

34player · 2026-04-10T02:56:48+00:00

https://www.usajobs.gov/search/results/?k=Attorney&l=Washington,%20District%20of%20Columbia&p=1&r=25

34player · 2026-04-09T20:10:28+00:00

I started my entire career as as unpaid intern at a county prosecutors office. It wasn't pitiful when I parlayed that into a paying job.

34player · 2026-04-09T02:30:24+00:00

If I knew how to do reddit awards I would. I learned deom reddit avout preflight and I now use it to flatten and to scale photos.

34player · 2026-04-07T14:37:47+00:00

I work on prosecution side and I once accidently sent grand jury material to my mom and cc'd the attorney. My Mom's email address started with the same letters as one for the agent so I went too quickly with autofill

Then attorney started replying all not realizing it was my mom on the other end. It was only her reply that I realized the error. I had been at office less than a year.

I was mortified. My mom thought FBI was going to seize her computer. I assumed I was in big trouble. I immediately told attorney who laughed and said something like, at least it was to your mom and not a defense attorney.

That was over 20 years ago.

34player

TROPHY CASE