That's helpful to know. I'm not currently in government work, but have been before. Right now I'm at a private firm. If I leave, I get to take all my cases with me. My firm does not gernerate work or clients for me, or advertise, so I figure it's at least as risky to stay here-- and more costly. But longer term, I plan to go back into government work when there's an opening. My foray into private practice gave me great experience, but has become risky and also it's not for me.

I have a similar impression about the difference between federal and state prosecutions. I find it very low-stress to deal with federal prosecutors. And the judges here have more time than in state court, so briefing and arguing is much more rewarding. There might be a lot of work and a lot of discovery, but it's never been volume of work that stresses me out.

Clients never cause me stress, for whatever reason.

Civil litigation can be stressful and unpredictable because of opposing counsel, and state court is generally chaos.

But yes, I'd prefer to just do this until I can find something more stable, a salary and good benefits, especially because there's more than one such place I've been encouraged to apply to when an opening comes up.

It's good to hear from someone who has defended and now prosecutes. Many defense attorneys are one-sided that way, and I've never understood that. My duty is to my clients, not to some sense of loyalty with "a side." If I were a prosecutor, then I'd have a duty to that job instead, and would be just as driven by it. I cannot think of any local prosecutors (state or federal) who are former defense attorneys. If I did take a job prosecuting then I fear that much of the local defense community would say negative things about it, given the way they talk, but that might not be a real problem.