How to Become an Assistant District Attorney

An assistant district attorney (or assistant Commonwealth's attorney depending upon the jurisdiction) is an attorney employed by the government who prosecutes the jurisdiction's criminal cases. The primary duty of an assistant district attorney is to represent the jurisdiction in prosecuting criminal cases, including disposing of criminal cases by plea deal or trial by jury. To become an assistant district attorney, you must first obtain a bachelor's degree, graduate from law school and be licensed to practice law in your state. After obtaining a license to practice, you must seek employment with the district attorney's office and successfully complete training.

Things You'll Need

• B.A. or B.S. degree
• License to practice law in your state

Instructions

1. Obtain a B.A. or B.S. degree. Law school is a three-year post-graduate program (although some schools offer a four-year, part-time or evening program) requiring a bachelor's degree before admission. Although some prospective law students major in criminal justice, history, political science or participate in a pre-law program, there is no specific major required for enrolling in law school. In fact, many law schools prefer students with diverse educational backgrounds, such as mathematics, sciences and foreign languages.

2. Register with the Law School Admission Council (LSAC), take the Law School Admissions Test (LSAT) and enroll in law school. Before you can begin applying to law schools, you must first register with the LSAC and take the LSAT. This difficult standardized test is a written examination containing multiple-choice sections that test your reading comprehension abilities and logic skills. The last section is an essay question that will serve as your writing sample. To apply for law school, submit a completed application, along with a statement on why you are a good candidate, to the schools through the LSAC. Submit your letters of recommendation to the LSAC, and inform it of the schools you want to receive your LSAT score.

3. Take criminal practice and procedure courses in law school. Once you have become a law student, your first year will consist of a predetermined schedule, including courses in property, torts, contracts, legal research/writing, civil procedure and substantive criminal law. During your second and third year, take additional criminal law-oriented courses, such as trial practice and criminal practice and procedure. Also, join the law review and participate in a criminal law moot court team. During your summer breaks, seek employment as a law clerk with the district attorney's office or participate in an externship during the school year.

4. Register for and pass your state's bar exam. You must pass your state's bar exam before you can work as an assistant district attorney. Most law students register for the bar exam during their final semester in law school. Registration for the bar exam is usually a months-long process in which applicants must complete an application detailing their background, including disclosing traffic violations, past employment, past addresses, disclosing criminal background and providing a list of references to be questioned about your fitness to practice law. Once you are determined eligible to sit for the bar exam, you can take the test. Each state administers its bar exam differently and covers different subjects. All states, however, administer the test over at least two days and dedicate one full day to administering the "MBE," the Multi-State Bar Exam, and at least one full day of essays covering state law. Before taking the bar exam, participate in a traditional bar exam preparation course, such as BAR/BRI or PMBR. After you pass the bar exam, be sure to take all other steps necessary to obtain your license to practice, including paying your state bar association's dues and being sworn in.

5. Apply for an assistant district attorney position. After you receive your license to practice law, seek employment with the district attorney's office. Many law students seek employment with the district attorney's office well before graduation and begin working immediately upon passing the bar exam. For this reason, it may be more difficult to find an open position if you wait until you receive your license before applying for the job. Once you are hired, though, you may be trained on how to work as a prosecutor, and you will be assigned to work in a general trial division overseen by a more senior assistant district attorney.

Tips & Warnings

• Many states coordinate an annual convention for its prosecutors where they learn about changes in the law, supreme court rulings, and how to enhance the quality of its work, from working with law enforcement in investigations and choosing the appropriate charges.

References

• LSAC -- About the LSAT
• Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office
• U.S. Department of Justice - Steps of a Federal Prosecutor's Job

Resources

• Law School Admission Council (LSAC)
• U.S. News & World Report -- Law School Rankings
• American Bar Association -- Official Guide to ABA-Approved Law Schools