How to Get Feel of Government Agency Legal Job

Let us discuss the scenario if you want to seek a legal opening in a governmental agency. You must see how you would be able to fit into the scheme of practice. Keeping this in view some important questions (principally for the Third Year student) are designed for you to get a better feel of for a governmental agency. Here are the questions:

What is the organization of the law department? Where do junior lawyers fit in?


As always, it is important to determine how you are going to fit into the scheme of practice within a given corporation. The answers to this question are relevant in the same way answers to similar questions about the context of private firms and corporations are relevant. The organization of govern mental agencies tends to be more fixed than that of corporate law departments and law firms. Nonetheless, you should look for as many of the positive characteristics attributed to firms and corporations as possible.

How does the law department relate to the head of the agency?

This question corresponds to similar questions asked in the context of corporate legal departments and private law firms. As in the case of those two institutions, the answers will provide an insight as to the real importance of the legal department within the agency. For example, the General Counsel of the Treasury or the State Department or the Securities and Exchange Commission appears to have access to and be vitally involved with the respective Secretaries and Commissioners. Presumably staff lawyers share in that. However, the same may not be true in all cases or at any given time. Political appointments sometimes put people together who find they have personality conflicts.

After reviewing of the United States Government manual on the enabling legislation that establishes the jurisdiction of the agency, you should develop specific questions concerning the agency in the exercise of its legislative mandate. For example, if you are applying to the Federal Trade Commission, you might inquire about the coordination of activities concerning the consumer fraud and abuse area between that agency and the Department of Justice.

What opportunity is there for promotion within the agency? Are there any possibilities of intra- or inter-agency assignment transfers?

The answers to these questions will provide some indication of a given agency’s flexibility with respect to practice. Again the answers should be compared with those given to similar questions by private firms and corporations.

How often will I be reviewed for increases or promotions? What promotions may I expect in the first two or three years? How will my career compensation package compare with those in private law firms or corporate law departments?

As a rule of thumb, you can expect compensation packages at federal agencies during the first few years to be enticing, if not exactly competitive, when compared with similar opportunities offered at private law firms and corporate law departments. The difference in compensation generally comes in later years. There are points in some attorneys' careers when it becomes obvious, at least in terms of compensation, that they should consider the private sector. Planning for the future is important to everyone, lawyers included. Consequently, it is important to know that, for example, in the fourth year or fifth year your salary will begin to level off and may never increase materially when compared with salaries offered in the private sector. Having that time frame in mind at the outset will allow you an opportunity to plan for your future.

Will my academic record qualify as a substitute for an experience requirement? What GS grade will I have? What does that mean?

The relevance of the answers to these questions is obvious.

Are you aware of any openings in other agencies for which I might qualify?

Again, the answer is obviously helpful.

How will an offer be made? When?

The answer to this question is quite important. Govern mental agencies are constrained by budgetary processes that do not affect corporate law departments or private law firms, at least not to the same degree. The process of making an offer is more cumbersome within an agency and the rules or accepted practices with respect to acceptance or rejection of that offer are important. You should also try to establish a contact with in the legal department to determine the progress of your application. Even if you are forced to use the general personnel department, try to establish a relationship that will provide you with a more accurate and less bureaucratic sense of the chance you will be offered a position.