The stained glass and portraits in front of the main entrance of the Lillian Goldman Law Library.

Exploring a Government Career

Developing Your Path in Government

When thinking about a government career, there are several factors you may want to consider:

  • What kind of work do you want to do?

    There is a vast array of different types of government work. To help you figure out where to start, think about what subject matter you want exposure to and the legal skills you want to develop. Asking yourself some of the following types of questions may help you figure out what part of government may be the best fit for you. Do you want to learn how to conduct an investigation? Do you want to understand how attorneys prepare for and argue cases at trial? Do you want to learn how to craft legislation? Do you want to work with an elected official? Do you want to explore a certain area of the law (e.g. antitrust, criminal law, housing)?

  • What community do you want to serve?

    One way to approach exploring a government career is to think about how you want to have an impact and for what community. Do you want to serve your town or city directly by working on the local level? You may have the ability to see the impact of your work sooner and more directly. Or, perhaps you want to litigate on the federal level on behalf of the Department of Justice. Maybe you want to run for office in the state where you are from. When thinking about launching your government career, consider the following factors: what level of government you want to explore, what impact you want to have and what community you want to serve. Over the course of law school, it can be valuable for students to explore a few different levels of government to gain experience and understand the differences in the work.

  • Geography may play a role

    Working for a federal agency in DC or at the White House versus working in another state, can impact the role and the content of the work. You may want to be in DC, where you are closer to the center of the federal government. In DC, you would have the opportunity to work with other government agencies and network with government attorneys through your work. Or, you may want to return to the state where you grew up to serve that community and where you are familiar with local issues. There are some New York City Government agencies, for example, that are so large they rival the size of some small state governments. Thinking about what state you might want to be in, the issues that community faces and how that might influence the government work you want to pursue, may be a big factor in your search.

Becoming a Competitive Candidate for Government Positions

  • Demonstrate a strong commitment to public service

    Many government employers are looking for students who have a dedication to public service. That commitment not only includes prior government experience, but also could include any internship or work experience in the public interest sector and in certain instances, the private sector as well. Academic study and clinical work in these areas also helps signal to employers that you are interested in public service and government work.

  • Articulate a commitment to the mission of the work

    Attorneys working for the government see themselves as mission driven. They want to attract attorneys and law students who share that same value. Government employers are very interested in learning through your application materials and interviews: 1) why you are committed to the mission of the work that this office does and 2) why you want to do the work at this particular office. Many government offices may work on the same issue, but their strategy and role in shaping that issue may differ. Understanding the role of the office to which you are applying will greatly strengthen your application and your ability to articulate your interest in interviews. Developing clear answers to those questions for each office, based on what you learn from networking with attorneys, your internships, classes and clinical experiences will help you demonstrate that you are choosing that office for a particular reason and that you deeply care about the work that they are doing, which will set you apart as a candidate.

  • Spend time on your applications

    Government employers devote time and careful attention to reading and evaluating the written materials that applicants submit. Employers are assessing an applicant’s commitment to the issues the government employer is working on and how the applicant plans to use the experience to further forge their own career path. For more guidance on resumes, cover letters and application timelines, see public interest job search strategies.

  • Consider Your ‘Big Picture’ Candidacy

    Government employers care most about why you want to do the work. Employers are evaluating your candidacy in its totality, meaning there is not one factor of your application that may get you an interview. For example, a government employer will look at your prior experiences, but those experiences alone will not be enough to secure your position. They will look at how these experiences have shaped your interest, decisions and future goals and whether the skills you’ve gained will enable you to succeed and contribute to the office. Government employers know they cannot offer the same salaries or benefits as a private sector employer. When the work is challenging and not glamorous, they want to know a candidate will continue to persevere and succeed, because the candidate cares about the work being done.

  • Building a Network

    Many government lawyers have worked in multiple sectors during their career, including public interest and the private sector. There is often a revolving door between some government offices and law firms, so it’s important to think through how to develop relationships with people whose careers you may want to emulate. Even if you are working in a public interest organization or a law firm, there may be attorneys there who previously worked in government. Developing relationships with those attorneys, learning about their careers and building mentoring relationships can be a valuable tool for you, as you navigate your own career. For more networking tools see the Networking in Government Section.
     

Learning More about Government Careers

 

Government Job Search Resources 

It is worth exploring all of these resources, even if you are only focused on one level of government as these resources will give you a sense of the broader landscape of government roles. 

  • Government Honors and Internship Handbook - CDO has purchased the rights for all students to access this compilation of federal employment opportunities online. Reach out to cdo.law@yale.edu for the password.
     
  • USAJobs - the official job site for the United States federal government, listing positions at all levels of government.
     
  • Leadership Connect - Yale Law School provides current students with a subscription to the Leadership Connect, which contain biographical and contact information for leaders in a variety of government, nonprofit, and private sector arenas.  Use the search bar to research specific individuals, organizations and government entities with a variety of applicable filters. For example, if you were searching for employees at the Department of Housing and Urban Development you could type in: HUD, Housing or the full name and the search bar will populate a listing. If you are having trouble finding an office by name that is housed under the Department of Justice (e.g. a US Attorney’s Office), you can navigate to the Department of Justice page on Leadership Connect and scroll to the bottom where it says “find an office” and type in the name of the office for which you are looking. There is more information available on the Learning Center on Leadership Connect, if you need assistance.
     
  • In addition, NALP produces a Federal Legal Employment Opportunities Guide, which is available for free on PSJD.
  • PSJD - The Public Service Jobs Directory or PSJD is an effective and centralized tool to find information about public interest opportunities. PSJD is made up of a network of more than 200 law schools across the United States and Canada, including YLS and more than 13,000 law-related public interest organizations around the world. Through their online database, PSJD provides a comprehensive clearinghouse of public interest organizations and opportunities for lawyers and law students. As PSJD members, YLS students can perform customized searches for organizations in which they have an interest and for public interest job opportunities, ranging from short-term volunteer and paid internships to post-graduate jobs, fellowships, and pro bono opportunities.
     
  • State and Local Career Resources Directory organized by State – PSJD also has a helpful directory of state and local offices by state available on their website.
     
  • National Association of Attorneys General - Information about positions at Attorneys General Offices across the country.
     
  • Summer and Post-Grad Opportunities for in State Attorney General Offices - maintained by the American Constitution Society’s (ACS), State Attorneys General Project
     
  • Government Jobs Directory – this website has information on different government jobs, not all of them are legal positions.

Public Interest Legal Career Fair

YLS co-sponsors the Public Interest Legal Career Fair (PILC) at New York University School of Law providing students the opportunity to interview virtually with employers for internships and permanent jobs, as well as to talk with employers at information tables. In past years, representatives from more than 200 organizations and over 2,300 law students have attended this February Fair. View more details at Public Interest Legal Career Fair.

Below is a sampling of government employers who have attended past PILC fairs:

 

New Jersey Attorney General’s Office 

Cook County State Attorney’s Office 

Vermont Attorney General’s Office 

Federal Reserve Bank of New York 

Delaware Department of Justice

US Department of Health and Human Services 

New York City Council  

US Department of Justice

New York City Law Department

US Department of Labor New York State 

New York City Commission on Human Rights 

US Department of the Treasury

Department of Environmental Conservation 

US National Labor Relations Board 

District Attorney of New York County 

CDO Interview Programs for YLS Students 

CDO coordinates three interview programs each year – the June, September and Winter Interview Programs – at which public interest and government employers recruit YLS students through virtual interviews.

Some examples of previous government employers who have participated in CDO interview programs include: 

 

U.S. Department of Labor - Office of the Solicitor - (Boston, MA)    

New York City Law Department - (New York, NY) 

U.S. Department of State - Office of the Legal Adviser (Washington DC)

Office of the Attorney General - Connecticut - (Hartford, CT)

 U.S. Treasury Department 
(Washington DC) 

Orange County District Attorney's Office - (Santa Ana, CA) 

Federal Trade Commission - (Washington, DC)  

 Rhode Island Attorney General's Office - 
(Providence, RI)

U.S. Army - JAG Corps

Equal Justice Works Annual Career Fair

YLS participates as a member-school in the annual virtual Equal Justice Works Conference and Career Fair. Approximately 150 employers conduct prescheduled and informational interviews with law students from across the country during this event that usually occurs in October. 

View more details at Equal Justice Works Annual Career Fair. Some government employers that have attended in the past include:

 

Denver District Attorney’s Office 

Executive Office for US Trustees 

New York State Attorney General 

US Coast Guard, Office of the Judge Advocate General 

Office of the State Attorney for the 17th Judicial Circuit of Florida 

US Department of Justice 

Tennessee Attorney General 

US Senate Office of the Legislative Counsel 

Washington State Office of the Attorney General 

US Federal Trade Commission 

US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission 

 

  • DOJ Contact List (Updated 2025) – These YLS alums have volunteered to speak to you about their careers at DOJ and government. 
     
  • DOJ Ambassador List – DOJ has a list available of ambassadors from different components and law schools who are available to speak to interested students about their work and careers. 
     
  • The Courtyard - One of the most important resources for YLS students is the alumni community. The best way to connect with alumni is through The Courtyard, where students can easily connect with alumni, find mentors, and engage with student organizations. It includes an online directory, ways to find alumni geographically and by area of practice, and mentoring tools. In the dark blue bar at the top of the page, navigate to Explore The Community to use the search bar to lookup specific individuals or by a variety of filters including YLS Class Year, Organization and Position Type(s). 
     
  • Leadership Connect - Yale Law School provides current students with a subscription to the Leadership Connect, which contain biographical and contact information for leaders in a variety of government, nonprofit, and private sector arenas. 

CDO Counseling

  • CDO employs attorney counselors who specialize in government and public interest careers and who are available to assist students and alumni in pursuing a government or public interest career. Please schedule an individual counseling appointment through a counselor’s Calendly page.