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Legal counsel for CIA, NSA etc: competitive?
| hilarious emerald trust fund people who are hurt | 02/03/09 |
| poppy kitty | 02/03/09 |
| Multi-colored ungodly affirmative action | 02/03/09 |
| motley becky | 02/03/09 |
| Jet-lagged old irish cottage | 02/08/09 |
| Jet-lagged old irish cottage | 02/08/09 |
| Bat Shit Crazy Cordovan National Security Agency Parlour | 02/03/09 |
| Contagious sweet tailpipe stage | 02/03/09 |
| hilarious emerald trust fund people who are hurt | 02/04/09 |
| yellow gaming laptop dragon | 02/04/09 |
| Aquamarine Galvanic Psychic | 02/04/09 |
| hilarious emerald trust fund people who are hurt | 02/04/09 |
| Aquamarine Galvanic Psychic | 02/05/09 |
Poast new message in this thread
Date: February 3rd, 2009 5:53 PM Author: hilarious emerald trust fund people who are hurt Subject: Competitive? How difficult is it to get a job as legal counsel for the intelligence department, whether CIA or NSA. The latter is a division of the DoD, whereas the former is not. So I'm thinking that the application process, and possibly competitiveness, may be different for each. Also, how difficult is it to get a clerkship with the CIA?
I am planning to attend GULC because it is the only school I have been accepted at which offers national security law courses. Also, going to school there would allow me to do some networking--something I've heard is essential to getting offered a position in the national security field. Thoughts? |
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Date: February 3rd, 2009 5:55 PM Author: poppy kitty i have no basis for an opinion, but I'm gonna go ahead and say extremely competitive. (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=927393&forum_id=2#10851677) |
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Date: February 3rd, 2009 5:55 PM Author: Multi-colored ungodly affirmative action impossible (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=927393&forum_id=2#10851678) |
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Date: February 3rd, 2009 5:56 PM Author: motley becky CIA seems relatively competitive, but less so than DOJ honors. I have no idea about the NSA.
You might be interested in this paper about the OGC:
http://www.mcgeorge.edu/Documents/publications/jnslp/01_Radsan%20Master%2009_11_08.pdf |
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Date: February 8th, 2009 1:15 AM Author: Jet-lagged old irish cottage Subject: CIA, NSA This is a very complicated question.
I know of 2 routes: Going to OGC at CIA or NSA or FBI doesn't require coming from a T14, T25, or even T50 law school. I have friends at all of these places and I know that my buddy at CIA went to a T2 law school. His work experience wasn't amazing, though not too shabby (JAG prosecutor, defense attorney, and federal appellate clerk). But his former boss is middle management there and basically walked his resume in and said you can trust this guy. Trust is VERY important in the intel community. Incidentally, he likes working for CIA and started with a 6-figure salary.
The other route is have decent work experience and be literally No. 1 in your law school class (that's the other guy I know at CIA).
If you want to work in national security, being some regular dude from a top law school and a good law firm is not always going to be good enough. They (the elite intel GC offices, including DOJ's division) literally have 100's of applications sitting around at ALL times. 100's of candidates trying to get jobs that are poorly advertised and often very difficult to apply for.
You are correct about networking. It is vital. This is an area of law that is not like the others. It does take a certain kind of person. Military experience, a TS clearance, advanced education in the area of Nat'l Security, and demonstrated interest in public service are all good things, but not vital. I'm sorry if I'm not explaining it well, but I can't (don't want to) go into too much detail. |
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Date: February 8th, 2009 1:21 AM Author: Jet-lagged old irish cottage Subject: NSA Also, I think Navy JAG has a pipeline to the NSA GC office if you manage to get yourself stationed for a tour of duty at their GC's office. I'm told this is because they have a year or 2 to get to know you and your work product since you work along with their attorneys. I don't know of any other way to get a job there. NSA is a VERY tight community.
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Date: February 3rd, 2009 5:56 PM Author: Bat Shit Crazy Cordovan National Security Agency Parlour I had credentials that I thought would make me a lock, and they didn't even bother replying to turn me down. (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=927393&forum_id=2#10851682) |
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Date: February 3rd, 2009 6:55 PM Author: Contagious sweet tailpipe stage Were you a spy? (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=927393&forum_id=2#10851941) |
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Date: February 4th, 2009 12:11 AM Author: hilarious emerald trust fund people who are hurt Subject: Bump Anyone else have some info to share on this topic? I would really appreciate it. (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=927393&forum_id=2#10853973) |
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Date: February 4th, 2009 5:46 PM Author: yellow gaming laptop dragon I know that the State Dept. is superduper hard to get a legal gig at. Serious, serious background checks, language proficiency requirements, sterling academic record, etc. etc.
The NSA has all of your electronic communications logged somewhere. I imagine they're a tough racket to work for. |
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Date: February 4th, 2009 2:01 AM Author: Aquamarine Galvanic Psychic Yeah, it's tough. Last year, on a lark, I applied to the CIA office of the general counsel and got summarily rejected. I also applied to the FBI but withdrew my application because the screening was too annoying.
I am a T6 graduate with top 25% grades, and had worked in a V25 firm for three years. I submitted a legal writing sample that I tweaked for two weeks along with a suped-up cover letter. Did not even get a letter rejecting me. Basically, if you do not hear back from them, that means you did not make the cut. |
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Date: February 4th, 2009 5:44 PM Author: hilarious emerald trust fund people who are hurt Any idea what they're looking for? Do you there's a lot of nepotism going on in the hiring process (i.e. You need to know seine high up who can pull some strings for you)? Also, is it like JAG in that they're looking for someone with a demonstrated committment to public service?
Also, I'm not just asking about the CIA. There are other ways to work in the national security law field, e.g. being an assistance for a senator who is on the subcomittee for intelligence etc. |
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Date: February 5th, 2009 7:34 PM Author: Aquamarine Galvanic Psychic I have no fucking clue. I put that commitment to public service BS on my cover letter and had a professor at the DOJ submit a recommendation. No go. (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=927393&forum_id=2#10865727) |