ASA Employment

The Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office employs over 850 full-time lawyers in its six legal bureaus. The Office is the second largest prosecution office in the country operating in the largest unified court system in the United States. In order to meet the demands of the Cook County justice system, the Office hires a number of lawyers each year.

THIRD YEAR LAW STUDENTS

The Cook County State's Attorney's Office conducts On-Campus Interviewing nationally of several hundred third year law students from more that twenty law schools during the fall of each year for employment the following year. During Fall 2004, the Office will interview at the following sites:

American University Washington College of Law, Washington, D.C.
Case Western Reserve University School of Law, (Interviews in Chicago)
The Catholic University of America - Columbus School of Law, Washington, D.C.
Chicago-Kent College of Law, Chicago, IL
Cook County Bar Association Minority Job Fair, Chicago, IL
DePaul University College of Law, Chicago, IL

Prosecutorial Opportunities Symposium, Chicago, IL
Howard University School of Law, Washington, D.C.
The John Marshall Law School, Chicago, IL
Loyola University Chicago School of Law, Chicago, IL
Marquette University Law School, Milwaukee, WI
Michigan State University - Detroit College of Law, Lansing, MI
National Black Prosecutors Annual Meeting, Los Angeles, CA
National Hispanic Bar Association Annual Meeting, Atlanta, GA

Northern Illinois University College of Law, DeKalb, IL
Northwestern University School of Law, Chicago, IL
University of Notre Dame Law School, South Bend, IN
University of Illinois College of Law at Urbana-Champaign, IL
Thomas M. Cooley School of Law, Lansing, MI
Valparaiso University School of Law, Valparaiso, IN

Interested third year law students should contact their law school's career services office for more information concerning On-Campus Interviewing. If you attend one of the schools listed above, you must request an on campus interview.  Dates for on-campus interviews will be posted at a later date. Third year law students interested in applying, who do not attend a law school or belong to an organization listed above, should send a cover letter, application (see below), resume, transcript, reference letters and writing sample for interview consideration. The deadline for receiving non-On-Campus interview applications is October 1, 2004. As much as we would like to, due to volume of applications, we are unable to interview every candidate who sends an application. Although candidates are judged individually, the following criteria are given consideration for interviewing and hiring:

1) Academic standing- top 50% of class
2) Writing ability- Law Review or other publications
3) Law School activities- Mock Trial Competition or Moot Court, etc.
4) Course Selections- Criminal Law, Criminal Procedure, Evidence, Trial Advocacy, Advanced Trial Advocacy, Appellate Advocacy, Clinical courses or Public Interest Law, etc.
5) Documented interest in public service and/or criminal law
6) Highest standards of professional and personal integrity

During their first year, new Assistants are generally assigned to one of three divisions: Criminal Appeals, First Municipal District or Child Support Enforcement. In each assignment, Assistants receive intensive training and supervision designed to enable them to assume an increasingly substantial amount of responsibility. Currently, the starting salary for an entry-level Assistant State's Attorney position in Cook County is $43,222.

LICENSED ATTORNEYS

Although the Cook County State's Attorney's Office has a strong policy of promoting from within, the office does hire a limited number of attorneys already admitted to practice in Illinois on a lateral basis to assist in maintaining the high level of competence and experience in a particular area as the need arises. Interviewing and hiring are generally based on the criteria listed above as well as the legal experience of the applicant and the position openings in the office. Salary is based on individual experience and available salary range.

Please select one of the following applications:

Application for 3rd Year - PDF Format

Application for 3rd Year - Word Format

Application for Licensed Attorney - PDF Format

Application for Licensed Attorney - Word Format

All applicants are required to sign an Office Release Form.

Release Form - PDF Format

Release Form - Word Format

Print the application from within your browser and follow the instructions for submission that are printed on the application. The Cook County State's Attorney's Office is a member of the National Association for Law Placement and does not discriminate against any individual with respect to terms and conditions of employment because of race, creed, ancestry, sexual orientation, age, gender, veteran status, marital or parental status, or disability. All offers of employment are subject to being a member in good standing of the Illinois Bar and a security background check.

The e-mail address for third year applicants and licensed attorney applicants to reach our office is attyhire@cookcountygov.com