Monica Sandu ‘24
Staff Editor
This past Thursday, I attended The Real Deal: Government Seminar, the fourth and final entry in the Real Deal lecture series. Government had always seemed appealing in a nebulous, I-want-to-help-people way, but I had little practical knowledge of being a government lawyer. Who better to educate us than those who were once in our shoes? The four panelists—Julia Maloney, Sabrina Hassan, Jeremy Weinberg, and Salima Burke—are UVA Law alums with careers ranging from antitrust law and immigration to child protection and general legal counsel.
First, there is no such thing as a “typical day” for a government lawyer. Some days it’s five hours of meetings or seemingly endless emails, paperwork, and document review. Other days, it can be work on long-term projects and investigations, or responding to the news. With smiles on their faces (under their masks), the panelists recounted how part of the excitement of the job was not necessarily knowing what the day would bring, even if sometimes that day ended up being tedious or frustrating. The driving force behind the work of a government lawyer is the satisfaction derived from seeing all that effort come to fruition. Admittedly, synthesizing 4,000 pages of work on a case into a 65-page brief[1] seems more than a little daunting, but your work is not your paperwork. Your work is the people whom your agency serves, the city that you represent, the country whose authority you embody.
The coworkers and the clients were consistently cited as the most rewarding aspects of the job. Coworkers want to help each other out, and there’s apparently a real sense of collegiality in the office. It’s a support system, personally as well as professionally. For clients, you help people to understand what they need to do to protect themselves, and you protect them when they are unable to. This is no easy task, however. The least rewarding part of the job, besides the grunt work, was the mental and emotional drain. You may know somebody did something, but you just can’t prove it in court.[2] You may have to act contrary to your beliefs about the law or be given a deadline that is physically impossible to meet. You may see things that will stay with you for the rest of your life. What makes it worth it is keeping in mind a bigger picture, playing the role of an advisor rather than an adversary, in a way that brings about real change. Job satisfaction, everyone agreed, is high.
The panelists also addressed the elephant in the room: the pay. After all, it is a truth universally acknowledged that a law student in possession of a good education must be in want of money. All agreed that they could live comfortably, though perhaps not extravagantly. The panelists further emphasized the importance of government benefits, including vacation days, sick leave, a pension, and schedule that allowed them to have a strong work-life balance. The choice to go into government work is all about what you prioritize. However, they also recognized that starting off in government may not be feasible for everyone.
Lastly, they gave some sage advice to students wanting to prepare for a job in government: Enjoy your time in law school. Take it seriously, but not too seriously. There is no set path. Some panelists came to government work after a judicial clerkship following graduation, some moved from private practice, and some arrived after doing internships and clinics during their time here at UVA. Take opportunities to work on your feet through mock trial and moot court. Get on the ladder early, especially for 1L summer. Volunteer and do clinics until you figure out what you want to do, then go for it. Most of all, talk to people! Talk to your classmates, as they will be your coworkers. Talk to your professors, as they’re great resources. And talk to alumni to network before you need a job; many are more than willing to help.
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ms7mn@virginia.edu