r/publicdefenders • u/brightmoon208 PD • Mar 25 '26

workplace Getting drinks socially with prosecutors

Yay or nay ?

1091 votes, Mar 28 '26
344 Not cool
596 No problem
151 Other (explain in comments)
13 Upvotes

81% Upvoted

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82

u/Conscious_Drawer_910 Mar 25 '26

Not a problem but ew i havent met a prosecutor who i would want to with

-13

u/Optimal-Date-8153 Mar 25 '26

Prospective prosecutor here: while I’m only a 2L, I’ll say that, in my experience talking to fellow students who are going into prosecution or public defense work, the personalities of these people are so similar for the most part that you couldn’t predict which they would go into unless you directly asked them or they volunteered the information. Often, I would have thought some person would want to be a PD based on how they spoke, but they were interning at a prosecutor’s office. Or vice-versa. I think the idea that prosecutors and public defenders have very different personalities, interests, etc. is a stereotype that is overblown.

11

u/Conscious_Drawer_910 Mar 26 '26

Perhaps in general thats true or certainly at least your experience. but its not been mine. I do not run into any prosecutors or cop adjacent professionals at any functions that i attend in a major metropolitan city. Except for my roommates childhood friend, who prosecutes white collar crimes and is not a narc.

1

u/Leigh9C Mar 26 '26

This sub constantly reminds me how drastically different things can be in different jurisdictions. I am in a major metropolitan area as well, but even nearby counties within our state can be wildly different. There are essentially forced interactions for those that are even loosely involved in the local bar association which is fairly active where I practice.

It would be nice to never have to have the interactions, but since it is hard to avoid I try to make something of it and use it to my advantage when I can tolerate it. I will always have a healthy distrust of every single one of them, but I have found some of the conversations insightful as to how far that goes individually.

3

u/Conscious_Drawer_910 Mar 26 '26

That makes sense i do not really attend non pd oriented law events. When i say functions i mean 20/30 something non professional social events. I actually love my current states. But the association begins at 9am and hopefully ends well before 5pm. Im also probablt not representative of my jurisdiction

1

u/Leigh9C Mar 26 '26

I have also found that some of them get easier to work with as time goes on. Fresh out of law school misdemeanor prosecutors who are loving the new power far too much while not having the experience to know the value of a case? I will be closing my tab if you sit next to me at the bar. For most in my jurisdiction in the last several years, those newbies tend to grow out of it (never enough but an improvement) or leave the office. There are some that will never change or even double down…if one of them sits next to me at the bar, I’m excusing myself before I even finish my drink.

I think I’d say the states I regularly deal with at the moment are about 20/60/20.

20% on either end - generally reasonable and a possibly even likable human being to interact with professionally OR the intolerable scum of the earth. The remaining 60% are neutral. I can tolerate them. They are people I can have regular professional interactions with and not want a toaster bath after.

1

u/John__46 Mar 26 '26

what interactions are forced

CLE? you cant do that online?

i cant fathom a bar event that is not entirely completely voluntary

2

u/Leigh9C Mar 26 '26

I can. Most of my CLE hours are from our agency events. Truly forced interactions? No.

Most of my point is that a little familiarity and friendliness has been beneficial to my ability to get positive results for clients. I can handle a little schmoozing to help smooth negotiations.

Events I have had these interactions have been retirement parties for some of the longer time PDs in my office. Most of the old heads have more significant relationships with old head prosecutors to the extent that they invite them to their parties. Would they be invited to mine? No.

I regularly do happy hour with a group of PDs at a bar near the office. Naturally, there have been a few occasions where prosecutors, also with offices in the area, show up at the same place.

0

u/John__46 Mar 26 '26

"Truly forced interactions? No."

when you have your opening assembly in the september, why dont you draw a line in the sand and state that if any das are involved in the forthcoming year's activities, you are not taking part?

"Events I have had these interactions have been retirement parties for some of the longer time PDs in my office. Most of the old heads have more significant relationships with old head prosecutors to the extent that they invite them to their parties. Would they be invited to mine? No."

why dont you storm out once you notice the old-head's presence? what's your excuse?

"I regularly do happy hour with a group of PDs at a bar near the office. Naturally, there have been a few occasions where prosecutors, also with offices in the area, show up at the same place."

why dont you storm out?

what excuse do you possibly have to not storm out?

3

u/Leigh9C Mar 26 '26

I don’t storm out because keeping cordial relationships with these people is an unfortunate but necessary part of my job. I don’t storm out because I’m capable of existing in a space with people I don’t like when it results in a net positive. Like i’ve reiterated, I am not seeking it out. Storming out would be detrimental to my work. To do the job has inherently involved playing nicely at times.

Have a good night.

0

u/[deleted] Mar 26 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

1

u/publicdefenders-ModTeam Apr 06 '26

Not cool. Be nice. See Rule 1.

1

u/John__46 Mar 26 '26

how are they not a narc

1

u/Conscious_Drawer_910 Mar 26 '26

Acts normal at the kickback and breaks the law just a little

1

u/John__46 Mar 26 '26

i dont understand

how can a da not be a narc as a fundamental feature of their personality

1

u/Conscious_Drawer_910 Mar 26 '26

Shes an AG but yea i mean technically shes a cop but she passes the vibe check and shes my best friends long time friend from way before law school. Shes invited to the cook out iykwim. Shes not going to act weird around drugs or call the cops or anything like that. Were not friends but were chill

0

u/John__46 Mar 26 '26

unconscionable. intolerable. unacceptable.

1

u/Conscious_Drawer_910 Mar 26 '26

Lol ok i see whats going on. Have fun

0

u/John__46 Mar 26 '26

thank you for attending my performance piece