The Westchester County District Attorney’s Office has career opportunities for attorneys, criminal investigators and civil service support staff. The requirements for each type of position vary, so please be sure to review the information below carefully before submitting an application to our office.

Attorney Career Opportunities
The Westchester County District Attorney's Office has opportunities for attorneys to join the largest prosecutors' office in New York State north of New York City. 

New Assistant District Attorneys participate in an enhanced training program which was launched in 2018 with the goal of letting our new ADAs know that they are welcome, that they are expected to contribute, and that we want and expect them to succeed as prosecutors. To support our goal, our new ADAs will go through four phases of training. When ADAs join our office, they will spend the first two weeks in an orientation program getting to know the office.  During this program, new ADAs will visit each division, visit one or two local court branches, and attend Superior Court proceedings such as the Trial Assignment Part calendar or a specialized part.  ADAs will learn how cases begin and move through the office while also receiving some introductory training that will prepare them to respond to motions.  In phase two of the training program, which begins in the ADA's third week in the office, the ADA will receive training on foundational topics such as New York Criminal Procedure law, New York Penal law, search and seizure law and suppression law while responding to motions in felony prosecutions. Shadowing in local court will start immediately and the new ADAs will begin a series of fourteen lectures which will be given by our Branch Chiefs. Many of these lectures will be followed up with a hands on experience for the ADA.  For example, the lecture on drafting accusatory instruments will be followed by a visit to the Yonkers City Court Bureau where the new ADA will shadow a Yonkers ADA as they meet with police officers and draft accusatory instruments.  In the third phase of training, an ADA will continue to respond to motions while participating in weekly lectures and interactive workshops aimed at developing skills such as conducting a suppression hearing or giving an opening statement.  ADAs will also be exposed to the work of our Special Prosecutions and Investigations Divisions and introduced to our colleagues in the various labs.  We will utilize opportunities to send our ADAs to appropriate New York Prosecutors Training Institute Programs during this phase of training.  In the fourth and final phase of training, an ADA will be interviewing police officers and complainants, drafting charging documents and notices, appearing in one of the over forty local courts to represent the office in matters ranging from arraignments to the imposition of a sentence. The ADA may also have the opportunity to participate in a mock trial.  An ADA may second seat a trial or be invited to a Homicide Review.  An ADA will also attend the Supplemental Training Group lectures. By the final phase of training many ADAs will be assigned to the Local Criminal Courts and Grand Jury Division where they will continue to gain experience before serving in the Investigations, Special Prosecutions or Superior Court Trial Divisions. Assistant District Attorneys must make a three year commitment and serve at the pleasure of the District Attorney.

In light of the diversity in Westchester County, the office seeks to have a legal staff that reflects the diversity of the community that we serve. To that end, we actively recruit minority applicants. The office is firmly committed to a policy against discrimination based on race, color, religion, gender, national or ethnic origin, age, disability, marital or veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or employment status.

New York State Public Officers Law Section 3(1) requires that all persons holding civil office be citizens of the United States. Accordingly, United States citizenship is required of all Assistant District Attorneys upon commencement of their employment, as is New York State residency.

Both entry level and experienced attorney candidates who accept an offer of employment must pass a background investigation as a condition of their employment. The investigation includes a verification of name, residence, and educational background, as well as a criminal history check, interviews with references, close personal associates, former employers, co-workers, neighbors, landlords, and educational institutions, and a thorough check of credit, military, tax, and police records.

Applicants for an assistant district attorney position must submit the following materials to be considered for a first stage interview:

• Cover Letter
• Resume
• Writing Sample
• Law School Transcript: Please provide the most recent copy of your transcript. It should include your current course schedule, if applicable.
• Statement of Interest: A 250 word answer to the question: “Why do you want to work in the Westchester County District Attorney’s office?”
• References: We require the full name, current telephone number and email address for at least four professional references from former or current employers who have firsthand knowledge of your performance, preferably in a legal position. No more than two of your references can be from the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office.

Documents should be sent by e-mail in pdf format to Executive Assistant District Attorney Lila Kirton at lkirton@westchesterda.net.

All interviews are conducted by Hiring Committee members who are experienced Assistant District Attorneys. You will be given the name of your two interviewers at the time of your interview. Interviews are approximately thirty minutes long; however, applicants should plan to be in the office for at least one hour.

If a first round interview is granted, applicants will be provided with and asked to complete an Applicant Questionnaire and bring photo-identification to the interview.

If a second round interview is granted, applicants will be asked to provide a writing sample. Your writing sample should show substantial legal research and analysis. It need not be on a criminal law subject and there is no specific length requirement. However, the sample should indicate when and for whom the sample was written.  

A successful applicant will complete four rounds of interviews, the third round being with members of the Executive staff and the final interview being with the District Attorney.

Assistant District Attorney – Appeals
The Westchester County District Attorney’s Office seeks an experienced appeals prosecutor to serve as an Assistant District Attorney to handle all post-conviction litigation in the Appeals and Special Litigation Bureau. Appeals prosecutors draft briefs and participate in oral argument before state appellate courts, respond to post-conviction motions to vacate judgement and set aside sentence, and answer writs of habeas corpus in federal courts. To apply, please review the details job description.

Criminal Investigator Career Opportunities
The Westchester County District Attorney's Office has opportunities for experienced police officers, as defined by Article 1.20(34)(g) of the Criminal Procedure Law, to join the largest prosecutors' office in New York State north of New York City. The office endeavors to retain a complete listing of interested applicants should vacancies arise.

Deputy Chief Criminal Investigator
This position is for an experienced senior law enforcement supervisor. The Chief Criminal Investigator supervises all investigators in the DA’s Office. If you are interested, please review the detailed job description to see if you are qualified for the role. To apply, please complete the online Criminal Investigator Application.

Criminal Investigators
The office endeavors to retain a complete listing of interested applicants should vacancies arise. Investigators in the District Attorney’s Office conduct investigations to accumulate valid evidence to assist in the legal work of the Office, therefore, incumbents must have thorough knowledge of procedures, methods and techniques of criminal investigation. More details are outlined in the link below.

If you are interested in applying for the position of Criminal Investigator, complete the online Criminal Investigator Application. Do not submit more than one application per year. Applications are reviewed as positions come available. Do not submit more than one application per year

Civil Service Career Opportunities
Visit Westchester County’s Current Openings for other job postings for positions in the District Attorney’s Office and throughout the county.

The District Attorney’s Office is an equal opportunity employer and encourages applicants that reflect the diversity of our community.