https://news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/doj-to-allow-hiring-of-us-prosecutors-straight-out-of-law-school Skip to content Bloomberg the Company & Its ProductsThe Company & its Products Bloomberg Terminal Demo RequestBloomberg Anywhere Remote Login Bloomberg Anywhere LoginBloomberg Customer SupportCustomer Support * Bloomberg Connecting decision makers to a dynamic network of information, people and ideas, Bloomberg quickly and accurately delivers business and financial information, news and insight around the world For Customers + Bloomberg Anywhere Remote Login + Software Updates + Manage Products and Account Information Support Americas+1 212 318 2000 EMEA+44 20 7330 7500 Asia Pacific+65 6212 1000 * Company + About + Careers + Diversity and Inclusion + Tech At Bloomberg + Philanthropy + Sustainability + Bloomberg London + Bloomberg Beta Communications + Press Announcements + Press Contacts Follow + Facebook + Instagram + LinkedIn + Twitter + YouTube * Products + Bloomberg Terminal + Data + Trading + Risk + Compliance + Indices Industry Products + Bloomberg Law + Bloomberg Tax + Bloomberg Government + BloombergNEF * Media + Bloomberg Markets + Bloomberg Technology + Bloomberg Pursuits + Bloomberg Politics + Bloomberg Opinion + Bloomberg Businessweek + Bloomberg Live Conferences + Bloomberg Radio + Bloomberg Television + News Bureaus Media Services + Bloomberg Media Distribution + Advertising * Company + About + Careers + Diversity and Inclusion + Tech At Bloomberg + Philanthropy + Sustainability + Bloomberg London + Bloomberg Beta Communications + Press Announcements + Press Contacts Follow + Facebook + Instagram + LinkedIn + Twitter + YouTube * Products + Bloomberg Terminal + Data + Trading + Risk + Compliance + Indices Industry Products + Bloomberg Law + Bloomberg Tax + Bloomberg Government + Bloomberg Environment + BloombergNEF * Media + Bloomberg Markets + Bloomberg Technology + Bloomberg Pursuits + Bloomberg Politics + Bloomberg Opinion + Bloomberg Businessweek + Bloomberg Live Conferences + Bloomberg Radio + Bloomberg Television + News Bureaus Media Services + Bloomberg Media Distribution + Advertising * Bloomberg Connecting decision makers to a dynamic network of information, people and ideas, Bloomberg quickly and accurately delivers business and financial information, news and insight around the world For Customers + Bloomberg Anywhere Remote Login + Software Updates + Manage Contracts and Orders Support Americas+1 212 318 2000 EMEA+44 20 7330 7500 Asia Pacific+65 6212 1000 [icon-searc][icon-hambu][icon-hambu] News [icon-chevr] Podcasts Videos * Home * They've Got Next: The 40 Under 40 * Leading Law Firms Survey * Pro Bono Innovators * Unrivaled * Law School Innovation Program * League Tables * Bloomberg Law Reports(r): Surveys * Data-Driven Departments Rankings & Awards[icon-chevr] * Brief Analyzer * Draft Analyzer * Dockets * Practical Guidance * Points of Law Research Tools[icon-chevr] Bloomberg Law Log In Sign Up For Newsletters Bloomberg Law * Antitrust * Artificial Intelligence * Banking * Bankruptcy * Before the Bar * Benefits & Executive Compensation * Bloomberg Law Analysis * Business & Practice * California Brief * Cannabis * Capital Markets * Class Action * Construction Labor * Crypto * Daily Labor Report * Delaware Brief * Employment * Environment & Energy * ESG * Federal Contracting * Health Law & Business * Human Resources * Immigration * In-House Counsel * Insurance * International Trade * IP * Labor Relations * Legal Ethics * Legal Exchange: Insights & Commentary * Legal Ops & Tech * Litigation * Litigation Finance * Mergers & Acquisitions * New York Brief * Occupational Safety & Health * Pharmaceutical & Life Sciences * Privacy & Cybersecurity * Private Equity * Product Liability & Toxics * Securities * Social Justice & Diversity * Tech & Telecom * Texas Brief * US Law Week * White Collar & Criminal Bloomberg Tax * Daily Tax Report (r) * Daily Tax Report International * Daily Tax Report State * Federal Tax Developments from Daily Tax Report (r) * Financial Accounting * Payroll * Tariffs * Tax Insights & Commentary * Tax Management International * Tax Management Memo * Transfer Pricing US Law Week [icon-liste] Listen [icon-print]Print[icon-email]Email Share To:[icon-Faceb]Facebook [icon-Linke]LinkedIn [26_AUTO_ic] Exclusive DOJ to Allow Hiring of US Prosecutors Straight Out of Law School March 16, 2026, 9:04 PM UTC Ben Penn Ben Penn Senior Reporter [icon-email][20_AUTO_ic] [resize-image] The Justice Department will allow hiring of assistant US attorneys straight out of law school. Spencer Platt/Getty Images Related Stories DOJ Orders Emergency Surge Prosecutors From All US Attorneys (2) Feb. 3, 2026, 8:29 PM UTC DOJ Turns to Military Lawyers as Minnesota Prosecutors Quit (1) Jan. 15, 2026, 8:57 PM UTC DOJ Miami Office Readies Conspiracy Probe Into Trump Enemies (2) Nov. 7, 2025, 9:45 AM UTC Search by Topic * grand juries * immigration law * habeas corpus * attorney discipline * civil contempt The Justice Department has waived a policy requiring newly hired federal prosecutors to possess at least one year of experience practicing law, as US attorneys' offices struggle to find qualified replacements following mass departures. Many offices have previously adopted their own rules mandating at least three years of legal practice, rather than the nationwide baseline threshold of one year. But the reduced standards this month would allow federal districts such as Minnesota and Southern Florida that have experienced significant attrition to put new prosecutors to work straight out of law school. The move was confirmed by two people familiar with the matter and reflected in newly-posted online vacancy announcements in at least a handful of offices. The postings for assistant US attorney openings in Minnesota, South Florida, Montana, Alaska, and Louisiana, list a law degree and active state bar membership as required qualifications. They don't mention a minimum period of service, while other US attorney's offices still mandate at least one or three years out of law school. "Under the leadership of Attorney General Bondi and Deputy Attorney General Blanche, this Department of Justice is proud to empower young and passionate prosecutors and offer attorneys at every level the opportunity to invest their talents into keeping their communities safe, including from the predators the previous administration welcomed with open arms," said a DOJ spokesperson in a statement. The department didn't address questions about what motivated this change. The policy shift comes as federal prosecuting offices across the US have faced challenges meeting court deadlines in immigration proceedings and as judges have increasingly criticized the quality of DOJ attorneys' legal work. In January, former DOJ chief of staff Chad Mizelle asked lawyers who support President Donald Trump to message him directly on social media if they're interested in becoming AUSAs. If you are a lawyer, are interested in being an AUSA, and support President Trump and anti-crime agenda, DM me. We need good prosecutors. And DOJ is hiring across the country. Now is your chance to join the mission and do good for our country. -- Chad Mizelle (@chad_mizelle) January 31, 2026 The department has previously exempted applicants from the one-year experience rule if they were hired through the attorney general's honors program, an entry-level talent pipeline for elite new lawyers, or as uncompensated special assistant US attorneys. The Minnesota vacancy that excludes a legal service requirement is for the office's civil division, which is among the many US attorney's offices overwhelmed by the recent surge in habeas petitions from detained immigrants who've been denied bond hearings. A federal judge held one of the Minnesota office's attorneys in civil contempt last month over his handling of one such case, as judges in other districts are increasingly contemplating DOJ attorney discipline. In the Miami-based South Florida district, US Attorney Jason Reding Quinones has advanced Trump-aligned initiatives such as grand jury investigations into those involved in past cases against the president. The Trump Justice Department has tried other ways to backfill short staffed US attorneys' offices, such as recruiting "emergency jump teams" that transfer prosecutors to nearby districts for short-term surges and bolstering the number of military lawyers taking details as line prosecutors. Continue Reading To contact the reporter on this story: Ben Penn in Washington at bpenn@bloomberglaw.com To contact the editors responsible for this story: Seth Stern at sstern@bloomberglaw.com Learn more about Bloomberg Law or Log In to keep reading: See Breaking News in Context Bloomberg Law provides trusted coverage of current events enhanced with legal analysis. Learn more Already a subscriber? Log in to keep reading or access research tools and resources. 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