SF District Attorney

Careers

Attorneys

Assistant District Attorney

This is an entry level position. We will also consider lateral hires with more experience.

Assistant District Attorneys are given substantial responsibility early in their careers. ADAs generally start in the Criminal Division. As they gain experience, they have the opportunity to handle more serious and complex cases. 

Given the diverse nature of our community, the ability to work with people of different backgrounds is critical. 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 and bilingual 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. 

If you would like to be a part of a challenging, innovative, and collegial work environment, join our team! Please review the information and instructions at the following links.

If you are an experienced attorney currently practicing law, or have recently graduated from law school and have passed the California Bar, the office encourages you to submit your application. Attorneys must be admitted in California prior to submitting an application and reside in California throughout the tenure of their employment.

The office considers academic achievement as only one indicator of an applicant’s potential. Equally important are qualities of personal character, integrity, judgment, and maturity. Prior leadership experience and a demonstrated commitment to public service are also valued qualities. Assistant District Attorneys are selected solely on the basis of merit, without regard to political affiliation. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer.

All interested applicants, please be advised that there are multiple steps to the application process. They include submitting an online application, personal and professional materials, and navigating multiple rounds of interviews.

How to Apply:

Step 1

  1. Please visit Job Postings
  2. Select “District Attorney” for Department and click the link for “Assistant District Attorney – Civil/Criminal (8177)” complete and submit the online portion of the application process.

Step 2

All Applicants must also: Submit the materials in the “Application Materials” tab below

Step 3

All applicants select for the first round interview will be contacted directly. Please ensure that all contact information you provide is valid.

If a job opening is not presently open, please consider submitting your application materials (see above) anyway. Your information will be kept on file and considered for review when openings become available.

All applicants are required to submit the following materials to Shavaun Tolliver in a single Word or PDF file:

  1. Cover Letter

    Please address your cover letter to:
    Shavaun Tolliver
    Human Resources Manager
    Office of District Attorney Chesa Boudin
    350 Rhode Island St, 400N
    San Francisco, CA 94103

  2. Resume
  3. Unofficial (or official) transcript

    Unofficial Transcript: Please provide the most recent copy of your transcript. It should include your current course schedule, if applicable.

    Official law school transcript: An official transcript is issued directly from the law school generating the grade report. It usually has an official seal and/or a signature of the registrar. You may have the registrar mail the transcript directly to our office or you may bring it to your interview in an envelope sealed by your registrar.

  4. Writing sample

    Writing sample: Your writing sample should show substantial legal research and analysis and should be limited to no more than 12 pages. It need not be on a criminal law subject and there is no specific length requirement. Please submit what you consider to be the best example of your writing. The sample should be accompanied by a cover page explaining (a) the sample’s original purpose (e.g., class assignment, moot court brief, internal memorandum for employer); (b) when and for whom the sample was written; (c) the extent of editing by any third party; (d) if the writing sample is an excerpt from a larger document, the nature of such larger document; and (e) if the sample is a collaborative work, which portion of the sample was written by the applicant. You may submit additional samples while your application is pending if you desire.

  5. Three references

    References: We require at least three professional references from former or current employers who have firsthand knowledge of your performance in a legal position. References from former or current employers in a legal setting are preferable to academic references. Personal references are not desired, nor are letters of recommendation. Please include a full name, current telephone number, and e-mail address for each reference provided.

Salary

Salaries range from $114,816 – $201,084 a year commensurate to experience. Please see Job Postings for additional information.

Benefits

Benefits include a comprehensive insurance plan offering medical, dental and vision, life and long-term disability options, generous vacation time, parental leaves, domestic partnership benefits, pre-tax spending options and deferred compensation plans. For more information about benefits, please click here.

Independent Investigations Bureau ADA

Assistant District Attorneys within the Independent Investigations Bureau have over fifty years of experience trying criminal and civil matters ranging from law enforcement abuse to wrongful convictions, civil rights violations, violent crimes, hate crimes, fraud, human trafficking, and public corruption offenses.

They bring valuable experience garnered from their employment with the United States Department of Justice, nationally-recognized law firms, public defender organizations, and local government. 

Of the many individual accomplishments and accolades earned by each attorney, the strength of IIB lies in the complementary and diverse nature of its pieces. Each attorney’s unique training and skills expands the collective knowledge and expertise of the team to address the challenges and complexities of investigating and prosecuting law enforcement misconduct.

The office seeks to have a legal staff that reflects the diversity of the community we serve and actively recruits 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.

If you believe you are a good fit for the Independent Investigations Bureau, please consider submitting an application following the steps below.

Step 1

  1. Please visit Job Postings
  2. Select “Attorney (Civil/Criminal) (Independent Investigations Bureau) PEX-8177-071551” and follow the prompts to complete and submit the online portion of the application process.

Step 2

All Applicants must also: Submit the materials in the “Application Materials” tab below

Step 3

All applicants selected for the first round interview will be contacted directly. Please ensure that all contact information you provide is valid.

All applicants are required to submit the following materials to Shavaun Tolliver in a single Word or PDF file:

1. Cover Letter addressed to:

Shavaun Tolliver
Human Resources Manager
Office of District Attorney Chesa Boudin
350 Rhode Island Street, 400N
San Francisco, CA 94103

2.  Resume

3.  Writing Sample

Writing sample: Your writing sample should show substantial legal research and analysis and should be limited to no more than 12 pages. It need not be on a criminal law subject and there is no specific length requirement. Please submit what you consider to be the best example of your writing. The sample should be accompanied by a cover page explaining (a) the sample’s original purpose (e.g., class assignment, moot court brief, internal memorandum for employer); (b) when and for whom the sample was written; (c) the extent of editing by any third party; (d) if the writing sample is an excerpt from a larger document, the nature of such larger document; and (e) if the sample is a collaborative work, which portion of the sample was written by the applicant. You may submit additional samples while your application is pending if you desire.

4.  Three References

References: We require at least three professional references from former or current employers who have firsthand knowledge of your performance in a legal position. References from former or current employers in a legal setting are preferable to academic references. Personal references are not desired, nor are letters of recommendation. Please include a full name, current telephone number, and e-mail address for each reference provided.

Salary

Salaries range from $114,816 to $201,084 a year commensurate to experience. Please see Job Postings for additional information.

Benefits

Benefits include a comprehensive insurance plan offering medical, dental and vision, life and long-term disability options, generous vacation time, parental leaves, domestic partnership benefits, pre-tax spending options and deferred compensation plans. For more information about benefits, please click here.

Other Professionals

District Attorney Investigator

The District Attorney’s Bureau of Investigations (DAI) is composed of sworn peace officers who work closely with our prosecutors to prepare and organize cases for court.

DAIs specialize by working in either the Trial Preparation Unit or the Special Prosecutions Unit within the SFDA’s Office. Investigators within the Trial Preparation Unit work closely with trial attorneys in the criminal division to supplement investigation in cases or, in some instances, build cases from the ground up. Their work ranges from serving subpoenas, reviewing and preparing criminal history reports, to conducting interviews of key witnesses and identifying and tracking down key pieces of evidence. Investigators assigned to the Special Prosecutions Unit provide similar types of support for cases involving: fraud, public integrity, justice integrity, elder abuse, environmental, and consumer fraud.

Investigators also perform a variety of other duties, including but not limited: witness protection and relocation in homicide and gang-related cases; respond to family child abductions; forensic analysis of computer and electronic evidence, and protection detail for the District Attorney. 

Given the diverse nature of our community, the ability to work with people of different backgrounds is critical.  The Office seeks to have a staff that reflects the diversity of the community that we serve. To that end, 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 gender expression

If you are interested in applying for a position with DAI as an investigator, please:

  1. Visit Job Postings
  2. Select the position of interest to you. Depending on your experience and qualifications, please select either “Asst. Chief DA Investigator” or “Dist. Atty Investigator.” If these options do not appear, then all positions have been currently filled. Please re-visit the site regularly for openings.
  3. After selecting the appropriate position, follow the prompts and instructions to complete an online application.

The application process is competitive.  Not everyone who applies will be selected for an interview.  You will receive an automated confirmation e-mail once your application has been submitted, so please ensure that your registered email address is accurate and kept up-to-date.  Additionally, ensure that emails from CCSF are not blocked on your computer by a spam filter. 

 If you have additional questions about our application process, please contact: Human Resources Recruitment – 415-553-9027

Victim/Survivor Services Professional

The Victim Services Division is divided into three units—Advocacy, Victims of Crime Compensation, and Restitution– and provides services to more than 7,000 victims of crime a year.  Our staff members receive a competitive salary and a generous benefits package as well as opportunities for professional development.

Given the diverse nature of our community, the ability to work with people of different backgrounds is critical.  The Office seeks to have a staff that reflects the diversity of the community that we serve. To that end, 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 gender expression.

Please note that applications for the Victim Services Division positions are posted on the San Francisco Jobs Site. Applicants are required to complete online applications for the positions they are interested in at https://careers.smartrecruiters.com/CityAndCountyOfSanFrancisco1/. Please note that positions are posted based on current staffing needs.

The application process is competitive.  Not everyone who applies will be selected for an interview.  You will receive an automated confirmation e-mail once your application has been submitted. If you have additional questions about our application process, please contact: Victim Services Division (628)-652-4100.

Support Services Professional

Members of the office’s non-legal staff departments—facilities, finance, human resources, information technicians, and paralegals— perform a variety of key functions for the office, including supporting the Trial (Criminal and White Collar) and Investigations Divisions, as well as other prosecution support and office functions.  Our non-legal staff receive a competitive salary and a generous benefits package as well as unparalleled opportunities for professional development.

Given the diverse nature of our community, the ability to work with people of different backgrounds is critical.  The office seeks to have a staff that reflects the diversity of the community that we serve. To that end, 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 gender expression.

Paralegal Positions

Currently there is no active recruitment for 8173 Legal Assistant Posistions (Functional Title: Paralegal).

Please visit the Department of Human Resources website to receive notification of future job vacancies in this classification. 

Other Support Services Positions – Facilities, Finance, Human Resources, and Information Technology

If you are interested in applying for support services position, please visit Job Postings, click the job title of interest to you, and follow the prompts and instructions to submit an online application, as well as any supplemental information as necessary.

The application process is competitive.  Not everyone who applies will be selected for an interview.  You will receive an automated confirmation e-mail once your application has been submitted, so please ensure that your registered email address is accurate and kept up-to-date.  Additionally, ensure that emails from CCSF are not blocked on your computer by a spam filter. 

 If you have additional questions about our application process, please contact: Human Resources Recruitment 628-652-404.