What does an assistant district attorney do?
An Assistant District Attorney helps the District Attorney, a government official. They represent the government in the prosecution of criminal offenses.
Assistant district attorney responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real assistant district attorney resumes:
- Draft search warrants, cell site orders, and subpoenas on a frequent basis as part of developing and managing investigations.
- Handle all phases of criminal prosecution including witness interviews, grand jury presentations, hearings, trials and appeals.
- Draft briefs, motions, orders, subpoenas, contracts and other legal documents, as well as correspondence and reports.
- Research and co-authore multiple briefs for interlocutory appeals regarding suppression of evidence.
- Provide presentation and legal defense of insure persons in personal injury actions through mediation and/or trial.
- Review and analyze medical records, permanency evaluations, interrogatories, and transcripts.
Assistant district attorney skills and personality traits
We calculated that 7% of Assistant District Attorneys are proficient in Felony Cases, Criminal Justice, and Criminal Cases. They’re also known for soft skills such as Analytical skills, Interpersonal skills, and Problem-solving skills.
We break down the percentage of Assistant District Attorneys that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Felony Cases, 7%
Presented felony cases before the Grand Jury where responsibilities included conducting direct and cross-examination and providing instructions to the jury members.
- Criminal Justice, 7%
Support criminal justice programs that assist in the rehabilitation of juveniles and first offenders
- Criminal Cases, 6%
Investigated and evaluated criminal cases, including possible plea agreements.
- Litigation, 6%
Managed a caseload of over seventy indictments and handled all aspects of criminal litigation.
- Crime Scenes, 6%
Responded to crime scenes, supervised line-up identifications and interviewed felony defendants.
- Adas, 5%
Screen cases for indictment to the Superior Court and work with Superior Court ADA's on indictment decisions.
"felony cases," "criminal justice," and "criminal cases" are among the most common skills that assistant district attorneys use at work. You can find even more assistant district attorney responsibilities below, including:
Analytical skills. One of the key soft skills for an assistant district attorney to have is analytical skills. You can see how this relates to what assistant district attorneys do because "lawyers interpret the law as it applies to their client’s case." Additionally, an assistant district attorney resume shows how assistant district attorneys use analytical skills: "second-chaired a double homicide trial; handling five of the state's nineteen witnesses; including one expert in fingerprint analysis. "
Interpersonal skills. Many assistant district attorney duties rely on interpersonal skills. "lawyers must build relationships with current and prospective clients, as well as with their colleagues and other members of the legal community.," so an assistant district attorney will need this skill often in their role. This resume example is just one of many ways assistant district attorney responsibilities rely on interpersonal skills: "used interpersonal and persuasive skills in mediations, negotiations, and trials provided day-to-day legal advice department of human services"
Problem-solving skills. Another skill that relates to the job responsibilities of assistant district attorneys is problem-solving skills. This skill is critical to many everyday assistant district attorney duties, as "lawyers must evaluate information to propose viable solutions, mediate disputes, and reach agreements or settlements for their clients." This example from a resume shows how this skill is used: "resolved 140 cases through litigation and in the process became extremely familiar with new mexico's judicial and legislative system. "
Research skills. For certain assistant district attorney responsibilities to be completed, the job requires competence in "research skills." The day-to-day duties of an assistant district attorney rely on this skill, as "lawyers need to find laws and regulations that apply to a specific matter in order to provide appropriate legal advice for their clients." For example, this snippet was taken directly from a resume about how this skill applies to what assistant district attorneys do: "conducted legal research and fact investigation for case litigation. "
The three companies that hire the most assistant district attorneys are:
- NC.gov8 assistant district attorneys jobs
- McLennan County2 assistant district attorneys jobs
- Columbus Consolidated Government2 assistant district attorneys jobs
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Assistant district attorney vs. General counsel
A general counsel, also called a chief legal officer, is the chief lawyer in the legal department of an organization. The counsel represents an enterprise for any pending legal matters. They work proactively to lessen possible problems associated with legalities and potential risks. They have to monitor practices and the people within the law firm for misconduct. They also perform dominant roles in regulation, ethics, public affairs, and legislation. It is common for them to serve as the public spokesperson of the company during the publicity of legal matters.
While similarities exist, there are also some differences between assistant district attorneys and general counsel. For instance, assistant district attorney responsibilities require skills such as "felony cases," "criminal justice," "criminal cases," and "crime scenes." Whereas a general counsel is skilled in "legal advice," "intellectual property," "juris," and "risk management." This is part of what separates the two careers.
General counsels earn the highest salaries when working in the finance industry, with an average yearly salary of $135,018. On the other hand, assistant district attorneys are paid more in the government industry with an average salary of $79,524.general counsels tend to reach similar levels of education than assistant district attorneys. In fact, general counsels are 4.1% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 11.7% less likely to have a Doctoral Degree.Assistant district attorney vs. Legal counsel
A Legal Counsel supervises the legal aspects of a business. They give accurate and timely counsel to executives on a variety of legal topics, such as labor law, partnerships, or international ventures.
In addition to the difference in salary, there are some other key differences worth noting. For example, assistant district attorney responsibilities are more likely to require skills like "felony cases," "criminal justice," "criminal cases," and "crime scenes." Meanwhile, a legal counsel has duties that require skills in areas such as "legal advice," "legal support," "intellectual property," and "legal risks." These differences highlight just how different the day-to-day in each role looks.
Legal counsels may earn a higher salary than assistant district attorneys, but legal counsels earn the most pay in the technology industry with an average salary of $159,575. On the other hand, assistant district attorneys receive higher pay in the government industry, where they earn an average salary of $79,524.legal counsels earn higher levels of education than assistant district attorneys in general. They're 7.8% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 11.7% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Assistant district attorney vs. Lawyer
A lawyer is a legal practitioner who specializes in understanding and interpreting laws and other legal matters. Their responsibilities revolve around providing legal counseling and advice, representing clients in different kinds of court proceedings, conducting research, collecting evidence, and coordinating with various experts. A lawyer must also manage and oversee the performance of assistants, paralegals, and other team members. Furthermore, there are instances when a lawyer must draft or manage documents such as contracts, trusts, deeds, and wills, assisting clients as needed.
Some important key differences between the two careers include a few of the skills necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of each. Some examples from assistant district attorney resumes include skills like "felony cases," "criminal justice," "crime scenes," and "adas," whereas a lawyer is more likely to list skills in "law firm," "real estate," "civil law," and "legal advice. "
Most lawyers achieve a higher degree level compared to assistant district attorneys. For example, they're 10.9% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 28.4% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Assistant district attorney vs. Bankruptcy specialist
The bankruptcy specialist is responsible for filing and documentation loan bankruptcy materials with the appropriate attorneys. They ensure full compliance with loan bankruptcy regulations and monitor accounts throughout the loan bankruptcy process to contact the appropriate party when necessary. A bankruptcy specialist might be an administrator or lawyer in a bankruptcy office and supports bankruptcy law. They are likely to evaluate state declaration and affidavits for legal progression, interact with customers and outside counsel about bankruptcy proceedings through written and verbal communication, and work with local counsel and upper management in effectively reviewing client's files.
Types of assistant district attorney
Updated January 8, 2025











