Foot in the Gov Door...through FOIA?

[Anonymous]

I'm an attorney hoping to break into fed government (I know, just like everyone else). What are your thoughts on breaking into a federal agency through a FOIA/Disclosure office? A stepping stone to then transition into another office within the agency? Or once you have FOIA on your resume will it typecast you and preclude mobility? Thanks in advance for any and all thoughts.

[Anonymous]

I think FOIA is nice because you can do it at any agency, possibly outside DC: more options than other legal areas. I'm not aware of a bias against people who do FOIA. But if I'm hiring you into my non-FOIA practice you will need skills besides FOIA: my knowing you is not enough, you have to actually be qualified to do the work my office does. Usually FOIA practice is paired with something like privacy, records, admin law, etc so that helps you find your next step. On the other hand most agencies have a big FOIA backlog so opportunities to shine may be only what you make of them.

[Anonymous]

Thanks!

[Anonymous]

Some agencies offer voluntary rotations/details so that might be an option. At least at my agency we also have a voluntary reassignment program if you want to move to a different division. It used to be harder to utilize this program but we are so understaffed due to the hiring freeze that other divisions are willing to train people even if you don't have experience in their area.

[Anonymous]

One warning - FOIA sounds dull, but it is actually a ton of work - most agencies have a significant backlog of requests and not enough people to process them. It could be a way to break into an agency, but it could be hard to get permission to do a rotation once you're there, given that the FOIA offices are generally swamped.

[Anonymous]

The upside of FOIA is that every agency needs FOIA attorneys, and you don't necessarily need to be a specialist in the substantive work of the agency (although it can help, and you will likely learn a lot about the agency that you work at). If you want to move on from FOIA work, that would be my advice--do your best to learn about the agency and get whatever training or details you can to build that other skills set.

[Anonymous]

FOIA has a lot of litigation and a high turnover rate.

Our FOIA attorneys get assigned to FOIA, not hired into it so maybe our office is different.

[Anonymous]

FOIA is great for introverted attorneys I believe.

[Anonymous]

+1 - I read the book QUIET by Susan Cain. FOIA would be a great fit for introverted lawyers.

[Anonymous]

You won't be typecast automatically but don't expect a good chance of transition into other offices unless you have the requisite skill and experience to show for it. But if you stay there for more than like 3 years, then you'll be typecast and be known as that FOIA person. To be honest, I've never seen anyone transition from one office, such as FOIA, to an unrelated office like to policy shop in my limited 5 years of government service. The reason you can transition will most likely not be because you were in the agency but because you have the skills/experience to speak for. You might have better luck in transitioning to another office with a back office legal function such as ethic, but that's about the extent of it.

[Anonymous]

Cyber security and Privacy offices are always looking for lawyers. Get a privacy cyber cert and you will get a job quickly. But it will likely be a contract position. The Fed really isn’t hiring.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Cyber security and Privacy offices are always looking for lawyers. Get a privacy cyber cert and you will get a job quickly. But it will likely be a contract position. The Fed really isn’t hiring.

+1. I need lawyers who can deal with technology and privacy issues.

[Anonymous]

I know an attorney who started in a FOIA shop and got exposure in the agency. He then was able to transition into the reg shop. Not sure that was necessarily an improvement.