Senior Attorney General

Most days tend to involve handling significant legal matters for the state or federal government — major litigation, agency advice, opinion writing, supervisory work — alongside mentoring junior AG staff. You'll often handle case strategy and senior matters in the morning, review legal opinions or briefs in the afternoon, and engage with elected leadership, agency heads, or other senior government officials.

The hardest parts tend to be the political dimensions of AG office work and the public-facing scrutiny of senior government attorneys. AG offices serve elected officials, and political transitions can reshape priorities and personnel. Settings vary — state AG offices have distinct cultures by state, party, and tradition; the US DOJ operates with its own structure; some offices are large with deep specialization, others are small with generalist work.

People who tend to thrive here are substantively deep, politically aware, comfortable with public-service mission and scrutiny, and energized by representing government in high-stakes matters. If you want partnership-track compensation or pure private practice, AG work is mission-driven with modest pay. If you find satisfaction in handling significant matters in the name of the public, the practice can be deeply consequential.