Special Assistant Attorney General

Most days tend to involve handling assigned matters for the state AG — could include litigation on behalf of state agencies, specialized regulatory work, or matters within a particular subject-matter expertise — alongside coordinating with the AG's office on strategy and direction. You'll often handle assigned matters in the morning, coordinate with the AG's office or state agencies in the afternoon, and engage with opposing counsel or regulators on contested matters.

The hardest parts tend to be the dual reporting relationships and the institutional dynamics of working both with and for the AG's office. Special AAGs often have a primary employer (state agency or private firm) plus AG-office responsibility, and navigating both is the role's craft. Settings vary — some states designate agency attorneys as SAAGs for litigation purposes; others bring in private counsel as SAAGs for specialized matters; the scope and tenure depend on state practice.

People who tend to thrive here are substantively deep, diplomatically skilled across institutional contexts, comfortable with bounded scope, and energized by public-service work. If you want pure private practice or partnership-track money, SAAG work is mission-driven. If you find satisfaction in handling significant matters on behalf of the state with public-service purpose, the role can be intellectually rich and impactful.