Assistant United States Attorney for the District of Minnesota

Name: Thomas More Hollenhorst

Major: Mathematics

Law School: University of Minnesota

Description of your job: Assistant United States Attorney for the District of Minnesota. My job consists of prosecuting federal defendants for various federal criminal violations.

Do you have any advice for students who are considering going to the same law school you did? The University of Minnesota is a fantastic law school, with a fantastic faculty, located in a fantastic city.

Is there anything in particular that you did during your undergrad that benefited you more than anything else in getting through law school and/or transitioning into the legal profession? I decided to get my mathematics degree through the College of Liberal Arts. This gave me a more well‑rounded course of study including courses in political science, history and languages.

If you had a chance to go through law school all over again, is there anything you would do differently? I would consider applying to the best law schools in the country (including the University of Minnesota). Don't sell yourself short. After acceptances come in, pick the one that is right for you.

Is being a lawyer what you expected it would be? Why or why not? Not really. It's probably more fun than I thought. The hardest part is getting through constant public and private criticism of lawyers. Despite all the slings and arrows that come your way, always remember that being a lawyer is a truly noble profession if you live and think of it that way.

What is it like transitioning from being a law student to being a lawyer? Difficult. After 7 years of college and law school, it was tough for me to give up the academic life. I chose to join the Army Judge Advocate General's Corps. That was a great decision. In so doing, I was able to serve my country, get great experience in criminal law, and see the world.

Is there anything students should know about the legal profession before they decide to commit their life to it? It helps if you like to read and write. There's a lot of glamour to the courtroom, but in most instances your client is best served by staying out of it.

What does a typical day look like for you as a lawyer? In at 8:30 a.m., one or two hearings per day, a lot of telephone calls to opposing counsel, one or two court filings, some reading and writing, lights out at about 5:00 to 6:00 p.m.