 On the recommendation of Cabranes , Sotomayor was hired out of law school as an assistant district attorney under New York County District Attorney Robert Morgenthau starting in 1979 . She said at the time that she did so with conflicted emotions : " There was a tremendous amount of pressure from my community , from the third world community , at Yale . They could not understand why I was taking this job . I 'm not sure I 've ever resolved that problem . " It was a time of crisis @-@ level crime rates and drug problems in New York , Morgenthau 's staff was overburdened with cases , and like other rookie prosecutors , Sotomayor was initially fearful of appearing before judges in court . Working in the trial division , she handled heavy caseloads as she prosecuted everything from shoplifting and prostitution to robberies , assaults , and murders . She also worked on cases involving police brutality . She was not afraid to venture into tough neighborhoods or endure squalid conditions in order to interview witnesses . In the courtroom , she was effective at cross examination and at simplifying a case in ways to which a jury could relate . In 1983 in her highest profile case she helped convict the " Tarzan Murderer " ( who acrobatically entered apartments , robbed them , and shot residents for no reason ) . She felt lower @-@ level crimes were largely products of socioeconomic environment and poverty , but she had a different attitude about serious felonies : " No matter how liberal I am , I 'm still outraged by crimes of violence . Regardless of whether I can sympathize with the causes that lead these individuals to do these crimes , the effects are outrageous . " Hispanic @-@ on @-@ Hispanic crime was of particular concern to her : " The saddest crimes for me were the ones that my own people committed against each other . " In general , she showed a passion for bringing law and order to the streets of New York , displaying special zeal in pursuing child pornography cases , unusual for the time . She worked 15 @-@ hour days and gained a reputation for being driven and for her preparedness and fairness . One of her job evaluations labelled her a " potential superstar " . Morgenthau later described her as " smart , hard @-@ working , [ and having ] a lot of common sense , " and as a " fearless and effective prosecutor . " She stayed a typical length of time in the post and had a common reaction to the job : " After a while , you forget there are decent , law @-@ abiding people in life . " 
