Were things to materialize that way, Schultz currently being out of a job, to have him build all the skill he could from a county attorney learning perspective would be worth watching. After all, not a single county attorney endorsed Schultz, so let him have the chance to earn his spurs. Let Schultz in, starting level, were he to want that, to do a little motions practice and Brady material disclosure or such. Then perhaps a DUI bench trial or two to get the feet wet. Then going from there as a performance record might dictate. He does not come across as possessing potential as a trial lawyer; but who knows? He failed to sell his arguments to a statewide majority, about aiming to be elected from an office and business law background to be a crackerjack crime fighter, (aiming to be like Ali's manager if not Ali in the ring). He always could be counted on to do sound briefing on office appeals.
It could be a take it or leave it thing. That or go back to being a hedge fund toady for the rest of his life, not a part of the trading desk but there as an administrative lawyer, as he was (sort of like not being the high school team lead scorer but instead the team manager responsible for the uniforms getting washed and all the equipment onto the bus when heading to a road game at another school).
Remember, the hubris to have been quoted, MinnPost mid-item:
Schultz said he is even open [if winning] to wresting power from the progressive Mary Moriarty if she is elected as Hennepin County Attorney and Schultz feels she is not prosecuting cases aggressively enough.
Moriarty owes him one. She should make the offer, if funding is available, to see where he'd accept to then from the inside suggest where he might see her policy lacking, as a voice within the office, to be influential or not. They could end up working well together, each coming to understand the other, were Schultz be in the office and learn a few things. Trying to start at the top without paying his dues failed, so interested or not in paying the dues or going back to prior practice, that seems a choice he faces.
_________UPDATE________
Another scenario, fitting a suspicion of Crabgrass all along, Schultz clerked for Justice G. Barry Anderson, who is now approaching mandatory retirement age.
Schultz runs, tops Wardlow in a primary, and is set to build name recognition.
Running a close race was an extra, he fought the good fight and folks now know the name if not a new aim. So, again starting at the top, he can run for a judgeship or a top court seat where, either way, he could pursue his reproductive rights dislikes from a bench, were he to win.
Don't expect it. But don't loose sight of the possibility.
Name recognition worked for a while for Jason Lewis and Rod Grams, other opportunistic Republicans, so who knows?
__________FURTHER UPDATE__________
Strib published a locally authored item about the new Hennepin County tag team - a new county attorney and a new sheriff - stating in part
Mary Moriarty handily won the race for county attorney, beating retired District Judge Martha Holton Dimick. Dawanna Witt's landslide victory over Joseph Banks in the sheriff's race makes her the first woman and person of color to lead the department.
[...] "We have to work together. Look at all the chaos in the county," Witt said. "We need to move the dial on public safety. The people that put us in office have sent a clear message."
Moriarty said she worked with Witt during the pandemic and they get along well. "We don't have to get to know each other. And I think we're on the same page on a lot of things," she said.
She plans to meet with newly sworn-in Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, who endorsed her opponent, in the coming weeks and is already discussing her transition with [outgoing Hennepin county attorney Mike] Freeman.
"You can't wait until January to start working and reaching out," Moriarty said. "As you can see, it's already started last night and today. So it's really important to meet with people and hear what their needs and wants are, and figure out how we can effectively work together and what the issues are that need to be addressed immediately."
Board Chair Marion Greene, who was re-elected on Tuesday, echoed the fact that Moriarty and Witt bring tremendous leadership experience. Being the first openly gay woman and woman of color to hold the county attorney and sheriff positions, their offices will help diversify conversations at the highest level, which is needed, she said.
The board had a positive and collaborative working relationship with Freeman, said Greene, who endorsed Moriarty, and she's excited that Moriarty has stressed using data to advance public safety strategies, something the board has also championed in several recently funded initiatives.
With a new sheriff and county attorney in Hennepin County things are poised for new input and practices. Jim Schultz, if nothing else, should watch and learn in order to broaden his perspective and season his outlook. He is at an age where his entire future is before him and it will be long, so that if truly wanting to transition to public service, there is no better start than the present. It does not have to start at the top, as he tried to do it.