U.S. Department of Justice

Civil Division, National Courts, Washington DC


Law Student Volunteer, Summer and Fall/Winter 

About the Office: 
The National Courts Section is one of the largest, oldest, and most active litigating sections in the Department of Justice. Its primary mission is to protect taxpayer dollars in lawsuits brought against the U.S. Government. The National Courts Section handles a variety of cases involving government contracts, international trade and tariff matters, constitutional claims, government pay and personnel suits, and veterans' and other benefits appeals before the United States Court of Federal Claims, the United States Court of International Trade, and the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (the "national courts"). In a sense, the National Courts Section is the "U.S. Attorney" in these specialized courts of national jurisdiction. Because these courts exercise nationwide jurisdiction, National Courts Section attorneys often travel outside of Washington, DC for trials and other matters. The National Courts Section also handles occasional matters in other federal district and circuit courts, as well as in administrative tribunals. For more information about the section visit, http://www.justice.gov/civil/commercial/national-courts/c-natcourts.html. 

As the federal agency whose mission is to ensure the fair and impartial administration of justice for all Americans, the Department of Justice is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive work environment. To build and retain a workforce that reflects the diverse experiences and perspectives of the American people, we welcome applicants from the many communities, identities, races, ethnicities, backgrounds, abilities, religions, and cultures of the United States who share our commitment to public service.

Job Description: 
Intern assignments closely equate to the work that is routinely performed by National Courts Section attorneys.  Typically, this means that interns will be utilized to research and draft appellate briefs, dispositive trial court motions (e.g., motions to dismiss pursuant to Rule 12(b), motions for summary judgment pursuant to Rule 56), and legal memoranda.  Interns may also be assigned to assist attorneys in all phases of trial preparation and trial, and may attend depositions, moot courts and oral arguments.
Weeks/Hours: Academic year interns (Fall or Spring) must commit to work part-time (at least 15 hours per week) for a period of at least 10 weeks. Summer interns must commit to work full-time (40 hours per week) for a period of at least 10 weeks.

Qualifications: 
Must have completed at least one year of law school by the start date of the internship. Top third of class preferred. Candidates must undergo a background investigation. Candidates must also be U.S. citizens or nationals, and must have resided in the United States for at least three of the past five years.

Salary: 
Work-study credit possible. Transit subsidy is available. The positions are unpaid.

Travel: 
None.

Application Process: 
Applicants should submit a cover letter, resume, law school transcript (official or unofficial), and a brief writing sample to nationalcourts.interns@usdoj.gov.  Applications are accepted on a rolling basis, but positions are typically filled by February for summer positions.

For complete announcement for Summer positions see: https://www.justice.gov/legal-careers/job/unpaid-law-student-volunteer-summer-national-courts-section

For complete announcement for Fall/Spring interns see: https://www.justice.gov/legal-careers/job/law-student-volunteer-intern-academic