Clarification from the agency

Current 1L, 2L and LLM students enrolled in an ABA-accredited educational institutions in a Juris Doctorate or LLM program.

The Office of the Solicitor is responsible for the legal work of the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI), with nearly 200 practicing attorneys in the headquarters office and more than 300 attorneys nationwide. DOI's mission makes it the Nation's premier conservation agency. The work that we do through our offices and bureaus (including the National Park Service, Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Indian Affairs, U.S. Geological Survey, Bureau of Reclamation, Office of Surface Mining, and Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement) affects the lives of millions of people; from the family taking a vacation in a national park to a child studying in an Indian school.

With this diverse workload and the demand of extensive litigation and program counseling, the Office is continually looking for talented, dedicated law students with an interest in gaining practical experience advising agencies on the legal aspects of their mission as well as participating in complex civil litigation before administrative tribunals or assisting the Justice Department in litigating matters before federal courts. Our legal interns/externs are called upon to conduct legal research on a variety of environmental and administrative law issues, as well as issues involving Indian law. The Office resolves appeals under the Freedom of Information Act and is also home to the Department's Ethics Office. Students typically draft legal memoranda, briefs and motions, and assist with discovery in active federal cases. Students may participate in conference calls and strategy sessions with other agency counsel, including Justice Department lawyers and agency officials. There may be additional opportunities to attend hearings and meetings in the Washington, D.C. area.

Because of our unique responsibilities to support the Department's programs to benefit American Indians and Alaska Natives, Native American candidates are strongly encouraged to apply. The United States Government does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, age, membership in an employee organization, or other non-merit factor.

Salary: Intern positions are without compensation, but are eligible to participate in the Transit Subsidy Benefit Program.

Conditions of employment

Key Requirements:

• There are opportunities for externships in Headquarters, Washington, DC, Regional, and Field Offices, as determined by each office on the SOL Externship website located at https://www.doi.gov/solicitor/intern_externMust be enrolled at least part-time at an accredited academic institution.
• Must maintain status as a current student in good standings during the internship.
• If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System or are exempt from having to do so.
• Must be able to successfully pass a background investigation.
• U.S. Citizen or U.S. National

• A background investigation will be required for this position. Continued employment will be subject to the applicant's successful completion of a background security investigation and favorable adjudication. Failure to successfully meet these requirements will be grounds for termination.
• Throughout the recruitment and hiring process we will be communicating with you via email; therefore, it is imperative that the email address you provide when applying for this vacancy remains active. Should your email address change, please notify the point of contact identified in the vacancy announcement as soon as possible so that we can update our system.

Qualifications

Applicants must be students.

The following students are eligible: undergraduate students who are enrolled at least half-time; public policy graduate students; first-year (second semester), second- and third-year law students; and law school graduates who are enrolled in graduate law programs (e.g., L.L.M. programs) at least half-time.

All students must be in good academic standing and will be required to provide official documentation from their school.

First-year, first-semester law students may apply after December 1 for internships the following summer

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above

Program Application Schedule
Opening Date: August 1, 2024
Closing Date: October 5, 2024
Semester: Summer 2025
Year: 2L, 3L