The Office offers an unpaid summer internship program for first-year and second-year law students. Students are placed in either the Criminal or Civil Division and participate in a wide range of work alongside Assistant U.S. Attorneys. The Office also hosts a variety of summer events, such as training sessions and brown bag lunches, designed to educate interns about the legal profession in general and government lawyering specifically. Interns must commit to working a minimum of 8-10 weeks. Interns are paired with one or two Assistants. Typical assignments include research and writing projects, participating in witness interviews, document analysis, assisting in preparing for depositions and oral arguments in court, and assisting with trials.

Application

Please review the “Eligibility Requirements and Conditions” for interns set forth below.

The Summer Internship Program is open only to first-year and second-year law students. Students may apply to only one division (Criminal or Civil). To apply, submit the following documents:

Voluntary Form regarding Race and National Origin Identification (PDF)

2Ls
Second-year law students may apply during the period September 11 to October 13, 2023 for the summer of 2024. Please submit the application materials noted above either online or by mail according to the instructions set forth below. Be sure to indicate whether you are applying to the Criminal or Civil Division in your cover letter and, if you are applying online, on the online form. If you would prefer to work in the Office’s Criminal Division in White Plains, please also indicate that in your cover letter and on the online form.

1Ls
First-year law students may apply during the period December 18, 2023 to January 26, 2024 for the summer of 2024, and we will consider applications on a rolling basis during this time frame. Please submit the application materials noted above either online or by mail according to the instructions set forth below. Be sure to indicate whether you are applying to the Criminal or Civil Division in your cover letter and, if you are applying online, on the online form. If you would prefer to work in the Office’s Criminal Division in White Plains, please also indicate that in your cover letter and on the online form. Note: In order to complete their applications, first-year law students must provide their transcripts when they become available. First-year students must submit the other application materials within the timeframe provided.

Interviews
Following submission of your application, the Office will determine whether to follow up with you for an interview. Interviews will be conducted via telephone.

Apply Online
To be considered for the summer internship, submit an e-mail to [email protected] for the Criminal or White Plains Division or [email protected] for the Civil Division. You may apply to only one division! Attach your resume, a copy of your transcript, a writing sample of at most 5 pages in length, and a one-page cover letter explaining your interest in the Office. If you have chosen to complete the voluntary form regarding race and national origin identification, please submit that form as an attachment to your email as well. Again, completing this form is entirely voluntary on your part, and it will not be considered in our evaluation of your application.

To expedite the process, please have the e-mail formatted such that the subject line contains the name of your law school as well as your current law school year (i.e., 1L or 2L). In the body of the message, please include your last name, first name, e-mail, phone number, name of your law school, year of law school, and the division of interest.

Notes: Documents must be submitted in either Word, RTF, or PDF format. You must be a U.S. Citizen. The requirement for citizenship cannot be satisfied by "Permanent Residency / Green Card" status. Unfortunately, if you are not a citizen, we cannot consider you.

Externships During the School Year

The United States Attorney’s Office accepts a certain number of law student externs during the school year, in both our Civil and Criminal Divisions in Manhattan, and in our White Plains branch office. Law students interested in committing to no less than ten hours per week for 12-16 weeks during the spring or fall semester, may submit an application for an externship. An application for an externship consists of a resume, a law school transcript (a copy is acceptable), a writing sample (no longer than five pages), and a cover letter explaining your interest in working in the Office; your preference for a work location (Civil, Criminal, or White Plains); and how the externship relates or will relate to your course of study at the law school. The application should be submitted via e-mail to [email protected].

To be considered for a spring externship in 2024 we must receive your application no later than October 13, 2023  and we will endeavor to advise you of your status by November 10, 2023. To be considered for a fall externship in 2024 we must receive your application no later than April 12, 2024 and we will endeavor to advise you of your status by May 10, 2024. We will consider applications on a rolling basis during these time frames. If applicable, please indicate in your cover letter the date by which your school will need to know whether this Office has offered you (subject to the conditions below) an externship position.

Eligibility Requirements and Conditions for All Internship and Externship Programs

U.S. Citizen
Applicants must be U.S. citizens.

U.S. Residency Requirement
For three of the five years immediately prior to applying for an internship, the applicant must (i) have resided in the United States; (ii) have worked for the United States overseas in a federal or military capacity; or (iii) have been a dependent of a federal or military employee serving overseas.

Background Check
Students who have been preliminarily selected for an internship or externship position must thereafter supply information for a background check and be granted a favorable security clearance in order to work in this Office.

School Permission
Your law school must execute a Volunteer Agreement as part of the final clearance process for students who have been preliminarily selected for an internship or externship position.

No Payment
Internships and externships are unpaid. Summer interns may apply for stipends that are offered by private fellowship associations with funds administered by a committee of the Federal Bar Council. Further information concerning these stipends is made available at the time a student is preliminarily selected for the summer internship.

Conflict of Interest
Law student interns and externs cannot work for or be paid by another law firm or similar entity during the period of the internship or externship at the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Interns and externs are also prohibited from participating in any law school or other legal clinic involving litigation with or proceedings before the United States or any federal entity during the period of the internship or externship. Written consent from the U.S. Attorney’s Office is required to participate in any other type of law school or legal clinic, or in any other type of outside employment, during the period of the internship or externship.

Non-Discrimination
The United States Government does not discriminate in employment or selection of interns or externs on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, status as a parent, genetic information, disability, age, membership or non-membership in an employee organization, or on the basis of personal favoritism. The Office encourages applications for internships and externships from students of diverse backgrounds.