Law Student Volunteer, Fall 2026

Closing Date: 5th March, 2026

Description:

Job Description:
We are offering externship opportunities for the Fall 2026 semester for law students. Only current law students may apply. Applications will be accepted until Thursday, March 5, 2026, 12:00am CST. Selected candidates may be assigned to work in the criminal, civil, or appellate divisions. Our goal is to introduce students to the federal legal system and litigation. Volunteers will perform various tasks in the office but will also be able to view court proceedings during their time in the office. Volunteers within the Criminal Division may work on a wide variety of practice areas, including narcotics, public corruption, healthcare fraud, cybercrimes, terrorism, and other federal crimes. Within the Civil Division, students may work in a wide variety of defensive and affirmative litigation, including employment discrimination, medical malpractice, general torts, constitutional torts, immigration, prisoner litigation, commercial, financial, and civil fraud. In our Appellate Division, students may assist with appellate briefs.

Qualifications:
To be eligible for an externship, ALL of the following requirements must be met:
Law Student Status: Acceptance of applications for this announcement will be limited to first-year (second semester), second-year, and third-year law students. Law school graduates are not eligible for law student volunteer positions. An eligible student is an individual who is enrolled in an ABA-accredited law school pursuing a Juris Doctor Degree and is taking at least half-time academic course load in an accredited university.

Citizenship: Must be a United States citizen.

Background Investigation: You must successfully complete a background investigation to determine your suitability for Federal employment. Prior criminal arrests and/or convictions, illegal drug or alcohol use, and tax issues could disqualify the student. Fingerprint and credit checks will be processed to verify employment eligibility.

Application Process:
Interested persons should send a cover letter, legal writing sample, law school transcript, detailed resume (2-page limit), and references to:
USAARE.AttorneyApplicant@usdoj.gov

Electronically submitted applications must be received by midnight (12:00 a.m. CST) on Thursday, March 5, 2026.

Salary:
Student Volunteer (uncompensated). If desired, the District will work with law schools that offer academic credit for students.

Number of Positions
2+

Travel:

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