Legal Intern Program

United States Attorney’s Office

Middle District of Tennessee

The Office of the United States Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee represents the federal government in criminal and civil actions within 32 of 95 counties in the State of Tennessee.  The Criminal Division handles a variety of case:  Firearms, Violent Crimes, Narcotics, Terrorism, White Collar Crime, Online Child Exploitation, and General Crimes.  Attorneys in the Civil Division represent the United States and its departments and agencies in civil proceedings filed in federal court.  Approximately 32 attorneys work in the office – about 75% work in the Criminal Division and 25% work in the Civil Division.  The office is located in Nashville, Tennessee.

Legal Intern Program

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Tennessee utilizes the volunteer services of law students on a year-round basis.  These legal interns are unpaid volunteers who work either for the experience and/or for academic credit.  The program is intended to give currently enrolled law students the opportunity to assist in the prosecution and defense of both criminal and civil cases in the District Court in the Middle District of Tennessee and the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals.

Legal interns have the opportunity to do work in both the Criminal and Civil Divisions.  A supervising attorney will work with the interns throughout their internships to coordinate assignments and provide general assistance as needed.  Additionally, summer interns will have a mentoring attorney to guide them in their assignments and answer questions about the office and legal career choices.

Legal interns typically research legal issues, write memos and/or draft responses in pending cases, prepare jury instructions, and assist with appellate briefs.  These interns also work with attorneys in responding to discovery, interviewing witnesses, assembling exhibits for trial, and negotiating settlements.  Additionally, interns are encouraged to observe hearings and trials.  Summer interns have the opportunity to participate in several extracurricular activities, including tours of a local jail, a state prison, the medical examiner’s office, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, the Metropolitan Nashville Police Academy, and various federal agencies.  Interns also may participate in a ride-along program with the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department.  Additional opportunities may include talking with local judges, observing a variety of hearings, and talking with an assistant federal public defender.

Summer interns are expected to work full time for a minimum of eight weeks, although ten weeks or more is recommended.  Splitting the summer is strongly discouraged but will be considered in unusual circumstances in which there are compelling reasons.  The summer intern program begins in mid to late May and continues through early August, with a couple of alternative starting dates. 

Vanderbilt and Belmont legal interns who work during the semester are expected to work a minimum of 110 hours, 8 hours a week.

Submitting an Application

To submit an application, a currently enrolled law student should submit

•     Cover letter (separate from an email if application submitted in that form),
•     Resume,
•     Transcript (unofficial version is fine),
•     Writing sample, and
•     An email address and telephone numbers where you can be reached during the day. 

Applications for the summer internship program should be sent by email to  usatnm.vlccoordinator@usdoj.gov (preferable method) or by snail mail to Intern Coordinator, United States Attorney’s Office, 110 9th Ave. South, Suite A-961, Nashville, TN  37203.  Applications for summer employment should be received no later than February 1, 2014.  First year students should update their applications as soon as possible after receiving their grades for their first semester.  Interviews will be conducted in person or by video conference in February and will be arranged by email.  Offers will be extended no later than early March.

Applications for students interested in working part time during the school year must be received by June 15 for work in the Fall semester and by October 15 for the Spring semester.  Although we receive many applications for the summer program, we often have unfilled positions during the semester and encourage students to apply!

Any questions can be directed to either Carrie Daughtrey via email at Carrie.Daughtrey@usdoj.gov (preferable) or by telephone (615-401-6583) or Lynne Ingram via email at Lynne.Ingram@usdoj.gov or by telephone (615-401-6601).

Hiring Requirements

Applicants must be U.S. citizens.  Applicants also must be enrolled in a law school at the time of work in the U.S. Attorney’s Office.  We are not permitted to hire high school or undergraduate students to work in the legal intern program.

Prior to beginning work as a legal intern, candidates must undergo a background check, which addresses criminal history, credit history, and character issues.  This background check takes approximately three months.  All offers are contingent on the background check.

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