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Law Student Internship Program

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas (USAO-SDTX) invites qualified law students to apply for internships.

ABOUT THE OFFICE:  The USAO-SDTX has offices in Houston, Brownsville, Corpus Christi, Galveston, Laredo and McAllen. The office handles criminal prosecutions for violations of federal law, civil lawsuits by and against the government, appellate and post-conviction proceedings, and actions to collect judgments and restitution on behalf of victims and taxpayers. Our nearly 210 attorneys spend a tremendous amount of time trying cases in federal court.

OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE:  The USAO-SDTX seeks law students of varied backgrounds, skills and interests to assist Assistant U.S. Attorneys (AUSAs). The law student internship program provides participants with supervised and direct responsibility for criminal, civil, appellate and post-conviction litigation. This includes conducting research and writing assignments, assisting AUSAs with trial and witness preparation, participating in moot courts prior to appellate oral arguments, attendance at depositions, mediations, trials and much more. Some of the outstanding memoranda law student interns have written have been sent to U.S. Attorney’s Offices and government agencies throughout the country. Internships are available in all of our offices.

EXPECTATIONS:  During the fall and spring semesters, our office expects interns to work a minimum of 10 hours per week. During the summer, interns are expected to work full-time for at least six consecutive weeks.

ELIGIBILITY:  Rising second- and third-year law students are welcome to apply for our summer program. For our spring and fall programs, current second- and third-year students are eligible. Individuals who have already obtained a law degree (J.D. or equivalent) are not eligible. U.S. citizenship is required. Additional information about eligibility and conditions of employment is available HERE.  

INTERNSHIPS ARE UNPAID:  Our internship positions are unpaid, but we gladly work with law schools and students to assist in arranging for any available course credit. In addition, some students apply for and receive public service stipends from their law schools; others have been awarded a Blask Fellowship by the Federal Bar Association’s Southern District of Texas Chapter.

TIMING AND DEADLINES: The USAO-SDTX is now accepting internship applications for Fall Semester 2023. The application deadline is May 10, 2023. 

HOW TO APPLY:  To apply, applicants must send a cover letter, resume, short writing sample (10 pages maximum) and unofficial school transcript to interns.usatxs@usdoj.gov. No hard copy or faxed applications will be accepted. Late or incomplete applications will not be considered.  In your cover letter, please specify which office you are applying to.

Address cover letters to:
Elizabeth Karpati
Legal Intern Coordinator

United States Attorney’s Office
1000 Louisiana Street, Suite 2300
Houston, Texas 77002


BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION:  Internship offers are conditioned on the successful completion of a background investigation. Applicants who are tentatively selected for internships with our office will undergo an investigation by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM). This investigation will address a variety of areas, including (among other things) credit history, drug usage, arrests and mental health treatment. Applicants who may have issues in these areas must be prepared to provide supporting documentation as part of the pre-investigation process showing that all matters have been resolved. The completion of the background investigation can sometimes take several months. The forms used in the background investigation are listed HERE.

MORE INFORMATION: For more information, please contact Elizabeth Karpati, Legal Intern Coordinator, at (713) 567-9767 or by EMAIL.

COMMITMENT TO EQUAL OPPORTUNITY:  Our office is committed to equal employment opportunity without discrimination based on race, sex, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, disability, or status as a veteran. Additional information regarding the Department of Justice’s commitment to diversity is available HERE

OTHER RESOURCES:
Office of Personnel Management Web Site
United States Department of Justice Office of Attorney Recruitment and Management Web Site

 

Updated April 17, 2023