Legal Careers
Law Student Volunteer (Summer 2023)
Denver, CO 80202 - United States
The Environment and Natural Resources Division litigates in five key areas: pollution, lands and natural resources, wildlife, Indian resources, and land acquisition. Attorneys represent many federal agencies by preparing and arguing civil and criminal enforcement cases, appeals, and by defending challenged federal agency actions arising from well over 100 federal environmental laws. Cases are at the cutting edge of environmental and natural resources practice. The Division's work protects our environment for future generations.
The Summer 2023 law clerk position offered in the Denver Field Office is a joint position working with the Environmental Enforcement Section (EES), Environmental Defense Section (EDS), and Natural Resources Section (NRS). For more information on the work completed by these Sections please visit:
https://www.justice.gov/enrd/environmental-enforcement-section
https://www.justice.gov/enrd/environmental-defense-section
https://www.justice.gov/enrd/natural-resources-section
As the federal agency whose mission is to ensure the fair and impartial administration of justice for all Americans, the Department of Justice is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive work environment. To build and retain a workforce that reflects the diverse experiences and perspectives of the American people, we welcome applicants from the many communities, identities, races, ethnicities, backgrounds, abilities, religions, and cultures of the United States who share our commitment to public service.
ENRD's Denver Field Office is seeking up to two (2) full-time law students with a strong interest in gaining practical experience in environmental law and litigation for the Summer 2023 semester. This is a joint position, meaning that the selected individual(s) will be working with attorneys in the Environmental Enforcement, Environmental Defense, and Natural Resources Sections.
While assignments will vary, law clerks are typically called upon to conduct legal research; draft legal memoranda; draft portions of motions, briefs, and written discovery; present findings on research assignments to attorneys and client agency counsel; and attend settlement and case planning sessions with client agency counsel and technical experts. Law clerks may also attend or assist with local site visits, witness interviews, depositions, and hearings taking place remotely or in or near Denver (if student is located in the Denver area). Our attorneys make every effort to provide each student with challenging work in as many areas of our practice as possible.
The following full-time options for law clerk internships with our Denver office are offered: in-person, hybrid, or remote capacity. You must indicate your preference in the email submittal of your application or cover letter.
Student applicants must: (1) hold full or dual United States citizenship, to be identified in the cover letter or resume; (2) have resided within the United States for three of the past five years, unless military/diplomatic service was involved; (3) be in good standing at their law school, with a strong interest in gaining practical experience in environmental law; and (4) complete a minimum of two semesters of law school before the Summer 2023 semester. The successful completion of at least one introductory environmental law course and administrative law is encouraged.
Due to the ongoing public health emergency related to COVID-19, for in-office settings, there may be additional office rules that apply at times regarding masks and social distancing during the internship.
Applications for the Summer 2023 law clerk position(s) with the Denver Field Office will be accepted during the following time frames:
2L Students: October 3, 2022 - January 3, 2023
1L Students: December 1, 2022 - January 3, 2023
Interviews and hiring decisions will be made on a rolling basis.
Please email completed application to: ApplyInternFieldOffice.ENRD@usdoj.gov
In the email subject line please note: "Denver Field Office - Summer 2023 Law Clerk Application"
Application Package:
- Please indicate the following in your email or cover letter: 1) if you also applied to ENRD DC internship opportunities for the Summer 2023 session; and 2) your preference in conducting the internship - in-person, hybrid, or remote.
- Cover Letter (1 Page)
- Current Resume
- Unofficial Law School Transcript
- Writing Sample (11 pages maximum)
- 3 References
Uncompensated, but will work with law school programs that offer academic course credit
Department Policies
The U.S. Department of Justice is an Equal Opportunity/Reasonable Accommodation Employer. Except where otherwise provided by law, there will be no discrimination because of race, color, religion, national origin, sex - including gender identity, sexual orientation, or pregnancy status - or because of age (over 40), physical or mental disability, protected genetic information, parental status, marital status, political affiliation, or any other non-merit based factor. The Department of Justice welcomes and encourages applications from persons with physical and mental disabilities. The Department is firmly committed to satisfying its affirmative obligations under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, to ensure that persons with disabilities have every opportunity to be hired and advanced on the basis of merit within the Department of Justice. For more information, please review our full EEO Statement.
This agency provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the agency. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis.
The Department encourages qualified applicants with disabilities, including individuals with targeted/severe disabilities to apply in response to posted vacancy announcements. Qualified applicants with targeted/severe disabilities may be eligible for direct hire, non-competitive appointment under Schedule A (5 C.F.R. § 213.3102(u)) hiring authority. Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to contact one of the Department’s Disability Points of Contact (DPOC) to express an interest in being considered for a position. See list of DPOCs.
Unless otherwise required by law, the Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act prohibits employees of the U.S. Department of Justice or a federal contractor acting on its behalf from inquiring about an applicant's criminal history record, either in writing or orally, before that individual receives a conditional offer of employment. Applicants who believe they have been subjected to a violation of the Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act, may submit a written complaint within 30 days of the date of the alleged non-compliance directly to the hiring office using the contact information listed in the announcement.
It is the policy of the Department to achieve a drug-free workplace and persons selected for employment will be required to pass a drug test which screens for illegal drug use prior to final appointment. Employment is also contingent upon the completion and satisfactory adjudication of a background investigation. Congress generally prohibits agencies from employing non-citizens within the United States, except for a few narrow exceptions as set forth in the annual Appropriations Act (see, https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/working-in-government/non-citizens/). Pursuant to DOJ component policies, only U.S. citizens are eligible for employment with the Executive Office for Immigration Review, U.S. Trustee’s Offices, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Unless otherwise indicated in a particular job advertisement, qualifying non-U.S. citizens meeting immigration and appropriations law criteria may apply for employment with other DOJ organizations. However, please be advised that the appointment of non-U.S. citizens is extremely rare; such appointments would be possible only if necessary to accomplish the Department's mission and would be subject to strict security requirements. Applicants who hold dual citizenship in the U.S. and another country will be considered on a case-by-case basis. All DOJ employees are subject to a residency requirement. Candidates must have lived in the United States for at least three of the past five years. The three-year period is cumulative, not necessarily consecutive. Federal or military employees, or dependents of federal or military employees serving overseas, are excepted from this requirement. This is a Department security requirement which is waived only for extreme circumstances and handled on a case-by-case basis.
There is no formal rating system for applying veterans' preference to attorney appointments in the excepted service; however, the Department of Justice considers veterans' preference eligibility as a positive factor in attorney hiring. Applicants eligible for veterans' preference must include that information in their cover letter or resume and attach supporting documentation (e.g., the DD 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty and other supporting documentation) to their submissions. Although the "point" system is not used, per se, applicants eligible to claim 10-point preference must submit Standard Form (SF) 15, Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference, and submit the supporting documentation required for the specific type of preference claimed (visit the OPM website, www.opm.gov/forms/pdf_fill/SF15.pdf for a copy of SF 15, which lists the types of 10-point preferences and the required supporting document(s). Applicants should note that SF 15 requires supporting documentation associated with service- connected disabilities or receipt of nonservice-connected disability pensions to be dated 1991 or later except in the case of service members submitting official statements or retirement orders from a branch of the Armed Forces showing that their retirement was due to a permanent service-connected disability or that they were transferred to the permanent disability retired list (the statement or retirement orders must indicate that the disability is 10% or more).
Assistant United States Attorneys must reside in the district to which appointed or within 25 miles thereof. See 28 U.S.C. 545 for district specific information.
This and other vacancy announcements can be found under Attorney Vacancies and Volunteer Legal Internships. The Department of Justice cannot control further dissemination and/or posting of information contained in this vacancy announcement. Such posting and/or dissemination is not an endorsement by the Department of the organization or group disseminating and/or posting the information.