Legal Careers
Law Student Volunteer, Civil Division, Torts Section, Constitutional Tort Litigation Staff (Tort-CSTL/Bivens)
Washington, DC 20002 - United States
The Constitutional Tort Litigation Staff (Tort-CSTL/Bivens) is part of the Torts Section in the Civil Division of the U.S. Department of Justice. This specialized unit represents and defends current and former federal officials at all levels of government nationwide, with a unique practice that establishes a traditional attorney-client relationship with federal employees. Clients include a wide range of federal personnel, from line-level employees to senior policymakers with cabinet rank.
Key features of the office’s work include:
- Defending federal employees sued in their personal capacities for alleged constitutional violations under Bivens v. Six Unknown Named Agents of the Fed. Bureau of Narcotics, 403 U.S. 388 (1971)
- Representing the United States and its agencies, alongside individual employees in litigation
- Handling other cases that involve individual or government liability, including common law and state tort claims, federal statutory claims, and professional licensing matters
- Litigating cases that present novel or cutting-edge questions of constitutional law, official immunity, and liability, such as those raised in Tanzin v. Tanvir, 592 U.S. 43 (2020), which found federal employees may face personal damages liability under the Religious Freedom Restoration Act
While the practice often focuses on dispositive motions, CSTL attorneys are involved in all facets of civil litigation, including discovery, trial preparation, and trial proceedings. Staff handle cases before federal district courts nationwide and play a critical role in protecting the interests of individual employees as well as the government.
Additional information about the Constitutional Tort Litigation Staff can be found on the Department of Justice website.
Law Student Volunteers will:
- Work directly with a team of attorneys on an array of defensive civil litigation assignments for the federal government and its employees, with a focus on dispositive motion practice.
- Conduct legal research and draft high-caliber memoranda, along with sections of motions and briefs, in a variety of cases.
- Assist with written discovery, depositions and trial preparation, subject to such work being available during the time-period of the internship.
- Attend moot courts, depositions, and experiential learning activities as available.
- Gain exposure to a spectrum of legal issues, and receive ongoing professional feedback.
All work is performed in person and onsite at our Washington, D.C. office located near the NoMa-Gallaudet University Metro Station. Remote work is not permitted.
Eligibility Requirements
- U.S. citizenship required.
- Must be a rising second- and third-year law student.
- Enrollment at least half-time at an accredited U.S. law school.
- Successful completion of at least one semester of law school by internship start.
- Must commit to at least 20 hours per week for 8 -12 weeks
Preferred Qualifications
- Superior legal research and writing skills
- Strong attention to detail
- Interest in litigation, tort law, constitutional law, law enforcement, immigration, or national security
- Ability to work collaboratively in a small team environment
- Professionalism, reliability, and initiative
Note: Applications from first-year law students will not be considered. Law school graduates and LL.M. candidates are not eligible.
Submit the following materials in a single, combined PDF file titled "[Last Name, First Name] Spring 2026 Internship Application, [Law School, Graduating Class Year] to Evelyn.Kennedy@usdoj.gov with the subject line matching the file name.
Required documents:
- Cover Letter (addressed to "Evelyn Kennedy")
- Resume (not to exceed two pages)
- Current law school transcript (official or unofficial)
- Legal writing sample (5–10 pages)
Additional Information
- Please do not apply if you cannot commit to the full internship period.
- Selected candidates will be required to complete security forms and undergo a background check.
- 1–2 interns are accepted per semester.
- Applications from first-year law students will not be considered.
- Law school graduates and LL.M. candidates are not eligible.
Positions are unpaid. Interns may receive academic credit or funding through external programs such as Federal Work Study, if applicable. Transit subsidy available for in-person commuting.
Department Policies
The United States government does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service or other non-merit factor. To learn more, please visit the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
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.
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.