Legal Careers
Law Student Volunteer, Civil Division, Torts Section, Constitutional Tort Litigation Staff (T-CSTL/Bivens) (Fall 2026)
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 have the opportunity to engage in substantive legal work supporting the Constitutional Torts team’s mission. Responsibilities may include:
- Conduct legal research on complex constitutional and tort issues
- Draft legal memoranda and sections of motions or briefs
- Assist with written discovery and document review
- Support deposition and trial preparation
- Participate as judges in moot court panels for attorneys preparing oral arguments
- Attend court proceedings, when possible, subject to scheduling
- Analyze case law and legislative history to support legal arguments
- Collaborate with attorneys on case strategy
Interns are an integral part of the team and gain exposure to many aspects of defensive civil litigation on behalf of the government and its employees. Interns typically work with multiple attorneys and on a variety of cases and projects during the internship. Attendance at moot courts, mock trials, depositions, and other experiential activities depends on whether those events are scheduled during the internship period.
All work is performed in person and onsite at our Washington, D.C; telework is not permitted. Our office is located near the NoMa-Gallaudet University Metro Station.
Eligibility Requirements
- U.S. citizenship or national status
- Current second- or third-year law student during the Fall 2026 semester
- Completion of at least one semester of law school by the start date of the internship
- Enrolled at least half‑time in an accredited law school
- Demonstrated academic excellence preferred
- Successful completion of a background investigation
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
Work schedule – Fall 2026
- Expected term: Late August/Early September 2026 – December 2026 (specific dates coordinated with the student’s academic calendar)
- Minimum commitment of 20 hours per week for at least 8-10 weeks
- Interns are expected to be available for the full agreed‑upon internship period
- Telework is not permitted and all work must be performed on‑site at Department facilities
Submit the following materials in a single, combined PDF file titled "[Last Name, First Name] Fall 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)
Early submission is encouraged, as positions may be filled before the deadline of June 1st.
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 investigation.
- First year law students (1Ls) are not eligible for the Fall 2026 term.
- 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 Department remains steadfast in its commitment to equal employment opportunity (EEO) and treating employees with fairness, dignity and compassion. We must ensure that no applicant for employment or employee of our Department is denied equal opportunity because of race, color, religion, national origin, sex – including pregnancy – or because of age, physical or mental disability, protected genetic information, parental status, marital status, political affiliation, or any other non-merit based factor and that all have the freedom to compete on a fair and level playing field. To learn more, please view the Department’s full Equal Employment Opportunity Policy 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://help.usajobs.gov/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.