Legal Careers
Law Student Volunteer, Spring 2024
Annandale, VA 22003 - United States
The Annandale Immigration Court is accepting applications for one Volunteer Legal Intern for the Spring 2024 Semester.
The primary mission of the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) is to adjudicate immigration cases by fairly, expeditiously, and uniformly interpreting and administering the Nation’s immigration laws. Under delegated authority from the Attorney General, EOIR conducts immigration court proceedings, appellate reviews, and administrative hearings.
As a 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.
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.
The intern has a unique opportunity to gain substantive experience in immigration law and procedure in the context of removal proceedings. The intern will work on an array of issues in immigration law, such as eligibility for asylum and adjustment of status, implementation of the Convention Against Torture, and immigration consequences of criminal convictions. They will develop considerable familiarity with the Immigration & Nationality Act, the Code of Federal Regulations, and immigration case law.
The projects assigned to the legal intern vary depending on the Court’s docket and will entail:
- Research and preparation of memoranda on complex legal issues;
- Drafting decisions on motions pending before the Court; and
- Drafting decisions on applications for relief from removal.
Time and need permitting, the intern may be able to draft decisions on complex asylum cases. In many assignments, the intern will work with both the law and the unique facts that an individual case presents. This internship offers an excellent opportunity to develop research, writing, and analytical skills. The legal intern will work under the supervision of the Court’s Attorney Advisors but will also interact with Immigration Judges.
The Spring Volunteer Legal Intern is expected to work part-time during the semester; the Court is flexible with regards to work schedules during the semester. The internship is in-person. This internship is an unpaid/volunteer position. However, the intern may be eligible for academic credit. If interested in receiving academic credit, the individual should contact the appropriate staff at their law school to determine eligibility. The intern is expected to be available for the duration of the spring semester.
Prior knowledge of immigration law is helpful, but not required. Similarly, an interest in immigration law is preferred, but not necessary. Strong research and writing skills are required. Second-year and third-year law students are eligible to apply.
All applicants must be United States citizens. All applicant must have lived in the United States for at least three (3) of the past five (5) 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). Applicants will be required to meet a residency requirement and must pass a background and security clearance check. For more details, visit: https://www.justice.gov/legal-careers/conditions-employment.
If you are interested in a Spring 2024 Volunteer Legal Internship at the Annandale Immigration Court, please submit your: (1) cover letter; (2) resume; (3) law school transcript (official or unofficial); (4) brief writing sample (no more than ten pages); and (5) three references (at least one of which is a professional reference), via email to Megan Horney at megan.horney@usdoj.gov with the subject line: “EOIR Spring 2024 Internship Application.” The hiring process will include an interview by telephone or Microsoft Teams. The writing sample should be an original piece of work that provides evidence of the candidate’s skills in legal analysis and writing and should not be heavily edited by a third party.
Volunteer (uncompensated). Course credit, work-study, and externship opportunities are available depending on school.
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.