Legal Careers
LAW STUDENT VOLUNTEER, SUMMER 2025
Washington , DC 20002 - United States
The Constitutional Torts Staff represent current and former federal officials at all levels of government nationwide. Our office is one of the few in which a government attorney enters into a traditional attorney-client relationship with the employees that we represent, with all the responsibilities that imposes. Our clients range from line-level employees to senior policymakers with cabinet rank. In addition to defending federal employees who are sued in their personal capacities, Constitutional Torts Attorneys also represent the United States and its agencies when both the government and individual employees are sued. The vast majority of cases we handle involve claims for damages against federal employees who are personally sued for alleged constitutional violations under Bivens v. Six Unknown Named Agents of the Federal Bureau of Narcotics, 403 U.S. 388 (1971), but our attorneys are also responsible for other cases involving individual liability, including common law and state tort suits, federal statutory claims, and professional licensing matters. For example, the Supreme Court in Tanzin v. Tanvir, 592 U.S. 43 (2020), recently held that federal employees may be subject to personal damages liability for alleged violations of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act. Our cases are complex and usually involve cutting-edge or novel questions of constitutional law and official immunity. The subject matter of our work is as broad and varied as the work of the federal government itself. And while our practice focuses on dispositive motions, it also includes all aspects of civil defensive litigation, including discovery and taking cases to trial. Additional information about the Constitutional Tort Litigation Section is available at: http://www.justice.gov/civil/constitutional-specialized-tort-litigation-section.
Interns are an integral part of the Constitutional Torts team. They gain exposure to many aspects of defensive civil litigation on behalf of the government and its employees. We ensure that interns have the opportunity to work with many attorneys and are assigned to work on a variety of cases and projects during their internship. Interns are assigned numerous legal research and writing assignments and are expected to produce first-rate legal memoranda as well as sections of motions or briefs. Interns may also be asked to assist with written discovery, deposition preparation, and trial preparation. Our interns are encouraged to attend moot courts and to provide feedback to attorneys preparing for oral arguments. The ability to attend moot courts, mock trials, depositions, and other experiential activities are subject to those events being scheduled during the time-period of the internship. We strive to provide our interns with a professionally meaningful experience that is tailored to their goals. Interns are expected to work in-person and onsite in Washington, DC.
Candidates for the summer internship are expected to be full-time (i.e., at least 35hrs/week).
Applicants must be enrolled at least half-time and have completed at least one-semester of law school. Rising second- and rising third-year law students are encouraged to apply. Unfortunately, graduates are not eligible for this position. Superior research and writing skills, an eye for detail, and a desire to work as part of a small team of professionals are essential. Excellent opportunity for students with a background or interest in litigation, constitutional law, tort law, law enforcement, immigration, and national security issues. Must be a U.S. Citizen. Summer interns must be able to commit to a minimum of 35 hours per week for 8-12 weeks.
Applicants should submit a cover letter, resume, current law school transcript, and 5-10 page legal writing sample via email to Evelyn.Kennedy@usdoj.gov. The cover letter should be addressed to "Evelyn Kennedy." All four documents should be in PDF format. If possible, it is preferred that all documents be sent in a single, combined PDF.
Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis before and after the application deadline.
Applicants who have not received grades for the prior fall semester (e.g., 1L applicants) may apply during the application window and then follow-up by email as soon as possible with their fall semester grades. It is the responsibility of the applicant to send grades in a timely manner for their application to be considered complete.
Uncompensated but eligible for transit subsidy and work-study, as well as academic course credit (depending on school requirements).
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.