Legal Careers
Law Student Volunteer, Summer 2026, Foreign Investment Review Section
The mission of the National Security Division (NSD) is to coordinate the Department of Justice's (DOJ's) efforts in carrying out its core mission of combating terrorism and protecting national security, including protecting our national assets from state-sponsored threats to the private sector. NSD is responsible for supervising the enforcement of all federal criminal laws related to counterterrorism and counterespionage, except those specifically assigned to other divisions. NSD also serves as DOJ's liaison to the United States Intelligence Community (USIC) and represents the government and the USIC before the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court. NSD advises the Attorney General regarding all matters of national security policy.
NSD’s Foreign Investment Review Section (FIRS) is responsible for DOJ’s non-prosecutorial efforts to proactively address national security risks to the United States posed by foreign adversaries, hybrid commercial threats, and non-state threat actors in the context of cross-border transactions and technology posed by foreign adversaries, hybrid commercial threats, and other threat actors. These efforts include case-specific reviews and investigations as well as broader regulatory and legal authorities relating to inbound and outbound foreign investments, telecommunications, data security, foreign-adversary-controlled apps, and the information and communications technology and services (ICTS) supply chain, including the following:
- Foreign investment. FIRS serves as DOJ’s representative on the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), an interagency group that reviews foreign investments in, acquisitions of, and other transactions involving U.S. companies to determine the transaction's effects on national security.
- Telecommunications. FIRS carries out the Attorney General’s responsibilities as Chair of the Committee for the Assessment of Foreign Participation in the United States Telecommunications Services Sector (also known as Team Telecom), an interagency group that makes recommendations to the Federal Communications Commission on how to address any national security and law enforcement risks posed by licenses and authorizations for telecommunications infrastructure, services, and equipment.
- Data security. FIRS administers and enforces DOJ’s Data Security Program under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act and 28 CFR Part 202. Akin to export controls or sanctions, this program establishes requirements that prohibit and restrict foreign adversaries from buying or otherwise using commercial activities to access, exploit, and weaponize Americans’ genomic, geolocation, biometric, financial, health, and other sensitive personal data, including against our military and Intelligence Community.
- Foreign-adversary-controlled apps. FIRS carries out the Department’s responsibilities under the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act of 2024 (PAFACA), including the Department’s role as chair of the Committee for the Review of Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications. PAFACA addresses the national security risks posed by foreign-adversary-owned websites, desktop applications, mobile applications, and augmented or immersive technology applications.
- Compliance and enforcement. FIRS develops, drafts, and negotiates National Security Agreements and Letters of Assurance to mitigate national security risks, and monitors, supervises, and enforces the transaction parties’ compliance with their National Security Agreements with DOJ. FIRS also assists the private sector in complying with the Data Security Program, investigates violations, and handles enforcement.
- Supply-chain security. FIRS investigates foreign-sourced technology and services, and their underlying global supply chains, for national-security risks. When FIRS identifies a risk, FIRS refers the technology or service for potential action to, and otherwise works closely with and supports, other agencies or interagency bodies with information and communications technology and services (ICTS) supply-chain-security authorities, including the Department of Commerce’s authority under Executive Orders 13873 and 14034, the Federal Acquisition Security Council (FASC), the FCC’s Covered List under the Secure and Trusted Communications Act, and others.
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.
Intern projects may include: researching factual and legal questions, drafting memoranda or other legal and policy analyses, conducting intra-or interagency coordination, evaluating contractual and other national security review deliverables, preparing briefing material, conducting elements of national security risk assessments, supporting the development and implementation of regulatory rules and processes, and assisting with presentations and supporting materials.
Applicants must be able to obtain and maintain a security clearance. Applicants must be enrolled in an accredited U.S. law school at the time of application and throughout their internship. Strong research and writing skills are required. Prior interest or experience in national security is highly preferred. Summer Internship: Approximately May through August.
Please submit a short cover letter, resume with two references (not to exceed two pages), transcript (official or unofficial), and a writing sample (not to exceed ten pages). Please submit these materials AS ONE PDF via e-mail to: FIRS.Application@usdoj.gov.
Application Deadline:
Summer 2026: For Current 2L Students – October 31, 2025
For Current 1L Students – December 15, 2025 (Please note that we will not consider applications submitted before December 1, 2025).
Student volunteers are uncompensated, however, if your school offers interns academic or work study, we will work with you to meet school requirements whenever possible.
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.