Legal Careers
Law Student Volunteer, Civil Division, Office of Management Programs - FOIA and Privacy Office (Spring 2026)
Washington, DC 20005 - United States
The Civil Division’s FOIA and Privacy Office, part of the Office of Management Programs (OMP), processes requests for Civil Division records pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and Privacy Act (PA), including those that become the subject of litigation. The Office’s work regularly involves:
- Conducting searches for records and applying FOIA exemptions, especially those related to privacy, civil discovery privileges, and law enforcement information
- Engaging in negotiations and, if necessary, briefing unresolved issues during FOIA litigation
- Collaborating with OMP units such as Records, E-Discovery, and Information Technology
- Providing policy guidance and advice to Civil Division leadership and attorneys on FOIA and privacy matters, supporting transparency and compliance
As part of OMP, the FOIA and Privacy Office helps ensure that Civil Division attorneys operate in a modern and efficient environment, supplying management and organizational advice and developing policies in response to statutory, regulatory, and administrative requirements. The Office also partners with other OMP units to address records and information management challenges and to support the Civil Division’s overall mission.
Law student volunteers gain practical experience supporting the FOIA and Privacy Office’s mission within OMP. Responsibilities may vary but generally include:
- Conducting legal research and analysis on complex FOIA and Privacy Act issues
- Drafting legal memoranda, correspondence, and sections of legal briefs
- Assisting with review and application of FOIA exemptions (including those related to privacy, civil discovery privileges, and law enforcement information)
- Supporting negotiations and case strategies in FOIA litigation matters
- Participating in special projects related to records management, e-discovery, and privacy compliance
- Collaborating with attorneys and staff on case management and document review
- Attending trainings, team meetings, and, when possible, court proceedings or briefings
Interns serve as integral team members and gain exposure to the full spectrum of FOIA and Privacy Act practice, including administrative processing, litigation support, and policy development. The position is in-person only at the Washington, DC office; telework is not permitted.
Eligibility Requirements
- U.S. citizenship or national status
- Enrollment at least half-time in an accredited law school program
- Completion of at least one semester of law school by the start of the internship
- Law students at any level (1L, 2L, or 3L) are eligible to apply; however, 1Ls may not intern during their 1L school year
- Enrollment status must be maintained throughout service
- Successful completion of a background investigation
- Commitment to working a minimum of 20 hours per week for at least 10 weeks during the semester
Preferred Qualifications
- Demonstrated academic excellence
- Strong research, analytical, and writing skills
- Interest or background in administrative law, privacy law, litigation, government transparency, or records and information management
- Professionalism, reliability, and commitment
Note: Law school graduates and LL.M. candidates are ineligible. First year law students cannot intern during their first semester. This office typically runs separate ads for each academic term. If not currently eligible to apply, please check back for future postings.
Submit the following materials in a single, combined PDF file titled "[Last Name, First Name] Spring 2026 FOIA Internship Application to brian.p.flannigan@usdoj.gov. The subject line should read: "Spring 2026 Law Student Volunteer Application – FOIA and Privacy Office".
- Cover letter describing your interest in an internship with the FOIA and Privacy Office
- Resume (not to exceed two pages)
- Writing sample (5–10 pages, demonstrating legal research and analysis)
- Law school transcript (unofficial accepted)
- Undergraduate transcript (required for current 1Ls; optional for 2Ls and 3Ls)
- Two references
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.