Legal Careers
U.S. ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF FLORIDA, LAW STUDENT VOLUNTEER (LAW CLERK INTERN), 2026 SUMMER PROGRAM
Miami, FL 33132 - United States
The United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida (“USAO-SDFL”) is responsible for representing the federal government in litigation involving the United States in the Southern District of Florida, one of the largest Districts in the country. This includes criminal prosecutions for violations of federal law, civil lawsuits by and against the United States, actions to collect judgments and restitution on behalf of victims and taxpayers, and civil rights litigation. The main office of the USAO-SDFL is in Miami, and there are branch offices in Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, and Fort Pierce.
Our mission is to ensure the fair and impartial administration of justice. We are committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive work environment. Applicants from the many communities, orientations, identities, races, ethnicities, backgrounds, abilities, religions, and cultures of the United States who share our commitment to public service are welcome to apply.
About Our Internship Program:
Law Clerk Interns (“Interns”) are assigned to one of the Offices and Divisions for the duration of the internship.
- The Criminal Division prosecutes violations of federal criminal law, including narcotics, fraud, environmental, bank robbery, firearms, child exploitation, and human trafficking crimes.
- Interns assigned to the Criminal Division in the Miami Office will be assigned to one of the following sections: (1) Economic Crimes & Cyber Fraud; (2) General Crimes Section; (3) Violent Crime & Special Victims; (4) Border & Immigration Crimes Enforcement or (5) Narcotics.
- Interns in the Criminal Divisions in the Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach and Fort Pierce offices will work on a wide range of criminal cases.
- The Civil Division investigates and litigates False Claims Act cases involving Health Care Fraud and other fraud on the United States and defends government agencies and employees who have been named as defendants in civil actions involving discrimination, bankruptcy, immigration, and the Federal Tort Claims Act. Interns in the Civil Division will be assigned to either the Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, or West Palm Beach office.
- The Asset Forfeiture Division works in both the criminal and civil areas to seize property which has been identified as subject to forfeiture to the United States. Interns in the Asset Forfeiture Division will be assigned to the Miami office.
- The Appellate Division works on matters representing the United States in both criminal and civil appeals. Interns in the Appellate Division will be assigned to the Miami office.
| Job Description: | Our goal is to introduce Interns to the federal legal system; to refine their legal research and writing skills; and above all, to make their time at the Office enjoyable and worthwhile. During the Simmer academic term, Interns research and draft pretrial and trial motions and memoranda and appellate briefs. Interns work directly with AUSAs on both short and long-term projects and have opportunities to observe trials, motion and settlement conferences, and appellate arguments. Depending upon an intern’s academic schedule, the Summer program also provides opportunities for Interns to meet with a variety of speakers from the federal legal system. We also host sessions with AUSAs on effective advocacy. Interns are strongly encouraged to attend and observe court proceedings and to attend office training programs. Each Intern also has one supervising attorney who provides assistance and support consistently throughout the Summer. | |
| Internship Locations: | Miami, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, and Fort Pierce. Internship will be in-office. | |
| Hours/Weeks Required: | 240 hours (minimum) 8 – 12 weeks. Under certain circumstances and if feasible, we are amenable to permitting interns to work more than 240 hours if necessary to meet their law school externship requirements. The application cover letter should make clear if the student desires to work more than 240 hours in an academic term. | |
Second and third-year law students with a strong academic record. Applicant must be enrolled in an accredited law school at least half-time. Law school graduates and graduating students are not eligible. Must be a U.S. citizen.
Due to the nature of the USAO’s work, before beginning employment, Applicants who are offered an internship, must pass a required suitability review and receive a favorable determination based on information provided in the security forms, a credit report, and fingerprint check that can take three or more months to complete.
| Application Process: |
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| Application Deadline: | Summer Semester Internship Applications must be submitted by Friday, January 9, 2026. Please note that incomplete applications and/or applications received after the Application Deadline will not be considered. |
| Start date: | Our Summer Semester program typically begins after Memorial Day and ends by the third week of August. |
| Relocation Expenses: | Not Authorized |
| Web Site: | http://www.justice.gov/usao/fls |
| USAO Residency Requirement | Interns must reside in the district to which appointed or within 25 miles thereof. See 28 U.S.C. 545 for district specific information. | |
Interns are uncompensated. School credit is possible at the discretion of the law school. Interns are responsible for all parking and transit expenses incurred.
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.