Legal Careers
Volunteer Law Intern(2026 Academic Semester)-Hammond/South Bend
Suite 1500
Hammond, IN 46320 - United States
If you are looking for an exciting and challenging career, this is the position for you! With a talented workforce of over 100,000 people, the mission of the Department of Justice is to uphold the rule of law, keep our country safe, and protect civil rights. You will be part of a dedicated team helping to enforce Federal criminal and civil laws that protect life, liberty and the property of citizens.
The Northern District of Indiana is currently soliciting applications for Voluntary Law Intern positions for the Spring, Summer and Fall 2026 Academic Year at our Hammond and South Bend Indiana branch offices. The intention of the Law Internship Program is to introduce participants to the federal legal system and receive an introduction to federal procedures in both the civil and criminal settings. Interns will work with several different Assistant U.S. Attorneys (AUSAs) over the course of the internship. Typical duties of the interns may include:
- Performing legal research and/or assisting with research projects;
- Drafting legal documents including motions, pleadings, or briefs;
- Assist in trial preparations;
- Observe court proceedings; and
- In limited instances, may be allowed to represent the government in routine hearings under the supervision of an AUSA before various federal courts.
The primary goal of the program is to introduce interns to the federal legal system, to develop their legal skills and above all, to enjoy their overall internship experience.
IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT INFORMATION: This is an open continuous announcement that is intended to continually solicit applications during the standard academic year. Applicants should timely submit their applications by the deadlines listed below to be considered for their desired semester of internship:
- Spring 2026 - October 22, 2025
- Summer 2026 - March 20, 2026
- Fall 2026 - May 29, 2026
Applicants must indicate which semester(s) and location(s) they wish to be considered in the subject line when submitting their email application package. Applications will be reviewed and referred based on the deadlines above and the applicant's selection(s) in the questionnaire of the application process. Applicants will be notified when their applications have been reviewed/referred for further consideration.
Conditions of Appointment:
- Compensation: This internship is not compensated. No matching contributions available. Work-study or academic credit may be available through a student's law school. Students must make any arrangements through their law school to receive any possible work-study or academic credit.
- Work Schedule: You must be able to work at least 10 hours per week for duration of internship (at least 135 hours spread over the entire semester).
- Work Location: If selected, you will be expected to work at the location designated in this vacancy announcement. This is NOT a remote-work position.
- Outside Employment Restriction: Interns are not permitted to work in a legal capacity - private or public- throughout the duration of the internship.
Students must have completed at least one full semester with an accredited law school at the beginning of the current academic term. Preference will be given to second and third-year law students.
Education
All academic degrees and coursework must be completed at a college or university that has obtained accreditation or pre-accreditation status from an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For a list of schools that meet this criteria, see http://www.ed.gov.
Eligibility
To be eligible for this position, you must meet the following requirements:
- U.S. Citizenship: You must be a United States Citizen or National. Student Interns must be United States citizens or owe permanent allegiance to the United States. (Currently, natives of American Samoa, Swains Island and certain inhabitants of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands are the only groups that owe permanent allegiance to the United States.)
- Selective Service: If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System or are exempt from having to do so under the Selective Service Law. See www.sss.gov for additional information.
- Security Requirements: You must be able to pass a background investigation that will cover employment history, criminal history, credit history, foreign travel, residency, citizenship, and drug/alcohol use; and you must be able to pass a drug test.
- Residency Requirement: You must have resided in the United States for a total of three years (not necessarily consecutive years) of the past five years immediately prior to applying for a position. You must have: 1) resided in the United States; 2) worked for the U.S. overseas in a federal or military capacity, or 3) been a dependent of a federal or military employee serving oversees. The Residency Requirement ensures an adequate background investigation can be completed.
- Student Status Requirements: You must be enrolled at least as a half-time student and in good academic standing with an accredited law school.
- Proof of Enrollment: You must submit an academic transcript or proof of enrollment with your application to verify that you meet the minimum eligibility requirements.
You must apply via email and submit a complete application by the closing date of this announcement in order to be considered for this position. (See Required Documents section of this announcement)
All applicants must meet all eligibility requirements prior to entering the internship program.
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.
Applicants should familiarize themselves and comply with the relevant rules of professional conduct regarding any possible conflicts of interest in connection with their applications. In particular, please notify this Office if you currently represent clients or adjudicate matters in which this Office is involved and/or you have a family member who is representing clients or adjudicating matters in which this Office is involved so that we can evaluate any potential conflict of interest or disqualification issue that may need to be addressed under those circumstances.
Political Appointees (Current and Former): Political Appointees (Current or Former): The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) must authorize employment offers made to current or former political appointees. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C or Non-Career SES employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the HR Office. Failure to disclose this information could result in disciplinary action including removal from Federal Service.
Security Requirements: Initial appointment is conditioned upon a satisfactory preemployment adjudication. This includes fingerprint, credit and tax checks, and drug testing. In addition, continued employment is subject to a favorable adjudication of a background investigation.
EEO Statement: 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 apply for this position, you must email your Application Package to usainn.hr@usdoj.gov with the subject line: Volunteer Law Intern - xx Semester 2026 - Location by the closing date of the semester to which you intend to be considered as outlined under DUTIES. The following items are required documentation:
- Application Questionnaire: Will be provided once your package has been received via email.
- Cover Letter: Should include a personal statement reflecting your background and your interest in participating in this program.
- Resume: Please include employment history, dates of employment (MM/DDDD), education history, volunteer activities, and awards/achievements (scholastic/professional).
- Proof of enrollment or unofficial college transcripts: Current Unofficial transcript or proof of current enrollment, e.g., recent letter from the registrar's office. Should clearly show the name of the academic institution, grades for completed coursework, cumulative GPA, and current academic standing. In addition, first year law students should include any undergraduate transcripts.
- Legal Writing Sample: Should be no longer than 25 pages.
Incomplete or late applications will NOT be considered. All application materials must be submitted email by the closing date of the announcement.
How You Will Be Evaluated
Evaluation Method: Once your complete application package is received, it will be reviewed to ensure you have submitted a complete application packet (see "Required Documents" section of this announcement) and that you meet all the minimum eligibility requirements. Complete applications that meet the minimum requirements for the position will be forwarded for review by a subject-matter-expert review panel that will determine which candidates will receive further consideration. If selected, you will be notified and invited to schedule an interview. You will receive automated notifications from the USA Staffing system as your application clears each step in the hiring process.
Veterans' Preference: There is no formal rating system for applying veterans' preference to Volunteer Legal Internship positions; however, the Department of Justice considers veterans' preference eligibility as a positive factor in the hiring process. Applicants eligible for veterans' preference must indicate their preference in response to the appropriate question in their assessment questionnaire (it is also recommended that information is included in their cover letter or resume) and they must submit supporting documentation (e.g., DD 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty and other supporting documentation) which verifies their eligibility for preference. 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, http://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 his or her retirement was due to a permanent service-connected disability or that he/she was transferred to the permanent disability retired list (the statement or retirement orders must indicate that the disability is 10% or more).
Next Steps
Application Status Updates: Please visit www.usajobs.gov to view the status of your application. You will receive email updates as your application progresses through each step of the process. Please do NOT contact our office for the status of your application.
We will notify you of the outcome after each step of the recruitment process has been completed. After making a tentative job offer, we will conduct a suitability/security background investigation, to include a credit and tax checks, and a drug test by urinalysis. We expect to make a final job offer within 120 days after the closing date of the announcement.
This position is uncompensated.
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.