Jobs
VACANY ANNOUNCEMENTS
Employment Opportunities for: Attorneys | Law Students
OPPORTUNITES FOR ATTORNEYS
The United States Attorney for the Middle District of Pennsylvania periodically recruits for Assistant United States Attorneys (AUSAs) as vacancies occur. In addition, the U.S. Department of Justice maintains a current list of attorney vacancies at the following web site: Office of Attorney Recruitment and Management.
Applicants must possess a J.D. Degree; be an active member of the bar (any jurisdiction); possess superior oral and written communication skills, as well as strong interpersonal skills; and have a demonstrated capacity to function, with minimal guidance, in a highly demanding environment. Additionally, it is desired that the successful candidate have at least three years of post J.D. experience.
Vacancy announcements can be found at:
http://www.justice.gov/legal-careers/vacancies
Required Form:
AUSA Supplemental Questionnaire
LAW STUDENT POSITIONS
The United States Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania offers an outstanding legal internship program, one noted for its intellectual rigor and exceptional opportunities for practical skill development. Our program consistently attracts exceptional students from top law schools throughout the country. While interns are given challenging research and writing assignments, they are also included in meetings, hearings and many other non-research case litigation.
The Assistant United States Attorneys with whom the interns’ work are highly skilled litigators, averaging more than ten years of experience in federal practice. Overseeing all of the interns’ work is the intern coordinator, an Assistant United States Attorney committed to developing genuine mentoring relationships with the students. To ensure quality supervision, we do accept only a limited number of interns.
Mission Statement
The United States Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, through its summer internship program, strives to provide intellectual rigor and exceptional opportunities for practical skill development for law students through its highly skilled litigators by providing mentoring and supervision.
Law Student Opportunities
The United States Attorney for the Middle District of Pennsylvania invites applications from first or second year law students for internships. Individuals with strong academic records and an interest in public service law are particularly encouraged to apply.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office’s mission is to litigate cases on behalf of its client, the United States of America. U.S. Attorney’s Office lawyers and staff use the following principles to guide their mission: (1) do justice; (2) be good citizens of the community and the bar; (3) effectively represent the federal government; and (4) be part of an effective, efficient government agency. The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania employs roughly 75 people, including 33 Assistant United States Attorneys (AUSAs). Our offices are located in Harrisburg, Scranton and Williamsport.
Our office’s area of practice include (among other things):
CRIMINAL DIVISION | CIVIL DIVISION |
---|---|
White Collar Crime | FTCA Litigation |
Narcotics | Program Litigation |
Violent Crime | Affirmative Civil Enforcement |
Anti-terrorism | Environmental |
Asset Forfeiture | Immigration and Prison Litigation |
Appeals | Appeals |
While working in one of our offices, interns are directly supervised by an AUSA who assigns projects, guides the interns and critiques their performance, as well as the AUSA handling the specific case giving rise to each project. These projects may include writing appellate briefs, drafting pleadings, legal research and memoranda, and working with federal agencies on cases. Interns will be expected to work 40 hours a week during the summer, and 10-40 hours a week (depending on situation) during the spring and fall. Starting and ending dates are flexible; however, interns are expected to make a commitment of at least 10 to 14 weeks.
These are unpaid internships; however, we will work closely with participating law schools to ensure that interns earn appropriate academic credit, where available. Moreover, some law schools offer public interest/public sector stipends, and we will facilitate the stipend process for law schools with such programs.
Students selected for an internship will be required to pass a rigorous background investigation conducted by the Department of Justice. The background investigation takes approximately 60 days.
To apply: Send a cover letter, resumé, writing sample (no more than ten pages), current academic transcript, and three references to Christine Osborne, Human Resources Specialist, United States Attorney's Office, 235 N. Washington Street, Scranton, PA 18501. Or you may send your application via email to Christine.Osborne@usdoj.gov. Please specify one of our offices as your preference (Harrisburg, Scranton, or Williamsport) or rank offices if you have more than one preference. Application deadlines are posted below for the fall, spring and summer semesters.
The Department of Justice, United States Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania is an equal opportunity employer. Well-qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability, or any other non-merit factors.
2024 Summer Intern Program Timeline
- January 15, 2024: Deadline to submit 2024 summer internship applications
- January 22-26, 2024 (subject to change): Summer internship interviews will be conducted
- May/June 2024: Summer internships will begin
- July/August 2024: Summer internships will end
2024-2025 Fall Semester and Full Academic Year Intern Program Timeline
- March 11, 2024: Deadline to submit 2024-2025 Fall or Full Academic Year internship applications
- March 25-29, 2024 (subject to change): Fall/Full-year internship interviews will be conducted
- August/September 2024: Fall/Full-year internships will begin
- November/December 2024: Fall internships will end
- April/May 2025: Full-year internships will end
2025 Spring Intern Program Timeline
Please note: Spring internships may not be available if a high number of full-year interns are hired for the 2024-2025 academic year.
- September 27, 2024: Deadline to submit 2025 spring internship applications
- October 7-11, 2024 (subject to change): Spring internship interviews will be conducted
- January 2025: Spring internships will begin
- April/May 2025: Spring internships will end
2025 Summer Intern Program Timeline
- January 13, 2025: Deadline to submit 2025 summer internship applications
- January 20-24, 2025 (subject to change): Summer internship interviews will be conducted
- May/June 2025: Summer internships will begin
- July/August 2025: Summer internships will end
2025-2026 Fall Semester and Full Academic Year Intern Program Timeline
- March 10, 2025: Deadline to submit 2025-2026 Fall or Full Academic Year internship applications
- March 24-28, 2025 (subject to change): Fall/Full-year internship interviews will be conducted
- August/September 2025: Fall/Full-year internships will begin
- November/December 2025: Fall internships will end
- April/May 2026: Full-year internships will end
2026 Spring Intern Program Timeline
Please note: Spring internships may not be available if a high number of full-year interns are hired for the 2025-2026 academic year.
- September 29, 2025: Deadline to submit 2025 spring internship applications
- October 6-10, 2025 (subject to change): Spring internship interviews will be conducted
- January 2026: Spring internships will begin
- April/May 2026: Spring internships will end
Intern Expectations
What you can expect from the U.S. Attorney's Office:
- The U.S. Attorney's Office carefully selects and closely supervises interns. A detailed orientation is conducted on the intern’s first day discussing expectations, policies, ethics, accountability and dependability.
- On a regular basis, the intern supervisor will meet with the intern in an informal setting to discuss his/her progress and projects.
- The supervisor will fill out any required appraisal of the intern as required by the law school.
What the U.S. Attorney's Office will expect from you:
- Interns will be expected to work from between 10 to 14 weeks per summer or semester, for 40 hours a week during the summer, and 10-40 hours per week during the academic year (depending on situation). Office hours are 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
- Interns will be expected to dress in business attire.
- Interns will be expected to work on a multitude of projects with different AUSAs in different offices.
- Interns will be expected to work only on assignments receiving prior approval from the intern coordinator and will be expected to work with the coordinator to “tailor” their internship experience specifically to the intern’s goals.
SECURITY REQUIREMENTS FOR ALL POSITIONS
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. Only U.S. citizens are eligible for employment with the U.S. Attorney's Office.
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER
The U.S. Department of Justice is an Equal Opportunity/Reasonable Accommodation Employer. Except where otherwise provided by law, there will be no discrimination because of color, race, religion, national origin, politics, marital status, disability, age, sex, sexual orientation, membership or non membership in an employee organization, or on the basis of personal favoritism.
For more information on diversity at Department of Justice, please go to: The Department of Justice - Equal Employment Opportunity Website.
The Department of Justice welcomes and encourages applications from persons with physical and mental disabilities. The Department is firmly committed to satisfying its affirmative obligations under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, to ensure that persons with disabilities have every opportunity to be hired and advanced on the basis of merit within the Department of Justice. 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.
YOUR RIGHTS AS A FEDERAL EMPLOYEE
To stay informed on rights and remedies available to federal employees under the Civil Service Reform Act, the Whistleblower Protection Act, the Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act, and other related laws, go to: U.S. Office of Special Counsel osc.gov