Law Student Volunteer, Civil Division, Appellate Staff (Summer 2027)

The Appellate Staff of the Civil Division prepares appellate briefs and presents oral argument in all federal courts of appeals, representing the United States, its agencies, and its officers in many of the most significant and sensitive cases in the country. Staff attorneys:

• Prepare recommendations for or against further review in cases the government has lost in the district courts or courts of appeals
• Advise on intervention or amicus participation when the government is not a party
• Draft certiorari petitions, briefs in opposition to certiorari, invited amicus briefs (when the Supreme Court requests the government’s views), and Supreme Court merits briefs on behalf of the Solicitor General’s office

Staff litigation covers a broad range of critical legal issues, including separation of powers, federalism and preemption, First and Second Amendment rights, administrative law, False Claims Act, Freedom of Information Act/Privacy Act, commercial disputes, intellectual property, tort claims, and Bivens/constitutional tort litigation.

Law student volunteers will:

• Conduct legal research and draft memoranda on complex appellate issues
• Prepare initial drafts of appellate briefs
• Perform statutory interpretation, including legislative history research and treatise review
• Serve as moot court judges for staff attorneys
• Present moot oral arguments based on completed assignments
• Attend oral arguments in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. and Federal Circuits, when possible

Interns are vital contributors to the Appellate Staff team and experience first-hand the preparation and strategy that underpins government appellate litigation.

All work must be performed in person at the Washington, DC office; telework is not permitted.

Eligibility Requirements

• U.S. citizenship or national status.
• Must be a rising second- or third-year law student.
• Must have completed at least one year of law school by the start of the internship.
• Must be a current law student enrolled at least half-time in an accredited law school.
• Successful completion of a background investigation.
• We require 8 weeks of full-time work for current 1Ls (rising 2Ls) and 6 weeks of full-time work for current 2Ls (rising 3Ls). 2Ls (rising 3Ls) may split their summer with another employer if desired.
• Current 3Ls are ineligible for this unpaid internship.

Preferred Qualifications

• Outstanding academic performance.
• Exceptional legal research, analytical, and legal writing abilities.

Submit the following materials in a single, combined PDF file titled "[LAST NAME], [FIRST NAME] –Summer 2027 Internship Application, [LAW SCHOOL] [CLASS YEAR]" to civapp.internjobs@usdoj.gov, with the subject line matching the file name:

• Cover letter
• Resume (not to exceed two pages)
• Writing sample
• Law school transcript (unofficial accepted)
• Undergraduate transcript (unofficial accepted)

Additional Information

• Please do not apply unless available for the full internship period.
• Selected candidates will be required to complete security forms and a background check.
• Law school graduates and L.L.M. candidates are ineligible.
• Our office hires summer interns on a rolling basis. Current 2Ls are encouraged to apply at their earliest convenience during the fall semester, preferably by October 15 (though later applications may be considered on a case-by-case basis). Current 1Ls will be considered beginning on December 1 and should apply promptly on or after that date.

Position is 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.