Legal Employment Opportunities with the Office of the General Counsel

The General Counsel is the chief legal advisor to the Secretary and the chief legal officer for the Department of Homeland Security. The General Counsel and his staff ensure that Department activities comply with all legal requirements, as well as integrate the attorneys and staff throughout the Department into a cohesive, full-service legal team. 

Attorneys from the Office of the General Counsel and its major components play major roles in crafting, developing, and defending policies relating to many of the most important issues facing the nation today, including counterterrorism, immigration and border security, emergency response and recovery, and countless other matters.

Career Opportunities with the Office of the General Counsel

Vacancies in the Office of the General Counsel are posted directly on the U.S. Office of Personnel Management's USAJOBS Web site, a comprehensive listing of employment opportunities within the government.

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Honors Program

The General Counsel’s Honors Program serves as the cornerstone for entry-level attorney hiring by the Department of Homeland Security. This program offers highly qualified third-year law students; graduate law students (applying in the fall of the last year of their graduate law study); and judicial law clerks the opportunity to start their legal career by addressing some of the most critical and controversial issues facing our nation today.

The Honors Program is highly competitive.  The Department selects candidates based on multiple factors including academic achievement, writing skills, law review or moot court experience, legal aid or clinical experience, and employment history.  We also consider specialized academic studies, post-graduate studies, as well as employment and extracurricular activities that directly relate to the work of the Department.  We are seeking candidates with a well-rounded background, demonstrated intellectual and analytical abilities, and excellent judgment.

Candidates selected for the Honors Program will have the opportunity to work in the headquarters Office of the General Counsel, or join one of the many component legal offices within the Department that operate under the supervision of the General Counsel, including legal offices within the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Customs and Border Protection, Transportation Security Administration, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Citizenship and Immigration Services, and the United States Coast Guard.

The responsibilities of the Department offer entry-level attorneys the opportunity to practice law in a variety of subject areas.  Careers in litigation, administrative law, commercial law, legislative and regulatory affairs, immigration law, enforcement law, and national security law represent a few of the areas Department attorneys practice on a daily basis.  Attorneys working for the Department can expect to be given a significant amount of responsibility early in their career, often handling highly visible or legally significant cases on an accelerated basis.  

The starting salary for an Honors Program attorney is normally GS-11/01 ($58,206 per annum as of January 2008).  Candidates successfully passing the bar will earn an increase to GS-12/01 ($69,764 per annum as of January 2008) after serving a minimum time in grade, while those entering with additional graduate law degrees or clerkship experience may be eligible to begin employment at a GS-13/01 ($82,961 per annum as of January 2008).  

After successfully completing one year of service with the Department Honors Program attorneys will be eligible for a further salary increase of one (1) GS grade level.  Honors Program attorneys are also eligible for all standard federal employee benefits and services, including the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHB).

How to Apply

Candidates interested in the 2009 Honors Program should submit a resume, cover letter, and a current law school transcript to OGCstaffing@dhs.gov by October 30, 2008.  We will notify applicants of the status of their applications by November 21, 2008.   Interviews will be arranged at the Department headquarters in Washington D.C.  Final selections are expected before the end of the year.  Subject to budgetary or security clearance issues, those selected for the Honors Program can expect to commence employment with the Department in the fall of 2009.

Additional questions should be addressed to Craig Raynsford, Legal Advisor, Office of the General Counsel at 202-447-3303.

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Summer Law Intern Program

The Summer Law Intern Program is a competitive recruitment program for compensated positions in the headquarters Office of the General Counsel at the Department of Homeland Security in Washington D.C.

The Department selects candidates based on multiple factors including academic achievement, writing skills, law review or moot court experience, legal aid or clinical experience, and other employment history. We are seeking candidates with a well-rounded background, demonstrated intellectual and analytical abilities, and excellent judgment.

Summer Law Interns may expect to be assigned positions which offer both valuable experience and substantial individual responsibility. Successful candidates will be afforded the opportunity to work in the different legal divisions within the Office of the General Counsel including Immigration, Regulatory Affairs, Operations and Enforcement, Legal Counsel, General Law, Technology Programs, National Protection and Programs, and Intelligence. Our summer program also includes an extensive orientation to the operating divisions of the Department and the federal government in Washington D.C.

The starting salary for a Summer Law Intern that has completed their second year of law school is normally GS-9/01 ($48,108 per annum as of January 2008). The starting salary for a Summer Law Intern that has completed their first year of law school is normally GS-7/01 ($39,330 per annum as of January 2008).

How To Apply

Candidates interested in the 2009 Summer Law Intern Program should submit a resume, cover letter, and current law school transcript to OGCstaffing@dhs.gov by October 30, 2008. We will notify applicants of the status of their applications by November 21, 2008. Final selections are expected before the end of the year.

Additional questions should be addressed to Craig Raynsford, Legal Advisor, Office of the General Counsel at 202-447-3303.

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Volunteer Legal Intern/Extern Program

The Office of the General Counsel accepts volunteer interns and externs during the academic year. 

These positions are without compensation but are highly sought after because of the responsibility and experience they offer. 

Applications may be made at any time by sending a cover letter, resume, and writing sample to OGCStaffing@dhs.gov

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