United States Department of Commerce
Office of the General Counsel

Fall/Spring Legal Internship Program

The Department of Commerce’s the Office of General Counsel (OGC) is seeking second or third year law students to work part-time during the fall and/or spring semester. Candidates should have completed, or be enrolled in, law school classes related to the Department’s practice areas, such as international trade, employment and labor law, contract and federal assistance law, administrative law, marine/environmental law, import relief laws, and export control laws.

Eligibility and General Information
OGC Fall and Spring Legal Internships are highly competitive. Legal Interns will work in positions that offer both valuable experience and substantial individual responsibility. Students are selected on the basis of merit. Selection is based on many factors including academic achievement, law school courses, law review or other publication experience; moot court, legal aid or legal clinic participation; demonstrated commitment to public service; extracurricular activities; and previous summer and/or part-time legal intern employment.

Offices participating in the Fall and Spring Legal Intern program include the Department of Commerce headquarters located in Washington, D.C. , the Bureau of Census located in Suitland, MD, and at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) located in Silver Spring, MD.

Internships may be paid or unpaid. For unpaid positions, interns may receive academic credit through their law schools. An applicant for an unpaid position should inquire directly to his/her law school about requirements and programs for academic credit or funding.

Applications, Deadlines and Interviews
Second or third year law students should submit a resume, a law school transcript (official or unofficial), and a short legal writing sample of 10 pages or less to:

Office of the General Counsel
Executive Office
14th and Constitution Avenue, N.W.
Room 5875
Washington, D.C. 20230
Reference: Fall/Spring Legal Intern

Alternatively, application may be made via email by sending the information to ogcexecutiveoffice@doc.gov. To ensure that your application is sent to the correct hiring office, please reference “Fall/Spring internship” in the subject line of your email.

The application, interview and offer process for the Internship Program is structured and conducted within a specific time frame. Late applications will not be considered. Recruitment for the Fall Internships begins in July, while recruitment for Spring Internships begins in November. Applications for Fall Internships must be submitted to the Executive Office no earlier than July 1 and no later than September 15. Applications for Spring Internships must be submitted to the Executive Office no earlier than November 1 and no later than January 15. Applications will be sent only to those legal offices interested in having interns during the academic year.

U.S. citizenship is required. The Commerce Department does not condone or tolerate discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, physical or mental disability or sexual orientation.

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