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Employment Opportunities
EPA’s Office of General Counsel
The Office of General Counsel (OGC) is the chief legal advisor to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the federal agency with primary responsibility for implementing the nation’s environmental laws. These laws include the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, the Safe Drinking Water Act, the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act, the Toxic Substances Control Act, the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, and the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (“Superfund”).
OGC lawyers provide legal counsel to EPA policy-makers, thus providing
critical input to rules, regulations, and guidance documents that are
promulgated and issued to implement the Agency’s 
statutory
obligations. In addition, OGC attorneys shape national legislation affecting
the environment, and address international law issues. Working with EPA
headquarters and regional offices, OGC attorneys also provide legal support
for the issuance of permits, the approval of state environmental programs,
and the initiation and litigation of enforcement actions. Additionally,
OGC lawyers handle many legal issues arising from EPA’s day-to-day
operations, including contracting, personnel, real property, grants, funding
issues and information management.
In addition to their counseling work, OGC lawyers participate in litigation
involving EPA. In some 
areas
of OGC’s practice, they are responsible for representing the Agency
in administrative litigation at the trial or appellate level. Working
closely with the Department of Justice, OGC attorneys also play a major
role in defending EPA in court, and in the Agency’s appellate and
amicus work.
Practicing Law in OGC
We believe that there is no better place than EPA OGC for attorneys who want to practice public sector general or environmental law! OGC offers both junior and senior lawyers exciting and challenging legal work, and an outstanding opportunity to advance the nation’s environmental policies. For example:
Cutting-Edge Legal Practice
OGC lawyers work on novel, cutting-edge legal issues that impact how EPA carries out its mission. Through their work in counseling Agency program offices and litigating legal issues of first impression in federal courts, OGC attorneys have a major role in shaping federal environmental law.
High Level of Responsibility
OGC lawyers are given extraordinary responsibility early in their careers.
Individual attorneys are often responsible for providing legal advice
on environmental programs affecting public health and the environment
across the nation.
Expertise and Professional Training
OGC lawyers quickly become highly proficient in particular areas of general or environmental law. Even at an early stage in their careers, they are recognized as legal experts both inside and outside the Agency.
Variety of Skills
OGC attorneys are generally responsible for providing all types of legal
support - including legal advice on the Agency’s policy development
process, rulemaking, legislation, and litigation support. As a result,
OGC lawyers have an opportunity to use and perfect a wide array of lawyering
skills, including brief and memo writing, client relationship skills,
and legislative and regulatory drafting.
Professional Development
OGC
offers excellent opportunities for professional growth and development
not generally available in the private sector, including excellent training
opportunities (for example, in-house continuing legal education and brown
bag sessions and the opportunity to attend courses at EPA’s Trial
Advocacy Institute and OPM’s Federal Executive Institute) and the
chance to work temporarily in other legal and non-legal positions at EPA,
as well as other federal and state agencies.
Selection Criteria
OGC is seeking attorneys with excellent analytical and writing abilities, a strong commitment to public service, effective “people” skills, and an ability to take on significant responsibility.
Great Benefits Available!
How to Apply for a Job with OGC
OGC has permanent attorney positions as well as summer law clerk and internship positions. Applicants for permanent positions must be in their last year of law school, or must have already graduated. To apply for a law clerk position under the Summer Honors Program, you must be a rising second year law student or in an extended program. To apply for a internship position during the school year, you must provide proof of your law school’s permission for you to volunteer in OGC during the school year.
To apply for either type of position with OGC, send a resume, a writing sample, and a letter describing your qualifications and indicating your availability to:
Hiring Coordinator
Office of General Counsel (2311A)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Ariel Rios Building
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, D.C. 20460
[Please note: the above address is for postal mail only. For delivery by FedEx, UPS, etc. use the same street address but change the ZIP code to 20004.]
Summer Honors Program
The Summer Honors Program is the primary vehicle used to recruit law students for attorney positions. If you are interested in OGC’s Summer Honors program, you should submit your application no later than mid- September for the following summer.
Honors Fellowship Program
The Office of General Counsel’s Honors Fellowship is designed for applicants who are about to graduate from law school or complete a judicial clerkship. OGC is seeking applicants with excellent analytical and writing abilities, a strong commitment to public service, effective “people” skills, and an ability to take on significant responsibility.
Join Us!
EPA’s Office of General Counsel is an equal opportunity employer.
General information about careers at EPA