Student Internship

The Professional Responsibility Advisory Office (PRAO) has intern positions for which recruiting is done each semester. PRAO offers volunteer and academic credit internships to undergraduates and to law students.

PRAO accepts students, with the permission of their school, to work on assignments that include legal research and analysis on a wide range of professional responsibility issues and drafting memoranda and legal briefs. Some issues involved might include conducting state-by-state surveys of whether a jurisdiction permits screening in a law firm, researching what kind of screen is acceptable under conflict of interest rules, or drafting a general discussion of an issue such as the duties owed a prospective client.

Work Schedules

The Fall Program runs from September through December. The Spring Program runs from January through May. The Summer Program runs from June through August. PRAO is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Internships are offered as student work study programs only, not for compensation. Interns are requested to work at least three full days (9:30-5:30 p.m.), but other schedules will be considered. In the summer, most students work 40 hours a week.

Academic Credit

Students accepted for an internship may earn academic credit for working in our office. Information on academic credit programs can be obtained from school placement offices.

Requirements

Applicants for an internship must be United States citizens and are required to request an application by submitting a cover letter, resume and writing sample to PRAO on or before the deadlines listed below. Please note that every student internship is contingent upon the satisfactory completion of a security clearance. Under no circumstances will a student be allowed to work in any capacity before his or her security clearance is successfully completed.

Application Deadlines

Spring Program

PRAO will be accepting application requests for the Spring Program from August 1st to November 1st. The deadline for submitting a completed security application package is December 1st and the Program will begin on the first Monday after New Year's Day.

Summer Program

PRAO will be accepting application requests for the Summer Program from January 1st to March 1st. The deadline for submitting a completed security application package is May 1st and the Program will begin on the first Monday in June.

Fall Program

PRAO will be accepting application requests for the Fall Program from May 1st to July 1st. The deadline for submitting a completed security application package is August 1st and the Program will begin on the first Monday after Labor Day.

Application Procedures

Anyone interested in applying for any of the above programs should send a cover letter, resume and writing sample to:

U.S. Department of Justice
Professional Responsibility Advisory Office
Attn: Office Manager
1425 New York Ave, N.W., Suite 12000
Washington, DC 20530
Tel: (202) 514-0458
Fax: (202) 353-7491

The U.S. Department of Justice is an Equal Opportunity/Reasonable Accommodation Employer.