The Attorney General's Honors Program accepts applications from students graduating from law school in academic year 2009– 2010 (i.e., between October 1, 2009 and September 30, 2010) and from law school graduates who meet specific eligibility criteria. There are many factors affecting eligibility. Select the appropriate link below to determine whether you are eligible to apply for the 2009-2010 Honors Program. Please note that these tables do not address citizenship issues.

Current Students

A. Current law students (full-time or part-time): You are eligible if you are attending law school, have not yet been awarded an initial law degree (J.D. or equivalent), and will complete all degree requirements and graduate from law school (be awarded a law degree) in academic year 2009-2010 (i.e., between October 1, 2009 and September 30, 2010).

B. Joint-degree law students (J.D./L.LM): You are eligible if you are a joint-degree student simultaneously pursuing a law degree and a graduate law degree (e.g., J.D./L.LM) who will complete all academic requirements for both degrees, including a thesis, if required, and graduate from both programs in academic year 2009-2010 (i.e., between October 1, 2009 and September 30, 2010). (This category is appropriate for students who have completed the course requirements for a law degree but whose educational institution will not confer the law degree until completion of the graduate law degree requirements.) The following conditions apply:

• There cannot be a significant break in time between completion of law school academic requirements and continuation of graduate law studies.
• You cannot practice as an attorney (engage in significant legal employment) between completion of law school academic requirements and completion of graduate law studies)

C. Joint-degree law students (J.D./Masters, Ph.D., etc): You are eligible if you are a joint degree student simultaneously pursuing a law degree and a non-legal graduate degree (e.g., J.D./MBA or J.D./Ph.D.) who will complete all academic requirements for both degrees, including a thesis, if required, and graduate from both programs in academic year 2009-2010 (i.e., between October 1, 2009 and September 30, 2010). (This category is appropriate for students who have completed the course requirements for a law degree but whose educational institution will not confer the law degree until completion of the non-legal graduate degree or vice versa.) The following conditions apply:

• There cannot be a significant break in time between completion of law school academic requirements and continuation of graduate studies.
• You cannot practice as an attorney (engage in significant legal employment) between completion of law school academic requirements and completion of graduate studies)

Law School Graduates (Individuals who have completed law school and been awarded a law degree.) Law school graduates may not simultaneously apply to the Department through the Honors Program and for an experienced attorney position.

A. Judicial Law Clerk: You are eligible if you graduated from law school, and then entered into a judicial clerkship (any U.S. jurisdiction) that terminates between October 1, 2009 and September 30, 2010. The following conditions apply:

• Your clerkship must have started within 9 months after law school graduation.
• Your clerkship cannot end prior to October 1, 2009. (If your clerkship ends on or before September 30, 2009, you are not eligible for the Honors Program and should apply to the Department as an experienced attorney.)
• You can have multiple clerkships (any U.S. jurisdiction), however, they must total no more than three years in duration. (Note: If you had a prior Honors Program clerkship with an Executive Office for Immigration Review Immigration Court or a Drug Enforcement Agency Administrative Law Judge, you must be admitted to the bar within 14 months of your initial entry on duty date with the Department of Justice to remain eligible for the Honors Program.)
  • There must not be a significant break in time between completion of a clerkship and start of any subsequent clerkship(s).
• Your clerkship(s) must be your only significant legal employment following law school graduation.

B. Graduate Law Program (L.LM) Student: You are eligible if you graduated from law school, then entered a full time graduate law program (e.g., L.LM program) that will be completed (including a thesis, if required) between October 1, 2009 and September 30, 2010. Law school graduates who began a non-legal graduate program following law school graduation (e.g., MBA, Ph.D) are NOT eligible). (Joint-degree students who have not completed both degrees should review the eligibility criteria under “Current Students.”) The following conditions apply:

• The graduate law program must have started within 9 months after law school graduation.
• You must be a full-time student for the duration of the graduate law program.
• The graduate law program must not exceed three years in duration.
• You must not engage in significant legal employment (e.g., work as an attorney) while attending the graduate law program.

C. Presidential Management Fellows: You are eligible if you graduated from law school, then entered a Presidential Management Fellowship (PMF) that will be completed between October 1, 2009 and September 30, 2010.  The following conditions apply:

• The Fellowship must have started within 9 months after law school graduation.
• The Fellowship must not exceed three years in duration.
• If your Fellowship involves the practice of law, it must be your only significant legal employment following law school graduation.

D. Other Legal Fellowships: You may be eligible, subject to approval by the Office of Attorney Recruitment and Management (OARM), if you graduated from law school then entered a legal fellowship that will be completed between October 1, 2009 and September 30, 2010. The application will permit you to apply on a conditional basis - you will be prompted to respond to questions soliciting specific information about the fellowship in order to permit OARM to determine whether an exception to policy will be granted. The following additional conditions apply:

• The Fellowship must have started within 9 months after law school graduation.
• The Fellowship must not exceed three years in duration.
• If your Fellowship involves the practice of law, it must be your only significant legal employment following law school graduation.

E. Non-legal Graduate Program Student (e.g., Masters Degree, Ph.D., etc.): If you graduated from law school, then began a non-legal graduate program, then you are not eligible for the Honors Program. You may apply to the Department as an experienced attorney one year after law school graduation. (Joint-degree students who have not completed both degrees should review the eligibility criteria under “Current Students.”)

F. Combination of Judicial Clerkship and Graduate Law Program (e.g., L.LM): You are eligible if, following law school graduation, you have a combination of judicial clerkships and graduate law program study that terminates between October 1, 2009 and September 30, 2010 and meets all of the following conditions:

• The first activity (either your first clerkship or the graduate law program) must have started within 9 months after law school graduation.
• Your clerkship(s) must be your only significant legal employment following law school graduation.
• There must not be a significant break in time between completion of one clerkship/graduate law program, and the start of any subsequent clerkships/graduate law programs.
• You must attend graduate law programs full time and actually earn the graduate law degree based on the full time program you attended. (The only exception to the full-time study requirement occurs when a serving full-time judicial law clerk earns a graduate law degree through part-time study while clerking).
• The total duration of the combination of clerkships and graduate law study cannot exceed three years (excluding the period of up to 9 months between law school graduation and the start of the first activity.)
• Your final judicial clerkship or graduate law program must be completed between October 1, 2009 and September 30, 2010.
  • If your final clerkship or graduate law program ends on or before September 30, 2009, or the total duration of combined clerkships/graduate law study exceeds three years (excluding the time between law school graduation and the start of the first clerkship/graduate law program), then you are not eligible for the Honors Program and should apply to the Department as an experienced attorney.
  • If you had a prior Honors Program clerkship with an Executive Office for Immigration Review Immigration Court or a Drug Enforcement Agency Administrative Law Judge, you must be admitted to the bar (any U.S. jurisdiction) within 14 months of your initial entry on duty date with the Department of Justice to remain eligible for the Honors Program.

G. Combination of judicial clerkship and non-legal graduate degree programs (e.g., MBA, Ph.D, etc): If you graduated from law school, then began a non-legal graduate program, then you are not eligible for the Honors Program, unless you were a serving full-time judicial law clerk while simultaneously earning the non-legal graduate degree. If you were a serving full-time judicial law clerk at the time you earned the non-legal graduate degree, the following conditions apply:

• Your clerkship must have started within 9 months after law school graduation.
• Your clerkship cannot end prior to October 1, 2009.  (If you clerkship ends on or before September 30, 2009, you are not eligible for the Honors Program and should apply to the Department as an experienced attorney.)
• You can have multiple clerkships, however, they must total no more than three years in duration. (Note: If you had a prior Honors Program clerkship with an Executive Office for Immigration Review Immigration Court or the Drug Enforcement Agency Administrative Law Judges, you must be admitted to the bar (any U.S. jurisdiction) within 14 months of your initial entry on duty date with the Department of Justice to remain eligible for the Honors Program.)
  • There must not be a significant break in time between completion of a clerkship and start of any subsequent clerkship(s).
• Your clerkship(s) must be your only significant legal employment following law school graduation.

H. Combination of Presidential Management Fellowship or other legal fellowship and judicial clerkship or graduate law degree program (e.g., L.LM): If you graduated from law school, then entered a Presidential Management Fellowship or other legal fellowship and either a judicial clerkship or a graduate law program, regardless of the order, then you are eligible for the Honors Program provided you meet the following conditions:

• The first activity (either your Fellowship, your clerkship or the graduate law program) must have started within 9 months after law school graduation.
• Your clerkship(s) and Fellowship (if it involved practicing law) must be your only significant legal employment following law school graduation.
• There must not be a significant break in time between completion of one clerkship, graduate law program, or Fellowship, and the start of any subsequent clerkships, graduate law program, or Fellowship.
• You must attend graduate law programs full time and actually earn the graduate law degree based on the full time program you attended. (The only exception to the full-time study requirement occurs when a serving full-time judicial law clerk or PMF earns a graduate law degree through part-time study).
• The total duration of the combination of Fellowship, clerkships and graduate law study cannot exceed three years (excluding the period of up to 9 months between law school graduation and the start of the first activity.)
• Your final judicial clerkship, graduate law program or Fellowship must be completed between October 1, 2009 and September 30, 2010.
• If your final activity ends on or before September 30, 2009, or the total duration of combined activities exceeds three years (excluding the time between law school graduation and the start of the first clerkship/graduate law program), then you are not eligible for the Honors Program and should apply to the Department as an experienced attorney.
• If you had a prior Executive Branch 14-month appointment to the excepted service as a law clerk trainee, then you must be admitted to the bar (any U.S. jurisdiction) within 14 months of your initial entry on duty date. An appointment that was initially made for less than 14 months may be extended for a period not to exceed 14 months in total duration. Only one such appointment is authorized (5 C.F.R. §§ 213.101, 213.3102).

I. None of the above: If you do not meet the criteria of one of the categories above, then you are not eligible for the Honors Program. You may apply to the Department as an experienced attorney one year after law school graduation provided you are admitted to a bar (any U.S. jurisdiction).