The Program

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation's Summer Legal Intern Program provides valuable and challenging professional opportunities for outstanding law school students. Our goal is to provide our summer interns with a better understanding of the FDIC's role in our financial system while providing an opportunity for public service. Our summer interns are assigned to a variety of projects within one section of the Legal Division that will provide significant legal experience.

FDIC Pathways Summer Intern (law clerk) appointments begin in mid-May and may not exceed 12 weeks. Appointments may be extended for one year, as well as one additional year, up to a maximum of two years.

Why Join the FDIC?

Throughout the recent turmoil in the financial markets the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation has stood strong and has continued to fulfill its 78 year old mission of standing behind the insured deposits of its member banks and supporting confidence in the nation's financial system.

The FDIC was born of the Great Depression of the late 1920s and early 1930s. More than 9,000 banks closed between the stock market crash of October 1929 and March of 1933, when President Franklin Delano Roosevelt took office. For all practical purposes, the nation's banking system had shut down completely even before President Roosevelt - less than 48 hours after his inauguration - declared a "banking holiday" suspending all banking activities until stability could be restored. Among the actions taken by Congress to bring order to the system was the creation of the FDIC in June 1933. The intent was to provide a federal government guarantee of deposits so that customers' funds, within certain limits, would be safe and available to them on demand. Since the start of FDIC insurance on January 1, 1934, not one depositor has lost a cent of insured funds as a result of a failure. The FDIC sign - posted in insured financial institutions across the country - has become a symbol of confidence.

As a summer intern you will contribute to maintaining confidence in our nation's financial system and learn financial institutions regulatory law from the inside out. In addition you may be exposed to areas of law atypical to most government practice that will serve you well wherever your career takes you.

Legal Practice at the FDIC

The practice of law at the FDIC reflects the broad nature of the FDIC's work as well as its unique statutory powers. For example, because the FDIC has independent litigating authority, our attorneys practice before virtually all courts. FDIC attorneys develop case strategy, write the briefs and appear in court for arguments. The FDIC's Legal Division is a full service corporate practice providing not only litigation but transactional, regulatory and administrative legal services to the Corporation. As a summer intern you will be able to assist our attorneys in one or more of the following areas including:

Bank regulatory and consumer compliance matters

• Developing, drafting and providing legal opinions on legislation, regulations and policy statements relating to insured depository institutions.
• Providing guidance on deposit insurance coverage, assessments of insured depository institutions, Federal securities laws, and consumer laws.
• Providing guidance and advice to foreign countries that are developing deposit insurance programs.
• Working closely with bank and review examiners to ensure bank compliance with banking and consumer protection laws and regulations and the continued safety and soundness of insured depository institutions.
• Preparing and litigating enforcement cases before administrative law judges and in federal courts.

Litigation and bank receivership matters

• Litigating multimillion dollar actions against directors and officers, attorneys and accountants when negligence and malpractice contributed to the downfall of banks.
• Managing some of the largest civil commercial litigation cases brought by the federal government.
• Handling complex commercial litigation matters such as those arising out of bond claims, and commercial collection cases.
• Developing resolution, receivership and marketing strategies for failed banks involving hundreds of millions of dollars in deposits and loans.
• Coordinating the FDIC's anti-fraud efforts with the Department of Justice, prosecutors and FBI agents across the country in the investigation and prosecution of criminal conduct in the banking and savings and loan industries.
• Defending the FDIC against challenges to its statutory authority and appeals from its administrative determinations.

Corporate practice

• Providing legal opinions on a wide range of topics including statutory powers of the FDIC, the role of the FDIC as a federal agency, and corporate governance.
• Handling labor and employment issues including administrative hearings on employee-related matters and negotiations with the bargaining unit representative.
• Handling FDIC contracting, including contracting for the services of outside counsel.
• Managing Legal Division technology.
• Corporate secretary duties for the Board of Directors.

For more information on the Pathways Summer Intern Program, please contact LaShawndy Cobey at 703 562-2297.

Qualifications

Applicants must meet the qualification requirements consistent with OPM qualification standards applicable to the position being filled and must be currently enrolled in an accredited Juris Doctorate (JD) or LL.M program.

For CG-7: Completion of 1 full academic year of graduate level education OR eligibility under the Superior Academic Achievement Provision and completion of a bachelor's degree. Click here for Superior Academic Achievement qualification requirements.

For CG-9: Completion of 2 full academic years of graduate level education, or equivalent degree (LL.M or JD).

Applicants must have at least a cumulative (overall) 2.5 grade point average; and remain in good academic standing.

When deciding which candidates are qualified for an interview, we look at the total application package including undergraduate record (GPA), law school courses and grades (GPA), law review or law journal participation, national or regional moot court competition participation, and other special qualifications (such as another advanced degree, foreign language skills) or life experience. Writing samples will be evaluated for legal research, analytical and writing skills (i.e., organization, grammar, spelling, and persuasiveness).

Appointment

We expect to select multiple candidates for full time assignments to our Washington, DC, and Arlington, VA, offices. The Pathways Summer Intern (law clerk) Program is a 12 week Program.

FDIC is an independent agency of the federal government. Go to Frequently Asked Questions for further information.

FDIC is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer.