Volunteer Law Student Summer 2026

Job Description

For more information on the Department of Justice and the United States Attorneys' Offices, visit www.justice.gov/usao/. As needed, additional positions may be filled using this announcement.

Qualifications

Rising second- and third-year law school students may apply. First-year law students: Applications accepted starting December 1, 2025. Students who will graduate prior to or during the course of the internship are not eligible. Students must be U.S. citizens and pass a background check due to the sensitive nature of the work performed by the United States Attorney's Office. The background check requires substantial input from the candidate, and it is important that all security forms be completed and returned in a timely fashion as interns may not begin until the check has been favorably completed (which may take up to 8 weeks). To be eligible for this internship ALL of the following requirements must be met: Student Status: Acceptance of applications for this announcement will be limited to rising second-year and third-year law students. An eligible student is an individual enrolled in law school pursuing a Juris Doctor degree. Successful candidates must have outstanding academic records, superior writing skills and be in good academic standing at his/her university. Student interns must be United States Citizens. You must meet all qualification requirements upon the closing date of this announcement. Grade Point Average: You must have at least a 2.5 GPA. Applicants should submit the following materials: (1) Cover letter (please note preferred location [Lexington, Ft. Mitchell, or London] and, if the applicant prefers Lexington, the preferred practice area [Criminal or Civil], in bold on the upper left corner of the cover letter) (2) resume - 2 page limit; (3) law school transcript with GPA (if additional grades are released after the initial application, please supplement as the grades become available); (4) one legal writing sample (20 pages or less); and (5) the best phone number and e-mail address for the applicant.

Required Documents

You must provide a complete Application Package which includes: - Required: Your responses to the Online Occupational Questionnaire (This is completed automatically during the apply online process). - Required: Your resume showing relevant experience and dates (for full consideration you must include day/month/year) of employment and work schedule for each (e.g., part-time XX hours per week or full-time) (cover letter optional).). Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. - Required if you meet qualifications based on education: An unofficial college transcript.(Note: If you are selected for this position, official transcript will be required prior to your first day.) and foreign education evaluation documentation, if applicable, as described under the "Education" section of this vacancy announcement. - Required, if applicable: CTAP/ICTAP documentation (a copy of a separation notice or other proof of eligibility for priority selection; a copy of an SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action, showing current position, grade, promotion potential, and duty location; AND a copy of your most recent performance appraisal.) - Required, if applicable: Veterans' Preference documentation. See Required Veterans' Preference Documentation below. Please note, if you are entitled to Veterans' Preference, you must indicate the type of preference you are claiming in your application, check the appropriate box in the assessment questionnaire to indicate your preference, and submit the required documentation as specified below. - Required Veterans' Preference Documentation: In order to verify your Veterans' Preference entitlement, you must submit a copy of the Member Copy 4 of your DD-214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty); or if you are a current Active Duty member you must submit a certification on appropriate military branch letterhead that indicates: 1) your service dates, 2) expected discharge or release date from active duty with a release/discharge date no later than 120 days from the closing date of this announcement, and 3) the character of service (e.g., Honorable);In addition, if you are a disabled veteran, a Purple Heart recipient, or widow/widower if a veteran, the spouse of a disabled veteran or the parent of a disabled or deceased veteran, you must submit a Standard Form (SF) 15, "Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference" dated October 2013 and all the required documentation identified on the reverse side of the SF-15 to support your preference claim. - Current or Former Political Appointees: The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) must authorize employment offers made to current or former political appointees. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the Human Resources Office by providing a copy of your applicable SF-50, along with a statement that provides the following information regarding your most recent political appointment: Position title; Type of appointment (Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES, or Presidential Appointee); Agency; and Beginning and ending dates of appointment.

Department Information

Agency

Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys and the Office of the U.S. Attorneys

Department

Department of Justice

Location

Fort Mitchell, Kentucky, Kentucky, United States

Volunteer Law Student Summer 2026 - USA Jobs