Student Trainee (Legal) at Office of the Secretary of Defense · Department of Defense
Grade: 7-9
Applications close 2026-11-09
Expected start date: May 31, 2027
Summary
This announcement is for the OSD Honors Legal Internship Program, First and Second Year Law Students. Expected start date is May 31, 2027. This program is 10 weeks in duration. This is a Public Notice under the DoW Direct-Hire Authority for Pathways Post-Secondary Students. Please read this Public Notice in its entirety prior to submitting your application for consideration.
Duties
- The legal issues considered by DoW OGC are broad. While unique legal issues arise as a result of the national security and military missions of DoW, such as those involving international relations, military operations, the Uniform Code of Military Justice, the DoW counternarcotics program, military education, industrial security, intelligence and counterintelligence policy, DoW OGC also advises in all of the practice areas common to the practice of law by Federal government attorneys in any Federal agency to include constitutional law issues, procurement and acquisition law, fiscal law, environmental law, property law, administrative law, employment and labor law, information disclosure (the Freedom of Information Act and the Privacy Act), government ethics, legislation, litigation support, and the review of investigations. Perhaps surprising to those not familiar with DoW are the legal issues arising from practice areas that some may not immediately associate with DoW such as healthcare law (DoW runs its own hospital and health care system) and education law (DoW operates its own K-12 school system for military dependents, as well as undergraduate, graduate, and post-graduate schools). Interns will be assigned to specific offices within DoW OGC or DLSA, such as the Offices of the Deputy General Counsels for Energy, Environment and Installations; Fiscal; International Affairs; Intelligence; Legal Counsel; or Personnel & Health Policy; the Standards of Conduct Office; and other DLSA offices such as the Offices of General Counsel for Washington Headquarters Service. There are few, if any, offices that can provide summer interns the experiences that are available as an OSW Honors Legal Intern in DoW OGC. Summer interns in the OSW Honors Legal Internship Program are given considerable flexibility in their assignments. There are substantial opportunities to enhance research and drafting skills by working closely with OGC attorneys. Interns will assist in drafting and commenting on legislation, regulations, congressional testimony, litigation materials, and legal opinions. Interns will also have the opportunity to assist in the process of formulating DoW legal policy on high-profile topics of current interest. Our intern program may include visits to the U.S. Supreme Court, the Senate Armed Services Committee, military installations, Defense agencies and DoW field activities, and are all intended to familiarize the interns with the practice of law by Federal attorneys and the work of DoW in general.
Qualifications
A Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university is required for acceptance into this internship program. Candidates must have completed their first year of law school prior to the commencement of the 2027 summer intern period in order to be appointed at the GS-07 level. Candidates must have completed their second year of law school prior to the commencement of the 2027 summer intern period in order to be appointed at the GS-09 level. Candidates must be continuing in legal studies throughout the summer and/or into the fall of 2027 to be eligible.
Education
You MUST provide transcripts to support your educational claims. Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Unless otherwise stated: (1) official or unofficial transcripts are acceptable, or (2) you may submit a list with all of your courses, grades, semester, year, and credit for the course. All materials must be submitted by the closing date of the announcement.
GRADUATE EDUCATION: One academic year of graduate education is considered to be the number of credits hours your graduate school has determined to represent one academic year of full-time study. Such study may have been performed on a full-time or part-time basis. If you cannot obtain your graduate school's definition of one year of graduate study, 18 semester hours (or 27 quarter hours) should be considered as satisfying the requirement for one year of full-time graduate study.
FOREIGN EDUCATION: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. For further information, visit: https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html
How to apply
THIS VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT IS FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY. INDIVIDUALS SEEKING TO APPLY TO THE OSW SUMMER HONORS LEGAL INTERNSHIP PROGRAM MUST PROVIDE THE REQUIRED DOCUMENTS VIA EMAIL TO: osd.summerhonorslegalinterns@mail.mil
