2024 OSD SUMMER HONORS LEGAL INTERNSHIP PROGRAM
FIRST YEAR LAW STUDENTS
ANNOUNCEMENT NUMBER DE-12189684-24-NB

 
 
First Year Law Students                                         
OPENING DATE:  NOVEMBER 1, 2023               
CLOSING DATE:  DECEMBER 15, 2023           
                                                                                                 
LOCATION:   Office of General Counsel
                      Department of Defense
                      The Pentagon
                       Arlington, Virginia
 
AREA OF CONSIDERATION:  ALL SOURCES
 
BACKGROUND:  The Department of Defense (DoD), with over 3 million military members and civilian employees, is one of the largest entity clients served by any group of attorneys in the world.  The DoD Office of the General Counsel (OGC) is part of the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD).  The DoD OGC is the highest-level legal organization in DoD.  The DoD General Counsel is appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate, and serves as the Chief Legal Officer of DoD, the legal advisor to the Secretary of Defense, and the Director of the Defense Legal Services Agency (in which capacity he or she oversees the General Counsel Offices of over two dozen Defense Agencies and DoD Field Activities).  The Office is responsible for advising high‑level policy makers in OSD.  In addition, the Office works closely with senior attorneys and policy makers from the military departments, and with officials from the Departments of Justice, State, Treasury, and other Government agencies. 
 
The legal issues considered by the Office are broad.  While unique legal issues arise as a result of the national security and military missions of DoD, such as those involving international relations, military operations, the Uniform Code of Military Justice, the DoD counternarcotics program, military education, industrial security, intelligence and counterintelligence policy, the Office 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 contract 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 DoD are the legal issues arising from practice areas that some may not immediately associate with DoD such as healthcare law (DoD runs it own hospital and health care system) and education law (DoD operates its own K-12 school system for its dependents, as well as undergraduate, graduate, and post-graduate schools).
 
Interns will be assigned to specific offices within DoD OGC or DLSA, such as the Offices of the Deputy General Counsels for Acquisition & Logistics; Environment, Energy & Installations; Fiscal; International Affairs; Intelligence; Legal Counsel; or Personnel & Health Policy; as well as the Offices of the Directors for the Standards of Conduct Office; Litigation Counsel; or the Office of Information Counsel.  There are few, if any, offices that can provide summer law clerks the diversity of practice areas and experiences that are available as an OSD Honors Legal Intern in DoD OGC.
 
DUTIES:  Summer interns in the OSD Honors Legal Internship Program are given considerable flexibility in their assignments.  At least one intern is assigned to each OGC office listed above.  There are substantial opportunities to enhance research and drafting skills by working in close association with members of OGC.  Interns will assist in drafting and commenting on legislation, regulations, congressional testimony, litigation materials, and legal opinions.  Interns will have the opportunity to assist in the process of formulating DoD legal policy on high-profile topics of current interest.  Our intern program also may include visits to the U.S. Supreme Court, the Senate Armed Services Committee, military bases, Defense agencies and DoD field activities, all intended to familiarize the interns with the practice of law by federal attorneys and the work of DoD in general.  
 
HOW TO APPLY
 
To apply for this position, you must provide all the documents listed below. Each document must be saved as a PDF file using the following naming convention: "Last Name, First Name, Document Name.pdf." The following documents are required:
 
1. Cover letter. Indicate why you would like to serve as an intern at OGC. The cover letter must be submitted as a separate attachment to your application email and not as text in the email. The cover letter should also include your current telephone number and e-mail address. The cover letter should provide more detailed information on your interest in the program (list the OGC sub-offices you would prefer). There is no guarantee you will be placed in a particular office within OGC.
 
2. Resume. Include relevant experience such as prior experience with DoD or another Federal agency, legal work experience, volunteer experience and extracurricular activities.
 
3. Writing Sample. A legal memorandum or a legal brief is preferred. Submission of the entire memorandum or brief, as opposed to a shortened version is preferred.
 
4. Undergraduate Transcripts. An unofficial transcript may be submitted as part of the initial application, but an official transcript or equivalent document will be required before a final offer is made.
 
5. Letter of Proof of Current Law School Enrollment. Statement from the institution's registrar, dean, or other appropriate official stating that you are a current law student.
 
6. Law School Transcripts. An unofficial transcript may be submitted as part of the initial application once available, but an official transcript or equivalent document will be required before a final offer is made. In addition, if the transcript does not contain grade point average (GPA) or class rank, you must also provide a separate statement of law school class rank, GPA or an equivalent measure of academic placement, from the law school, or a statement from the law school that no such measures are in place.
 
ADDITIONAL APPLICATION MATERIALS (if applicable):
 
1. Graduate Transcripts. If your resume mentions graduate school (other than your current law school), please include a copy of the transcript from that school (an unofficial transcript is acceptable).
 
2. Documentation of Veteran Status. Selectees with prior military service are required to submit photocopies of their DD 214(s), Certificate(s) of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, covering all periods of military service.
 
3. Relatives Employed by DoD. Applicants who have family members employed by OSD or the Joint Staff must specify in their application materials the organizational entity or entities (e.g., Directorate, Office of an Under or Assistant Secretary of Defense, Staff Office or equivalent) in which these individuals are employed.
 
Once you submit your application, you will receive a notification of receipt.
 
All application materials become the property of this office and will not be returned.  In order to ensure consideration, applications must be emailed no later than 11:59PM ESD December 15, 2023 to the following address: osd.summerhonorslegalinterns@mail.mil. The emailed applications must include all items listed below to be considered complete; incomplete applications will not be considered.



QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS:  A Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university, and completion of the applicants second-year of law school prior to the commencement of the 2024 summer intern period.  Persons who will be graduated from law school prior to the commencement of the 2024 summer intern period are not eligible for this student internship program.
 

Grade  GS-07	Weekly Pay1   $1018.00	Education Requirement Bachelor’s degree
GS-09	$1244.80	Master's degree (or higher) or Bachelor's degree with two years of graduate work.

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT
 
Applicants are advised that false answers or omissions of information on application and processing forms, or inability to meet the following conditions may be grounds for non-selection, withdrawal of an offer of employment, or dismissal after being employed. 
 
All statements on employment forms are subject to investigation, including a check of fingerprints, police records and former employers. 
 
Male applicants born after December 31, 1959, are required to complete a Pre-Employment Certification Statement for Selective Service Registration prior to appointment.  Failure to comply may be grounds for withdrawal of an offer of employment, or dismissal after appointment. 
 
Selection for this position is contingent upon proof of U.S. citizenship.  Acceptable proof of citizenship includes (a) United States passport or (b) original or certified copy of a birth certificate issued by a state, county, or municipal authority bearing a raised seal and a photo identification (e.g., drivers license).
 
Positions may require access to classified information and selectee will be subject to a background investigation, which must be completed prior to the candidate's official appointment date.  All selectees must be given favorable basic background adjudication. 
 
Tentative selectees for this position will be required to submit to a urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment.  A candidate selected under this announcement will not be entitled to permanent change of station pay for travel expenses.