OGC Honors Program

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

The DoW OGC Honors Program provides highly qualified, entry-level attorneys with the opportunity to gain exposure to a broad variety of subject matter areas over a two-year period. The Program includes rotations in at least two different divisions within OGC, and more as time and mission permit. Participants complete complex legal assignments and provide advice in a variety of legal practice areas, including:
•  International law
•  Intelligence law
•  Operational law
•  Administrative and personnel law
•  Environmental and energy law
•  Fiscal law
•  Litigation
•  Legislative drafting
•  Information law
•  Ethics
•  Attorney professional responsibility
•  Any other area of practice within the purview of DoW OGC
Participants have the opportunity to take on immediate responsibility and directly contribute to significant matters within DoW OGC and in the Department of War, each in support of DoW’s mission to defend the nation, deter aggression, and further U.S. national security objectives. Every participant in the Honors Program is assigned a mentor. 
The Program is highly competitive, with a focus on recruiting candidates to work in an equitable environment. DoW OGC seeks to recruit up to two attorneys in the summer of 2026 for a two-year term. Following completion of the program, participants will have the opportunity to be considered for permanent positions in DoW OGC without further competition.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

You are eligible to apply if you are:
1.  A U.S. citizen.
2.  Able to successfully complete a background investigation and maintain a security clearance.  
3.  A law student graduating from an American Bar Association-accredited law school by Spring 2026.
4.  (a) An attorney with no more than two years of experience in the practice of law; or (b) An attorney with over two years of experience in the practice of law because of one or more Federal court or state supreme court (or equivalent) clerkships, within one year of completing the clerkship(s).

KEY DATES

  • January 15, 2026 – Application period opens
  • February 13, 2026 – Application period closes
  • Late April 2026 – Interview candidates selected
  • June 2026 –  Offers extended
  • Fall 2026 – Employment begins; exact start date may vary based on honors attorneys’ availability (which may be impacted by finishing a judicial clerkship, studying for bar exam).

HOW TO APPLY

Where to send your application:  Send the below listed documents to osd.pentagon.ogc.mbx.dodogcresumebank@mail.mil, with the following subject line:  “2026 Honors Program: Applicant’s Last Name, First Name.”

When to send your application:  January 15 – February 13; applications received outside of this time period will not be considered.

What to send:  Only electronic applications will be accepted. To be considered, please submit and include all of the following documents when applying:
 
  1. 2 page resume
  2. A one-page cover letter, addressed to the DoW OGC Honors Program, explaining your interest in the Program
  3. Law school transcript
  4. A legal writing sample between five to ten pages (double-spaced)
  5. At least one letter of recommendation (maximum of three)