Summary
Turn your legal writing and research skills into real federal impact as a Volunteer Law Intern with The United States Attorney's Office!
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.
This job is open to
The public
U.S. Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.
Clarification from the agency
All United States Citizens and Nationals
Duties
Overview of the United States Attorney's Office - Northern District of Indiana - With a talented workforce of over 100,000 people, the mission of the Department of Justice is to uphold the rule of law, keep our country safe, and protect civil rights. The U.S. Attorney's Office (USAO) for the Northern District of Indiana is one of 94 USAOs in the nation.
The United States Attorney's Office Law Internship Program immerses you in the energy of the federal legal system giving you front-row access to how major civil and criminal cases are built, argued, and won. You'll sharpen your writing and research on real federal matters while contributing directly to the work that drives federal justice forward. Typical duties of the interns may include:
- Performing legal research and/or assisting with research projects;
- Drafting legal documents including motions, pleadings, or briefs;
- Assist in trial preparations;
- Observe court proceedings; and
- In limited instances, may be allowed to represent the government in routine hearings under the supervision of an AUSA before various federal courts.
The primary goal of the program is to offer a dynamic, hands-on introduction to federal legal system, giving law students the chance to contribute to meaningful civil and criminal matters. Interns gain exposure to federal procedures, strengthen their legal writing and research skills, and support the work of multiple Assistant U.S. Attorneys throughout the semester.
Applicants will be asked to indicate which division(s) they wish to be considered for when submitting their online application. Applicants will be notified when their applications have been reviewed/referred for further consideration.
Requirements
Conditions of employment
- You must be a United States Citizen or National.
- You will be required to complete a pre-employment security investigation and background check.
- You must be registered for Selective Service, if applicable.
- You must meet all qualification requirements upon the closing date of this announcement.
- You must submit a transcript or proof of enrollment with your application.
- You must be enrolled at least as a half-time student and in good academic standing with an accredited law school.
Qualifications
Students must have completed at least one full semester with an accredited law school at the beginning of the current academic term. Preference will be given to second and third-year law students.
Education
Applicants must possess a J.D. Degree
All academic degrees and coursework must be completed at a college or university that has obtained accreditation or pre-accreditation status from an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For a list of schools that meet this criteria, see www.ed.gov.
OR
FOREIGN EDUCATION: Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the requirements. You must show proof the education credentials have been deemed to be at least equivalent to that gained in a conventional U.S. education program. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence when applying. For special instructions pertaining to foreign education and a list of organizations that can evaluate foreign education, see the Department of Education website. If you are qualifying on foreign education, you MUST submit proof of creditability of education as evaluated by a credentialing agency. Transcripts must be uploaded with your application to verify education. All documentation must be in English or include an English translation.
Additional information
Payment of relocation expenses will not be authorized.
A Benefits Package is not authorized for this position.
Residency Requirements: You must have resided in the United States for a total of three years (not necessarily consecutive years) of the past five years immediately prior to applying for a position. You must have: 1) resided in the United States; 2) worked for the U.S. overseas in a federal or military capacity, or 3) been a dependent of a federal or military employee serving oversees. The Residency Requirement ensures an adequate background investigation can be completed.
Veterans' Preference - If you are entitled to Veterans' Preference, you must indicate the type of preference you are claiming by checking the appropriate box in the assessment questionnaire to indicate your preference and submit the required veterans' preference documentation as specified in the, "Required Documents" section of this vacancy announcement.
EEO Statement: The United States government does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service or other non-merit factor.
Political Appointees (Current or Former): 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 or Non-Career SES employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the HR Office. Failure to disclose this information could result in disciplinary action including removal from Federal Service.
Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.
How you will be evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
Evaluation Method: Once your complete application package is received, it will be reviewed to ensure you have submitted a complete application packet (see "Required Documents" section of this announcement) and that you meet all the minimum eligibility requirements. Complete applications that meet the minimum requirements for the position will be forwarded for review by a subject-matter-expert review panel that will determine which candidates will receive further consideration. If selected, you will be notified and invited to schedule an interview. You will receive automated notifications from the USA Staffing system as your application clears each step in the hiring process.
Veterans' Preference: There is no formal rating system for applying veterans' preference to attorney appointments in the excepted service; however, the Department of Justice considers veterans' preference eligibility as a positive factor in attorney hiring. Applicants eligible for veterans' preference must indicate their preference in response to the appropriate question in their assessment questionnaire (it is also recommended that information is included in their cover letter or resume) and they must submit supporting documentation (e.g., DD 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty and other supporting documentation) which verifies their eligibility for preference. Although the "point" system is not used, per se, applicants eligible to claim 10-point preference must submit Standard Form (SF) 15, Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference, and submit the supporting documentation required for the specific type of preference claimed (visit the OPM website, http://www.opm.gov/forms/pdf_fill/sf15.pdf for a copy of SF 15, which lists the types of 10-point preferences and the required supporting document(s). Applicants should note that SF 15 requires supporting documentation associated with service-connected disabilities or receipt of nonservice-connected disability pensions to be dated 1991 or later except in the case of service members submitting official statements or retirement orders from a branch of the Armed Forces showing that retirement was due to a permanent service-connected disability or that they were transferred to the permanent disability retired list (the statement or retirement orders must indicate that the disability is 10% or more).
Reasonable Accommodations: This agency provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the agency. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis.
Required Documents
You must provide a complete Application Package which includes:
- Online Application Questionnaire: This is completed automatically when clicking "Apply Online" for this announcement.
- Cover Letter: Should include a personal statement reflecting your background and your interest in participating in this program.
- Resume: Please include employment history, dates of employment (MM/DDDD), education history, volunteer activities, and awards/achievements (scholastic/professional).
- Proof of enrollment or unofficial college transcripts: Current Unofficial transcript or proof of current enrollment, e.g., recent letter from the registrar's office. Should clearly show the name of the academic institution, grades for completed coursework, cumulative GPA, and current academic standing. In addition, first year law students should include any undergraduate transcripts.
- Current Legal Writing Sample: Should be no longer than 20 pages.
Incomplete or late applications will NOT be considered. All application materials must be submitted via the USAJOBS website by the closing date of the announcement. No hard copy or emailed documents will be accepted.
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.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from
schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
How to Apply
To apply for this position, you must complete the occupational questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section above.
The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 06/01/2026 to receive consideration.
1. To begin, click Apply Online to create a USAJOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USAJOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire.
2. Click the Submit My Answers button to submit your application package. (It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation are submitted prior to the closing date.)
3. To verify your application is complete, log into your USAJOBS account, https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login, select the Application Status link and then select the more information link for this position. The Details page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and any correspondence the agency has sent related to this application. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
To return to an incomplete application, log into your USAJOBS account and click Update Application in the vacancy announcement. You must re-select your resume and/or other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application will be incomplete.
You are encouraged to apply online. Applying online will allow you to review and track the status of your application. However, should you not be able to apply online, please contact Northern District of Indiana at 219-937-5500 or email at USAINN.HR@usdoj.gov, prior to the closing date of this announcement to request an alternate method of applying.
Next steps
We will notify you of the outcome after each step of the recruitment process has been completed. After making a tentative job offer, we will conduct a suitability/security background investigation, to include a credit and tax checks. We expect to make a final job offer within 30 days after the closing date of the announcement.