Volunteer Law Student Spring 2026 Job

Vacancy No. 26-FLM-12751887-VLS Department Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys and the Office of the U.S. Attorneys
Salary $0.00 to $0.00 Grade 00 to 00
Perm/Temp Temporary FT/PT Part-time
Open Date 6/23/2025 Close Date 10/3/2025
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Fort Myers, FLJacksonville, FLOcala, FLOrlando, FL


Summary

Our mission is to enforce the law and defend the interests of the United States, provide Federal leadership in preventing and controlling crime, seek just punishment for those guilty of unlawful behavior, and to administer and enforce the Nation's laws to ensure fair and impartial administration of justice for all Americans.

This job is open to

Clarification from the agency

All enrolled first- second- and third-year law students who are U.S. citizens or nationals.

Duties

Assignments include, but are not limited to, drafting responsive motions, dispositive motions, memorandum of law, and appellate briefs. The interns become familiar with the Federal rules of Civil and Criminal procedure, the Federal Rules of Evidence, the local rules of practice for the Middle District of Florida District Court, and the local and Federal rules of Appellate Procedure. In addition, interns may attend dispositions, meetings with Agents and accompany attorneys to observe court proceedings.

Practice Areas:

  • Appellate Litigation
  • Civil Litigation
  • Criminal Litigation
Those applying to the Tampa office should indicate their preferred practice area in their cover letter. Branch office applicants will be placed in the Criminal Division.

Selective Service: If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System, or are exempt from having to do so under the Selective Service Law. See www.sss.gov.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • You must be a United States Citizen or National.
  • Initial appointment is conditioned upon a satisfactory pre-employment adjudication.
  • You must be registered for Selective Service, if applicable.
  • You must provide a transcript or proof of enrollment from an accredited law school.
  • You must be at least 16 years of age or older.

Qualifications

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 first-, second-, and third-year law students attending an accredited school. 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.
  • Grade Point Average: You must have at least a 2.5 GPA.
  • Citizenship: Student Interns must be United States citizens or owe permanent allegiance to the United States. (Currently, natives of American Samoa, Swains Island and certain inhabitants of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands are the only groups that owe permanent allegiance to the United States.)
  • Background Investigation: You must successfully complete a suitability review and receive a favorable determination based on information provided in their security forms, a credit report, and fingerprint check to determine suitability for Federal employment.
You must meet all qualification requirements upon the closing date of this announcement.

Education

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

Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the above education requirements if you can show that the foreign education is comparable to that received in an accredited educational institution in the United States. It is your responsibility to timely provide such evidence by submitting proof of creditability of education as evaluated by a credentialing agency with your application materials.

More information may be found at www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.

All documentation must be in English or include an English translation.

Additional information

Relocation expenses will not be authorized.

A Benefits Package is not authorized for this position.

Security Requirements: Initial appointment is conditioned upon a satisfactory preemployment adjudication. This includes fingerprint, credit and tax checks, and drug testing. In addition, continued employment is subject to a favorable adjudication of a background investigation.

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.

Benefits

A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Evaluation Method: After the announcement closes, your application package will be reviewed to confirm that all required documents have been submitted (see the "Required Documents" section of this announcement) and that you meet the minimum eligibility requirements. Qualified applications will be forwarded to the supervising attorney(s) for selection. If you are selected for an internship, you will be notified by email. You will also receive automated updates from the USA Staffing system as your application progresses through each stage of 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).

Required Documents

To be considered for this position, you must submit a complete application package by the closing date of this announcement. Incomplete or late applications will not be considered. All application materials must be submitted through the USAJOBS website. Hard copy or emailed documents will not be accepted.

The following items are required documentation:

  • 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. Those applying to the Tampa office should indicate their preferred practice area in their cover letter.
  • 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.
  • Legal Writing Sample: Should be no longer than 25 pages.
Incomplete or late applications will not be considered

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.

The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 10/03/2025 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 Middle District of Florida at (813) 274-6043 or email at casey.austin@usdoj.gov, prior to the closing date of this announcement to request an alternate method of applying.

Agency contact information

Casey Austin
Address
Middle District of Florida
400 North Tampa Street
Suite 3200
Tampa, FL 33602
US

Next steps

You will also receive automated updates from the USA Staffing system as your application progresses through the hiring process. Internship selections are expected to be made within 14 days of the announcement's closing date. Following a tentative offer, a suitability and security background investigation will be conducted.

Additional Locations

  • Tampa, FL


Note: We cannot accept applications on behalf of Federal Agencies. Application instructions are listed within the Job Description.


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