Legal Careers
Law Student Volunteer Criminal Division Summer
The Middle District of Georgia encompasses 70 of Georgia’s 159 counties and covers 25,471 square miles with a population of approximately 2,450,000. The district is home to Moody Air Force Base in Valdosta, Robins Air Force Base in Warner Robins, Ft. Moore in Columbus, and the Marine Corps Logistics Base in Albany, and has courthouses in Macon, Athens, Albany, Columbus, and Valdosta.
The Criminal Division of the USAO handles the prosecution of federal offenses, to include narcotics, firearms, white collar, public corruption, child exploitation, human trafficking, and more. Law student volunteers assist prosecutors with research, writing, and reviewing case files from law enforcement. Law student volunteers also provided ample opportunity to observe various federal court proceedings and, in some instances, may be able to personally appear in court through the Third Year Practice Act.
Prior law student volunteers from the USAO for the Middle District of Georgia have gone on to work in federal and state judicial clerkships, for the Department of Justice (including the USAO for the Middle District of Georgia), private law firms, and other legal organizations.
As the federal agency whose mission is to ensure the fair and impartial administration of justice for all Americans, the Department of Justice is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive work environment. To build and retain a workforce that reflects the diverse experiences and perspectives of the American people, we welcome applicants from the many communities, identities, races, ethnicities, backgrounds, abilities, religions, and cultures of the United States who share our commitment to public service.
Law student volunteers will be assigned to the Criminal Division and will perform research projects, draft pleadings and other court papers, and may assist in trial preparation and/or work on appellate briefs. Volunteers will work with numerous Assistant United States Attorneys (AUSAs) over the course of the internship. Through research projects and interaction with the AUSAs, volunteers will be introduced to the federal court system and will learn the ins and outs of federal criminal litigation. Volunteers are encouraged to attend depositions, court hearings, and trials with AUSAs. Our goal is for our volunteers to gain an introduction to the federal legal system, to develop their legal skills, and, above all, to enjoy their internship.
To be eligible for this position, an applicant must (1) be a rising third year (3L) law student; (2) be a U.S. citizen who has lived in the United States for three of the last five years; and (3) pass a background investigation due to the sensitive nature of the work performed by the United States Attorney’s Office.
For the summer only law student volunteer position, a commitment to working 40 hours per week during the summer months (approx. May-July 2024) is required. Time away for vacations and other obligations is permitted.
Students interested in applying for the Summer 2024 program must submit:
1. Cover letter
2. Resume
3. Law school transcript
3. Writing sample (10 pages maximum)
4. References (please list 2-3 with title, phone number, and email address)
Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis but must be submitted no later than: November 17, 2023
Applications must be emailed to: usagam.hr@usdoj.gov
Law student volunteers are uncompensated but may receive academic credit per school policies.
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Department Policies
Equal Employment Opportunity: The U.S. Department of Justice is an Equal Opportunity/Reasonable Accommodation Employer. Except where otherwise provided by law, there will be no discrimination because of race, color, religion, national origin, sex - including gender identity, sexual orientation, or pregnancy status - or because of age (over 40), physical or mental disability, protected genetic information, parental status, marital status, political affiliation, or any other non-merit based factor. The Department of Justice welcomes and encourages applications from persons with physical and mental disabilities. The Department is firmly committed to satisfying its affirmative obligations under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, to ensure that persons with disabilities have every opportunity to be hired and advanced on the basis of merit within the Department of Justice. For more information, please review our full EEO Statement.
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.
Outreach and Recruitment for Qualified Applicants with Disabilities: The Department encourages qualified applicants with disabilities, including individuals with targeted/severe disabilities to apply in response to posted vacancy announcements. Qualified applicants with targeted/severe disabilities may be eligible for direct hire, non-competitive appointment under Schedule A (5 C.F.R. § 213.3102(u)) hiring authority. Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to contact one of the Department’s Disability Points of Contact (DPOC) to express an interest in being considered for a position. See list of DPOCs.
Suitability and Citizenship: It is the policy of the Department to achieve a drug-free workplace and persons selected for employment will be required to pass a drug test which screens for illegal drug use prior to final appointment. Employment is also contingent upon the completion and satisfactory adjudication of a background investigation. Congress generally prohibits agencies from employing non-citizens within the United States, except for a few narrow exceptions as set forth in the annual Appropriations Act (see, https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/working-in-government/non-citizens/). Pursuant to DOJ component policies, only U.S. citizens are eligible for employment with the Executive Office for Immigration Review, U.S. Trustee’s Offices, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Unless otherwise indicated in a particular job advertisement, qualifying non-U.S. citizens meeting immigration and appropriations law criteria may apply for employment with other DOJ organizations. However, please be advised that the appointment of non-U.S. citizens is extremely rare; such appointments would be possible only if necessary to accomplish the Department's mission and would be subject to strict security requirements. Applicants who hold dual citizenship in the U.S. and another country will be considered on a case-by-case basis. All DOJ employees are subject to a residency requirement. Candidates must have lived in the United States for at least three of the past five years. The three-year period is cumulative, not necessarily consecutive. Federal or military employees, or dependents of federal or military employees serving overseas, are excepted from this requirement. This is a Department security requirement which is waived only for extreme circumstances and handled on a case-by-case basis.
Veterans: 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 include that information in their cover letter or resume and attach supporting documentation (e.g., the DD 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty and other supporting documentation) to their submissions. 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, 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 their 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).
USAO Residency Requirement: Assistant United States Attorneys must reside in the district to which appointed or within 25 miles thereof. See 28 U.S.C. 545 for district specific information.
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This and other vacancy announcements can be found under Attorney Vacancies and Volunteer Legal Internships. The Department of Justice cannot control further dissemination and/or posting of information contained in this vacancy announcement. Such posting and/or dissemination is not an endorsement by the Department of the organization or group disseminating and/or posting the information.