Law Student Volunteer, Internship, and Externship Opportunities
The Office of the Solicitor's (SOL) mission is to meet the legal service demands of the entire Department of Labor (Department). As the Secretary of Labor and other Department officials seek to accomplish the Department's overall mission and further specific priorities, SOL provides legal advice regarding how to achieve those goals. In doing so, SOL ensures the Nation's labor laws are forcefully and fairly applied and enforced to protect the Nation's workers.
The SOL National Office at our D.C. headquarters includes nine divisions that provide program advice and litigation services to Department agencies. The divisions advise client agencies within DOL regarding regulations and legislative initiatives divisions. They are also involved in litigation in Federal courts and/or before administrative law judges. About half of SOL's attorneys are located in Regional and Branch Offices across the country and are regularly engaged with litigation in Federal district courts and before administrative law judges.
SOL's National Office divisions and Regional and Branch Offices often accept current law students to intern or volunteer on an unpaid or academic credit basis. As a legal intern or volunteer, you will perform a variety of legal assistance responsibilities including significant legal research and writing related to advice, litigation and/or rulemaking projects for client agencies; and analyzing the legal impact of legislative developments, administrative and court decisions, rulings and opinions on Departmental programs. Interns may also attend meetings with DOL client agencies, other SOL divisions, and other executive agencies, as appropriate.
More information is below on specific internship opportunities and how to apply. You may find information on SOL's Diversity and Inclusion Policy here.
SOL National Divisions
Division of Civil Rights and Labor Management (Washington, D.C.)
When is this internship?: Year-round opportunities.
When to apply:
- For Spring 2019 Internship: October 29, 2018
- For Summer 2019 Internship: February 4, 2019
- For Fall 2019 Internship: April 8, 2019
Background:
SOL's Civil Rights and Labor-Management Division (CRLM) provides a broad range of legal services, including advice, litigation, and assistance in rulemaking, to several components of the Department, including the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs; Office of Labor-Management Standards; Civil Rights Center; Office of Disability Employment Policy; Women's Bureau; Center for Faith-Based & Neighborhood Partnerships; and Office of Apprenticeship. In general, CRLM's client agencies administer and enforce a variety of civil rights, EEO, and labor laws. For more information about CRLM, please visit our website: http://www.dol.gov/sol/divisions/crlm.htm
The law student intern will assist CRLM in providing legal services to the client agencies listed above. Duties will include significant legal research and writing in connection with advice, litigation and/or rulemaking projects for client agencies, such as drafting memoranda, analyses, and briefs, and may include attending meetings with the client agencies and other SOL divisions as appropriate.
This is an unpaid opportunity. When law school credit is available, CRLM will work with the student's school to satisfy credit requirements. Students who can commit to a full-time schedule (35-40 hours/week) are preferred.
What we look for:
Excellent research and writing skills; a demonstrated interest in civil rights, labor and employment issues; and a strong academic record. Prior relevant courses or work experience preferred but not required.
How to apply:
All interested candidates must submit: (1) a cover letter; (2) resume; (3) law school transcript; (4) recent writing sample; and (5) a list of three references by email to:
Jo Ann Baptiste
Management and Program Analyst
CRLMInternshipApplications@dol.gov
202-693-5737
For more information, contact:
Jo Ann Baptiste 202-693-5737
Jennifer Frey 202-693-5806
Radine Legum 202-693-5287
All emails may be sent to CRLMInternshipApplications@dol.gov
Division of Employment and Training Legal Services (Washington, D.C.)
When is this internship?: Summer
When to apply: We accept applications on a rolling basis. We would like to extend offers by February, circumstances allowing.
Number of positions: Potentially up to three.
Background:
SOL's Division of Employment and Training Legal Services (ETLS) provides advice to a range of clients. Our summer law clerks will be primarily assisting the attorneys that provide legal advice to the Department's Bureau of International Labor Affairs (ILAB) and to the Department's Veteran's Employment and Training Service (VETS) staff administering the Uniform Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994 (USERRA), a Federal law that establishes rights and responsibilities for uniformed Service members and their civilian employers. ETLS also provides legal advice to VETS with regards to employment and training programs. It also advises the Employment Training Administration (ETA), which administers a variety of employment and training programs that contribute to the more efficient functioning of the U.S. labor market.
The type of assignments and work product will vary, but all involve legal research and analysis. A law clerk typically comes away with a writing sample as well, such as a draft memorandum of referral. In years past, law clerks have spent significant time analyzing foreign countries' laws for compliance with international child labor standards in connection with legal review of an annual report to Congress on the worst forms of child labor in over 100 of our trade partners and that is expected to be a focus of work this summer as well. Law clerks may also work on projects assisting attorneys in ETLS in analyzing other countries' compliance with international labor provisions and with their compliance with international labor standards. They may also assist attorneys providing legal advice related to U.S. participation in international organizations, grants for projects on child labor and forced labor, and Congressionally mandated reports on the worst forms of child labor.
For VETS, law clerks may work to research and analyze legal issues arising under USERRA related to veterans' protections against workplace discrimination and their reemployment rights, as well as in regards to issues related to VETS employment programs. Law clerks may also work on projects related to VETS employment programs and ETA programs as needed.
What we look for:
Candidates must demonstrate strong research and writing abilities, and academic achievement. Related coursework, clinical experience, extracurricular activities, and Spanish-language proficiency are significant plus factors.
How to apply:
Send a cover letter, resume, transcript and writing sample to LawClerkApplication@dol.gov.
For more information, contact:
Derek Baxter
baxter.derek@dol.gov
202-693-5713
Division of Management and Administrative Legal Services (Washington, D.C.)
When is this internship?: Year-round opportunities.
When to apply: Rolling basis.
Background:
The Division of Management and Administrative Legal Services offers an opportunity in its Procurement Counsel Area where student interns have the opportunity to work on substantive projects both within the Procurement Law Counsel Area, as well as other MALS Counsel areas, particularly Appropriations Law.
Interns have the opportunity to perform legal research, assist with briefs, preparing administrative records for cases, and review documents. During our previous internships, interns have prepared memos, drafted sections of briefs, and assisted with presentations.
In terms of skills/benefits, interns have/will (a) learn about working in a legal office for a Federal agency; (b) obtain real-world experience about the practice of law, particularly procurement and appropriations law; and (c) participate in meetings/shadow senior attorneys. In addition, many interns receive credit from their law schools for participating in the program, as well as obtaining HR-related benefits, as applicable.
What we look for:
The ideal candidate has expressed interest in working for the public sector as well as experience or interest with federal procurement and/or appropriations law matters.
How to apply:
We generally require a cover letter, resume, and a current transcript. These materials are sent to Savannah Wilson, a senior attorney in the Procurement Law Counsel Area.
For more information, contact:
Savannah Wilson
202-693-5441
wilson.savannah.l@dol.gov
Division of Mine Safety and Health (Arlington, Va.)
When is this internship?: We have a well-developed summer program that usually includes three or four interns. We also take on school-year interns on a more individualized and ad hoc basis.
When to apply: We usually accept applications for summer internships in December and January and offer internships by mid-March. We process school-year internships on an ad hoc basis.
Background:
The MSH Division offers interns opportunities to perform substantive work in the areas, all pertaining to enforcement of the Mine Safety and Health Act, of trial litigation, appellate litigation, rulemaking, and general legal advice. Assignments are likely to include drafting briefs or parts of briefs and drafting formal legal analysis and strategy memos. We also strive, where appropriate, to include interns in meetings, strategy sessions, and discussions with the client agency. Our goal is to give interns an accurate sense of what being a government lawyer is like on a day-to-day basis.
What we look for:
We look for academic achievement; demonstrated writing skill; public interest work experience; and demonstrated connection with and commitment to workers' rights and occupational safety and health.
How to apply:
We require a cover letter, a writing sample, a transcript, and a list of references. We have no preference with respect to form of delivery.
For more information, contact:
The Associate Regional Solicitor in our Arlington RSOL branch office coordinates with the Appellate Counsel in the MSH Division.
Chris Schumann
Counsel for Appellate Litigation
schumann.walter@dol.gov
202-693-9350
Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Washington, D.C.)
When is this internship?: Summer. We typically ask each intern for a minimum eight-week time commitment, although they are welcome to stay longer. We also accept a maximum of two interns and strongly prefer students who have completed their 2L year as applicants.
When to apply: The OSH Division typically accepts applications beginning October 1 for the following summer. The Division schedules interviews and extends offers on a rolling basis.
Background:
The Division of Occupational Safety and Health provides legal services to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) in connection with the development and enforcement of administrative regulations and standards and related legal activities under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, as amended, and the anti-retaliation provisions of the Surface Transportation Assistance Act of 1982, 49 U.S.C. ยง 31105.
The OSH Division represents the Secretary of Labor in administrative hearings and appellate litigation arising under the Acts, and reviews potential criminal cases for referral to the Department of Justice for prosecution. It provides legal services in connection with state grants and state safety and health plans submitted under Section 18(b) of the Act.
Interns in the Division of Occupational Safety and Health will receive a variety of assignments throughout the office's practice areas. Representative assignments may include:
- Assisting OSH Division attorneys in the research and writing of legal briefs to be filed with the US Court of Appeals and the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission;
- Providing research, analysis and other appropriate support to a rulemaking team;
- Researching and preparing legal memoranda on a wide variety of topics covered by the OSH Division;
- Shadowing OSH Division attorneys at meetings with OSHA to develop client counseling skills.
OSH Division interns may assist in the production of a variety of written work products including, but not limited to, portions of legal briefs, portions of Federal Register documents, and legal memoranda for other OSH Division attorneys and OSHA. In addition, interns will be asked to research discrete legal issues and present their conclusions orally to the assigning OSH Division attorney.
OSH Division interns will gain practical research and writing skills that will prepare them for legal practice upon graduation from law school. Supervising attorneys routinely provide constructive feedback to interns on their written work product to further this goal. In addition, the OSH Division strives to give an intern experience in day to day legal practice including client interaction and time management skills. Furthermore, OSH Division interns will also leave their experience with an appreciation for how a Federal Agency operates, which will give them a significant perspective in determining whether to pursue a career in Federal service.
What we look for:
The OSH Division does not require any specific subject matter fluency. However, the ideal candidate should be able to demonstrate the following characteristics in their application and interview:
- Demonstrated interest in a career in public service;
- Ability to articulate a specific interest in a career in Federal service;
- Interest and/or experience in labor and employment law; and
- Ability to work well in a collaborative environment.
How to apply:
The OSH Division requires a resume, cover letter, current law school transcript (a copy is fine), and a representative writing sample. We have no delivery preference. Materials and any inquiries regarding the positions should be sent to either Peter Vassalo at vassalo.peter@dol.gov or Lauren Goodman at goodman.lauren@dol.gov.
For more information, contact:
The OSH Division's primary contacts are Peter Vassalo at vassalo.peter@dol.gov, (202) 693-5463 and Lauren Goodman at goodman.lauren@dol.gov, (202) 693-5446.
Division of Plan Benefits Security (Washington, D.C.)
When is this internship?: Year-round opportunities.
When to apply: With the exception of the summer term, we are flexible about application deadlines because we accept students all year. For the summer, we ask students to submit applications no later than February. This year, the deadline is February 28, 2017. Students applying for the summer have an opportunity to apply for a scholarship sponsored by the Gary S. Tell Foundation. The late Gary Tell was an attorney in this division. For more information, see www.gstscholars.org.
Background:
Our office enforces the fiduciary responsibility provisions of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act ("ERISA") for retirees and workers who depend upon ERISA plans for their retirement income and health benefits.
Our litigation attorneys handle federal district court and appellate cases through direct litigation and amicus briefs filed in private actions. Our work includes high profile cases, such as our successful litigation to recover pension benefits for Enron Corporation employees and to recover plans' losses from investments with Bernard Madoff.
Students interested in litigation conduct legal research, draft memoranda, participate in discussions of litigation strategy, and assist in drafting motions, discovery requests, and briefs. When cases are scheduled for trial, students are involved in trial preparation. Regulatory assignments include research related to proposed legislation or regulations and the interpretation of regulations. When multiple assignments are of equal priority, students usually are permitted to select the assignment that interests them the most.
Students have an opportunity to conduct legal research, write memoranda of law, participate in strategy discussions, and assist in drafting motions, discovery requests, briefs, and regulatory guidance. We make an effort to ensure that students have at least one assignment that results in a writing sample for use in their job search.
Legal interns gain experience and exposure to the real world practice of law. They learn about ERISA. They work with attorneys in our litigation section, which is a dynamic litigation environment, and our regulations section, which addresses significant pension and health care policy issues. We have had a successful law student intern program for more than twenty years.
What we look for:
There are no prerequisites, but students should be familiar with legal research techniques. A background in accounting, economics, finance, or health care is helpful but not required. We request a time commitment of at least twenty hours per week during the summer and sixteen hours per week (or as much as your law school permits) during the school year. Women, minorities, veterans, and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply.
How to apply:
We require a cover letter, a writing sample, a transcript, and a list of references. We have no preference with respect to form of delivery.
For more information, contact:
Marcia Bove
Senior Trial Attorney
bove.marcia@dol.gov
202-693-5598
Steve Silverman
Senior Trial Attorney
silverman.stephen@dol.gov
202-693-5623
SOL Regional Solicitor's Offices
Arlington (VA)
When is this internship?: We usually have one or two summer interns, and we have occasionally had interns during the school year.
When to apply: Applications accepted between March 1 to April 30; offers usually extended by early May.
Background:
An intern in the Arlington branch RSOL office would be working on matters that are being actively litigated or are being considered for litigation. We handle cases from a variety of client agencies, covering safety and health issues, wage underpayments, pension fiduciary violations, and other employment law statutes. We evaluate cases prior to initiating litigation, we advise and assist client agencies in the conduct of their investigations and inspections, and we actively engage in all phases of trial litigation.
Interns almost always receive assignments from both our office and from the Mine Safety and Health Division, since we are co-located and can easily arrange assignments that cover the appellate/regulation work of the Division and the litigation handled by our office.
What we look for:
Ideally, the applicant would demonstrate a clear interest in workers' rights (e.g., safety and health, wage payments, etc.), and an interest in learning more about litigation.
How to apply:
We coordinate our review of applications with the Mine Safety and Health Division (which is located next to our suite) to review and evaluate applications for internships. Typically, we ask for a resume, and that is sent to Chris Schumann, Counsel for Appellate Litigation, MSH Division.
For more information, contact:
The Associate Regional Solicitor in our Arlington RSOL branch office coordinates with the Appellate Counsel in the MSH Division.
Douglas N. White
Associate Regional
Arlington Branch Office RSOL
white.douglas@dol.gov
202-693-9388
W. Christian Schumann
Counsel for Appellate Litigation
MSH Division
schumann.walter@dol.gov
202-693-9350
Atlanta
When is this internship?: Year-round opportunities.
When to apply:
- Fall Semester: Applications are accepted during the period of February 24 through March 5. Offers are made by the end of March.
- Spring Semester: Applications are accepted during the period of October 1 through October 12. Offers are made by the end of November.
- Summer Internships: Applications are accepted beginning February 1 and then rolling until the positions are filled.
Background:
The Atlanta Regional Solicitor's Office's internship program provides law students with meaningful litigation experience and exceptional exposure to the world of employment law. Student interns perform a variety of legal tasks under a wide variety of statutes and are exposed to all stages of litigation. In addition to conducting research and writing memoranda under the mentorship and supervision of seasoned trial attorneys, interns are able to evaluate cases compiled by investigators, participate in all aspects of discovery, negotiate settlements, prepare for and attend depositions, witness interviews or meetings with client agencies, attend court hearings or trials, analyze petitions for visa certifications, and participate in events with the national office and other regional offices.
The Office of the Solicitor is special among the Federal Government's legal offices because it has independent litigating authority under numerous Federal statutes. Thus, it is the second largest litigation branch in the Federal Government, after Department of Justice. Trial attorneys in the Atlanta Regional Solicitor's Office regularly appear in courts throughout the Southeast, pursuing enforcement actions against employers and others who violate laws enforced by the Department, such as laws governing employee pension and benefit plans (ERISA), occupational and mine safety and health (OSHA & MSHA), wage issues (FLSA), protections for migrant farm workers (MSPA), non-discrimination rights of military service members (USERRA), Title VII-type discrimination cases under Executive Order 11246, and numerous whistleblower statutes. As a result, law students who intern with the Atlanta Regional Solicitor's office are exposed to a plethora of employment law matters allowing one to truly test one's desire to practice in this area.
What we look for:
We seek student interns who have a demonstrated interest in litigation, and/or the labor and employment field. Moreover, students who demonstrate through their writing samples that they can succinctly analyze an issue are also given close consideration.
How to apply:
To apply, please send a cover letter, resume, and a writing sample that demonstrates clear writing skills and analytical or legal ability (no more than 10 pages and the applicant's own work) to:
Ms. Melanie Paul, Esq.
U.S. Department of Labor - Office of the Solicitor
61 Forsyth St., SW, Room 7T10
Atlanta, GA 30303
paul.melanie@dol.gov
For more information, contact:
Melanie Paul
U.S. Department of Labor - Office of the Solicitor
61 Forsyth St., SW, Room 7T10
Atlanta, GA 30303
paul.melanie@dol.gov
Boston
When is this internship?: Spring, fall, and summer
When to apply: Applications are accepted on a rolling basis until the positions are filled.
Background:
The lawyers in the Boston office provide trial litigation and general legal services to the Department of Labor throughout New England. Major litigation areas include federal district court actions under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act and the Fair Labor Standards Act, as well as administrative proceedings under the Occupational Safety and Health Act and the Mine Safety Act.
The objective of the intern's assignments is to introduce the student to the operation of a government law office, to familiarize the student with civil litigation practice in a government setting and to expose the student to the diverse Department enforcement programs as caseloads permit. The student's tasks/work assignments will include legal research and writing; drafting discovery; drafting motions and responses to motions; assisting attorneys in trial preparation; engaging in preparation of legal documents; document reviews; reviewing and summarizing deposition transcripts; reviewing evidence in preparation for trial; and other assignments as available.
The student's educational experience is enhanced as he/she will be introduced to the operation of a government legal office, become familiar with civil litigation practice in a government setting, and be exposed to the diverse Department enforcement programs. The student will attend weekly educational seminars given by experienced attorneys covering the labor laws enforced by the Department, as well as professional development and career enhancement seminars.
What we look for:
Candidates should demonstrate high academic achievement and interest in public service.
How to apply:
Applicants are asked to send a copy of their cover letter, resume, transcript (unofficial is fine) and writing sample to Christine Collins at Collins.Christine@dol.gov
For more information, contact:
Christine Collins
U.S. Department of Labor
Office of the Solicitor
JFK Federal Bldg. Room E-375
Boston, MA 02203
617-565-2500
collins.christine@dol.gov
Chicago
When is this internship?: We have four internship periods, roughly January to April, May to July, July to September, and October to December.
When to apply: Rolling basis.
Background:
The Office of the Solicitor, Region V, handles most of the U.S. Department of Labor's trial litigation in Region V. The Office is responsible for litigation of statutory and regulatory enforcement actions. These matters are litigated under various statutes that include, but are not limited to, the Occupational Safety and Health Act, the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, as amended; the Employee Retirement Income Security Act, and the Mine Safety and Health Act.
A legal intern in our office gains practical legal experience by assisting program counsels and staff attorneys with 1) legal research; 2) developing cases for litigation through the use of written discovery, including drafting discovery requests and responses, and participating in discovery depositions; 3) drafting substantive motions, pleadings, settlement agreements, and other court filings; and 4) trial/mediation preparation and participation. Most interns create substantial legal memos. Some interns work on post-trial briefs, complaints, and dispositive motions.
A legal intern in our office would gain experience in a wide range of employment law areas. Most importantly, they learn the process of trial-level civil enforcement litigation. They participate in all stages of trial-level litigation and learn from experienced attorneys.
What we look for:
To be considered for an internship, candidates must 1) have started their 2nd year of law school at the time the internship begins; 2) demonstrate interest in employment law or public service; 3) demonstrate interest in trial-level litigation. We look for high academic achievement.
How to apply:
We initially ask for a cover letter, resume, and transcript, which are emailed to David Tanury, our office's internship coordinator. PDF is preferable. Once a student is selected for an interview, we request a writing sample.
For more information, contact:
David J. Tanury
Trial Attorney
U.S. Department of Labor
Office of the Solicitor, Region V
230 S. Dearborn, Room 844
Chicago, IL 60604
312-353-4454
Dallas
When is this internship?: Opportunities available year-round, as appropriate.
When to apply: For summer, interviews of candidates are completed by March and offers usually made within a week of an interview. This office participates in the full-time intern program during the school year with Texas Tech University. Those students are interviewed and placed in the program at least eight months in advance of the start date.
Background:
The Dallas Regional Solicitor's Office, Region VI (RSOL) offers unpaid internships for six-week terms during the summer and part-time during the spring and fall semester. Interns are expected to assist the trial attorneys in various procedural and substantive matters. Interns will be given a variety of tasks and may be expected to perform one or more of the following: conduct legal research; analyze cases; participate in meetings with client agencies; contact and interview witnesses; draft discovery and various pleadings; and assist the trial attorneys with trial preparation. Additionally, to the extent possible, interns will be invited to attend hearings, depositions, and settlement conferences that arise in the Dallas, Texas area during the period of internship.
The RSOL is responsible for civil trial litigation and providing legal support to the various agencies within the U.S. Department of Labor in Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, New Mexico, and Arkansas. The RSOL represents the Secretary of Labor in enforcing more than 180 statutes in U.S. District Courts and before administrative law judges in the five-state region. In addition, the RSOL provides general legal advice and assistance to the regional offices of the various agencies the Solicitor's Office represents, including the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the Wage and Hour Administration (Wage and Hour), the Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA), the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) and the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP).
What we look for:
In order of importance:
- Interest in the program areas
- Previous work experience
- Subject matter knowledge
- Academic achievement
How to apply:
Cover letter, resume, writing sample (10 pages), and transcript sent digitally to Mary Cobb.
For more information, contact:
Mary Cobb
972-850-3133
cobb.mary@dol.gov
Philadelphia
When is this internship?: Our office typically has summer interns who have completed their second year of law school; there is some flexibility on the timing of an internship for non-traditional or evening students. Participation in our summer program has also led to students returning during the academic year but we rarely take on brand-new interns during the academic year.
When to apply: Our office typically accepts applications from mid-December through the end of January and will make offers starting in the first two weeks of February.
Background:
The Philadelphia Regional Solicitor's Office is one of eight regional offices of attorneys serving the United States Department of Labor and its enforcement agencies. The approximately twenty-five attorneys in the Regional Solicitor's Office have the primary responsibility of representing the Secretary of Labor in most of the Department's civil litigation in U.S. District Courts and before administrative law judges. The Solicitor's Office works with Department agencies such as the Wage and Hour Division, Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Employee Benefits Security Administration, Employment Standards Administration, Mine Safety and Health Administration, and others in the enforcement of a wide variety of worker protection statutes. When appropriate, the Solicitor's Office will also provide pre-litigation assistance to these Department agencies which includes counselling and advising the agencies regarding ongoing investigations.
Interns in the Philadelphia Regional Solicitor's Office primarily work on legal research projects providing research and clarification on discrete issues involved in our litigation. However, interns will also be involved in stages of a case's lifecycle in the office and can anticipate working on legal analysis, discovery, deposition preparation, and briefing. This opportunity provides students with exposure not only to the litigation process, but to various specialized areas of employment law and the chance to become familiar with the administrative law process. Our internship is structured as a generalist internship and students can expect to work in most, if not all, practice areas we cover.
What we look for:
An ideal candidate will have high academic achievement in both undergraduate work and their law school career. They will also have a demonstrated interest in public service and workers' rights. Although not a strict requirement, the best-fit intern will also be interested in gaining experience fast-paced litigation.
How to apply:
We require a resume, transcript, and writing sample of ten to twelve pages. These materials can be sent to our region's dedicated intern coordinator address - ZZSOL-PHI-R3-Interns@DOL.gov.
For more information, contact:
Our current contacts are:
Jennifer Bluer
215-861-5146
Bluer.Jennifer.l@dol.gov
Helga Spencer
215-861-5164
Spencer.Helga.P@dol.gov
John Slattery
215-861-5179
Slattery.John.R@dol.gov
There is also a dedicated distribution list at ZZSOL-PHI-R3-Interns@DOL.gov.
Los Angeles
When is this internship?: Summer
When to apply: Applications are considered on a rolling basis beginning around November. We usually make offers at the end of February or beginning of March.
Background:
The Los Angeles Regional Solicitor's Office provides litigation and legal services to Department of Labor agencies that enforce more than 180 federal employment laws. Solicitor's Office attorneys regularly appear in federal court and before administrative law judges in enforcement actions against employers who fail to properly pay their workers, violate worker safety standards, misappropriate employee retirement savings, violate the rights of whistleblowers, or engage in discriminatory hiring practices. Outside the courtroom, the Solicitor's Office regularly provides advice to Department of Labor agencies on complex legal issues. In providing these legal services, the Solicitor's Office seeks to ensure the fair treatment of America's least fortunate and most vulnerable workers and to hold to account the most negligent employers.
A student intern will research and prepare internal legal memoranda and court documents involving a variety of federal employment and labor laws. Interns may also have the opportunity to assist with litigation before administrative law judges and federal district courts, participate in meetings with client agencies, contact and interview witnesses, and help with trial preparation. To the extent possible, interns will be invited to attend hearings, depositions, and settlement conferences. Through these experiences, interns will develop their litigation skills, including research and writing, case management, negotiation, and client relations.
What we look for:
Applicants must be 2L students. Previous work or academic experience in workers' rights, interest in litigation, and fluency in another language are preferred but not required.
How to apply:
We request a cover letter, resume, writing sample (between 5 and 10 pages), transcript (unofficial ok), and a list of references (1-3 references). These materials may be forwarded in PDF format via email to santos.martin.c@dol.gov.
For more information, contact:
M. Cristopher Santos, Trial Attorney
Santos.martin.c@dol.gov
213-894-0201
New York
When is this internship?: Year-round opportunities.
When to apply: Rolling basis. For summer internships, all offers are usually extended by mid-February, although all offers are usually accepted sooner.
Background:
The New York Regional Office (NY-RSOL) litigates a wide variety of worker protection cases in New York, New Jersey, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. NY-RSOL regularly handles trial-level litigation involving, inter alia, wage and hour laws, workplace safety, retirement security, and whistleblower statutes.
Interns are typically given three types of projects, which cut across our various statutory and substantive areas. First, interns are assigned a variety of case-related projects which can include research memoranda, drafting discovery requests or motions, reviewing and analyzing documents, and drafting deposition outlines. Second, interns are assigned a long-term research and writing assignment with the idea that this assignment should yield a usable writing sample. Finally, interns are provided with "in the field" assignments whereby they shadow experienced attorneys in court, at deposition, and in meetings.
Interns should gain substantive knowledge of worker protection statutes as well as general litigation skills.
What we look for:
Interest in workers' rights, experience working with diverse populations, good writing skills.
How to apply:
For summer internships, please send a cover letter, resume, writing sample, and transcript to NYSOLIntern@dol.gov. For fall and spring internships, please send the same materials to Kondo.Alexander.M@dol.gov.
For more information, contact:
For summer internships, contact Elena Goldstein, Goldstein.elena@dol.gov, 646-541-5524. For spring and fall internships, please contact Alex Kondo, Kondo.Alexander.M@dol.gov, 646-264-3652.
San Francisco
When is this internship?: Opportunities available year-round.
When to apply: Summer offers usually extended by Jan. 31; fall/spring on rolling application timeline.
Background:
The San Francisco Regional Solicitor's Office offers voluntary and unpaid temporary positions wherein interns and externs will work a minimum of 16 hours per week in the Regional Solicitor's Office in the Civic Center area of San Francisco. The Regional Solicitor's Office will work with the student externs' law schools to facilitate receiving academic credit.
Student externs will research and prepare internal legal memoranda and court documents involving a variety of federal employment laws. Externs may also have the opportunity to assist with litigation before administrative law judges and federal district courts, participate in meetings with client agencies, contact and interview witnesses, and help with trial preparation. To the extent possible, externs will be invited to attend hearings, depositions, and settlement conferences.
What we look for:
Our internships/externships are open to law students in their second or, preferably, third year who have some labor or employment law experience. We look for a demonstrated commitment to protecting the rights of vulnerable workers, foreign language ability (esp. Spanish or Chinese), expressed interest in litigation.
How to apply:
Cover letter, resume, writing sample, transcript. Email PDFs to flores.jessica@dol.gov and stearns.tara.e@dol.gov.
For more information, contact:
Jessica Flores
415-625-7748
flores.jessica@dol.gov
Tara Stearns
415-625-7741
stearns.tara.e@dol.gov
Seattle
When is this internship?: Opportunities available year-round.
When to apply: We accept applications all year and tailor start dates to the needs of the student extern. Please note that for our Summer externship positions, only students who participate in the Northwest Public Service Career Fair (www.nwpifair.org ) will be considered.
Background:
Student externs will research and prepare internal legal memoranda and court documents involving a variety of federal employment laws. Externs may also have the opportunity to assist with litigation before administrative law judges and federal district courts, participate in meetings with client agencies, contact and interview witnesses, and help with trial preparation. To the extent possible, externs will be invited to attend hearings, depositions, and settlement conferences. Externs can expect to draft internal legal memoranda and assist in drafting discovery requests and motions.
What we look for:
An ideal candidate will have a demonstrated interest in serving the needs of low income workers and experience working with a diverse population of workers. High academic achievement in relevant course work (Labor and Employment Law, Employment Discrimination, Administrative Law) preferred.
How to apply:
Cover letter, resume and unofficial transcript, and a writing sample of no more than five pages to brown.bruce.l@dol.gov.
For more information, contact:
Bruce L. Brown
Associate Regional Solicitor
300 Fifth Ave., Suite 1120
Seattle WA 98104
brown.bruce.l@dol.gov