Law Student Volunteer Summer 2023

Profile

The United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida (“USAO-SDFL”) is responsible for representing the federal government in litigation involving the United States in the Southern District of Florida, one of the largest Districts in the country. The main office of the USAO-SDFL is in Miami, and there are branch offices in Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach and Fort Pierce.

The USAO-SDFL places a high value on diversity of experiences and perspectives and encourages applications from qualified individuals representing all ethnic and racial backgrounds, veterans, LGBTQ individuals, and persons with disabilities.

Law Clerk Interns (“Interns”) are assigned to one of the Divisions within the Office (Criminal, Civil, Appellate, Asset Forfeiture, Collateral Litigation) for the duration of the internship.

The Criminal Division

prosecutes violations of federal criminal law, including narcotics, fraud, environmental, bank robbery, firearms, child exploitation, national security, and human trafficking crimes. Interns assigned to the Criminal Division in the Miami Office will work in one of the following sections: Economic Crimes, Major Crimes, Special Prosecutions, International Narcotics, National Security, or Money Laundering Sections. Interns in the Criminal Divisions in the Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach and Fort Pierce offices will work on a wide range of criminal cases.

The Civil Division

’s work includes civil lawsuits by and against the federal government. Our Affirmative Civil Enforcement/Health Care Fraud group investigates and litigates healthcare fraud or other fraud upon the Government through the False Claims Act, the Anti-Fraud Injunction Statute, Controlled Substances Act and other statutes. Our Defensive AUSAs defend matters, including catastrophic medical malpractice, personal injury/tort, constitutional torts, and employment discrimination; and financial litigation, including asset forfeiture, monetary collections as a result of criminal fines and civil judgments. The Civil Division also works on immigration, bankruptcy, and other matters. Interns in the Civil Division will be based in the Miami or Ft. Lauderdale offices.

The Appellate Division

represents the Government in both criminal and civil appeals.

The Asset Forfeiture Division

works in both the criminal and civil areas to seize property which has been identified as subject to forfeiture to the Government.

The Collateral Litigation Section

handles responses to habeas corpus motions, extraordinary writs, and 3582 motions. With a few exceptions, individuals filing the former motions are in custody and are contesting their convictions and sentences on constitutional grounds. The 3582 responses filed by the Government address myriad subjects.

Interns in the Appellate, Asset Forfeiture, and Collateral Litigation Divisions will be based in the Miami Office.

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.

Job Description:

Our goal is to introduce Interns to the federal legal system, to develop and refine their legal research and writing skills, and above all to make their time at the Office enjoyable and worthwhile. During the summer, Interns research and draft memoranda and pretrial, trial, and appellate briefs and motions. Interns work directly with AUSAs on both short and long-term projects. Interns have opportunities to observe trials, motion and settlement conferences, and appellate arguments.

The Intern program also provides opportunities for Interns to meet with a variety of speakers from the federal legal system. In the past, sessions with federal judges have included robust discussions on career paths, federal clerkships, and skills. We also host sessions with AUSAs on effective oral and written advocacy. Interns are strongly encouraged to attend and observe court proceedings and to attend office training programs. Each Intern also has one supervising attorney who provides assistance and support consistently throughout the summer.

Internship Locations:

  District Wide - Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, and Fort Pierce, Florida 

Hours/Weeks Required:

240 Hours (minimum), 6-12 weeks

Qualifications:

Applicant must be a U.S. citizen at time of application and to work in the USAO-SDFL.

First-year (second semester), second-year, and third-year (first semester) law students with strong academic record. Applicant must be enrolled in an accredited law school at least half-time. Law school graduates and graduating students are not eligible.

Due to the nature of the USAO’s work, before beginning employment, Applicants who are offered an internship, must pass a required security background investigation, credit check and fingerprinting that can take three or more months to complete.

Salary:

Interns are uncompensated. School credit is possible at the discretion of the law school. Interns are responsible for all parking expenses incurred.

Application Process:

Applicants must submit their Applicant packet via e-mail to USAFLS.InternProgram@usdoj.gov

. The subject line of the e-mail should specify the Applicant’s Name - “Summer 2023 Internship Application.”

The Application package shall

include the following in a single PDF

document (preferably in the order listed below):

A cover letter, addressed to the Volunteer Law Internship Committee, describing the Applicant’s interest in working as a Law Clerk Intern with the USAO-SDFL and indicating the Applicant’s top 3 -5 assignment preferences (if in the Criminal Division of the Miami Office-please specify the section(s)) as well, Office preference(s) (e.g., Miami, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, and/or Fort Pierce, Florida);

Resume;

The Applicant’s most recent available academic transcript (for 1L Applicants please include your final undergraduate and any post-graduate transcript and see below for further information regarding submission of 1L First Semester transcript); and

A writing sample (no more than 5-10 pages in length).

Application Deadline:

Summer

Program Internship Applications must be submitted by January 24, 2023

1L Students may submit applications only

between December 1, 2022 and January 24, 2023. All other students meeting the above-referenced Qualifications may apply anytime up to January 24, 2023.

As the Application Deadline is earlier than when some First-Year Law Student Applicants may receive a law school transcript from their law schools, 1L Applicants must also

submit

a

current law school transcript when it is available to

USAFLS.InternProgram@usdoj.gov

(subject line of the email should specify the Applicant’s Name - “Current Law School Transcript-Summer Application.”

Please note that incomplete applications and applications received after the January 24, 2023 Application Deadline will not be considered.

Start Date:

The Summer Internship Program typically begins after Memorial Day and ends by the second or third week of August.

Number of Positions:

10-25 students for the Summer Program.

Updated October 26, 2022

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.

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.

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Department of Justice - United States Attorneys' Office Southern District of Florida
Website : http://www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl/