Student Trainee (Legal)

Office of the Secretary of Defense

Arlington (VA)

On-site

USD 58,000 - 92,000

Full time

7 days ago

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Job summary

Office of the Secretary of Defense invites applications for the OSD Honors Legal Internship Program, a 10-week summer opportunity for First and Second Year Law Students. Expected start date is May 31, 2027, with assignments across DoW OGC or DLSA offices and opportunities to draft legislation and policy.

The program includes exposure to national security matters and high-profile government proceedings. Interns work under DoW OGC or DLSA attorneys and may visit the Supreme Court and key

Qualifications

Must provide transcripts to support educational claims.
Education must be accredited by a U.S. Dept. of Education-recognized accreditor.
Official or unofficial transcripts are acceptable.

Responsibilities

Draft and comment on legislation, regulations, and congressional testimony.
Prepare litigation materials and legal opinions.
Assist in formulating DoD legal policy on high-profile topics.
Assist offices within DoW OGC or DLSA as assigned.
May have exposure to visits to Supreme Court, Senate committees, and DoD installations.

Skills

Legal research

Drafting

Regulatory analysis

Education

Law student (1L/2L)

Tools

MS Word

Legal databases

Job description

Hiring Agency: Office of the Secretary of Defense

This announcement is for the OSD Honors Legal Internship Program, First and Second Year Law Students. Expected start date is May 31, 2027. This program is 10 weeks in duration. This is a Public Notice under the DoW Direct-Hire Authority for Pathways Post-Secondary Students.

Key Responsibilities

The legal issues considered by DoW OGC are broad.

While unique legal issues arise as a result of the national security and military missions of DoW, such as those involving international relations, military operations, the Uniform Code of Military Justice, the DoW counternarcotics program, military education, industrial security, intelligence and counterintelligence policy, DoW OGC also advises in all of the practice areas common to the practice of law by Federal government attorneys in any Federal agency to include constitutional law issues, procurement and acquisition law, fiscal law, environmental law, property law, administrative law, employment and labor law, information disclosure (the Freedom of Information Act and the Privacy Act), government ethics, legislation, litigation support, and the review of investigations.

Perhaps surprising to those not familiar with DoW are the legal issues arising from practice areas that some may not immediately associate with DoW such as healthcare law (DoW runs its own hospital and health care system) and education law (DoW operates its own K-12 school system for military dependents, as well as undergraduate, graduate, and post-graduate schools).

Interns will be assigned to specific offices within DoW OGC or DLSA, such as the Offices of the Deputy General Counsels for Energy, Environment and Installations; Fiscal; International Affairs; Intelligence; Legal Counsel; or Personnel & Health Policy; the Standards of Conduct Office; and other DLSA offices such as the Offices of General Counsel for Washington Headquarters Service.

There are few, if any, offices that can provide summer interns the experiences that are available as an OSW Honors Legal Intern in DoW OGC. Summer interns in the OSW Honors Legal Internship Program are given considerable flexibility in their assignments. There are substantial opportunities to enhance research and drafting skills by working closely with OGC attorneys.

Interns will assist in drafting and commenting on legislation, regulations, congressional testimony, litigation materials, and legal opinions. Interns will also have the opportunity to assist in the process of formulating DoW legal policy on high-profile topics of current interest. Our intern program may include visits to the U.S.

Supreme Court, the Senate Armed Services Committee, military installations, Defense agencies and DoW field activities, and are all intended to familiarize the interns with the practice of law by Federal attorneys and the work of DoW in general.

Requirements & Education

You MUST provide transcripts to support your educational claims. Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Unless otherwise stated: (1) official or unofficial transcripts are acceptable, or (2) you may submit a list with all of your courses, grades, semester, year, and credit for the course. All materials must be submitted by the closing date of the announcement.

GRADUATE EDUCATION: One academic year of graduate education is considered to be the number of credits hours your graduate school has determined to represent one academic year of full-time study. Such study may have been performed on a full-time or part-time basis.

If you cannot obtain your graduate school's definition of one year of graduate study, 18 semester hours (or 27 quarter hours) should be considered as satisfying the requirement for one year of full-time graduate study FOREIGN EDUCATION: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S.

education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. For further information, visit: https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html

Which agency is hiring for this position?

This position is with Office of the Secretary of Defense, Department of Defense.

What is the salary for this position?

The posted pay range is $57736 – $91815/yr.

What security clearance is required?

This position requires a Secret security clearance.

What is the application deadline?

Applications close on 2026-11-09.

Who is eligible to apply?

This position is open under the 'Student' hiring path.