Student Trainee (legal)

Defense Finance and Accounting Service; Indianapolis (IN); On-site; USD 18,000 - 26,000; Full time

Job summary

Defense Finance and Accounting Service in Indianapolis is offering a paid summer internship as part of the Pathways Program for current law students enrolled in ABA-accredited programs. The position runs May through August and requires high academic standing, strong writing, and completed transcripts.

Selected candidates will receive an email from [e-mail] to complete online assessments; supervision and professional exposure to federal legal tasks will be provided.

Qualifications

• Must be enrolled in ABA-accredited law school pursuing JD or LL.B with at least half-time status.
• GPA of 2.5 or higher on a 4.0 scale and maintain throughout program.
• Submit official transcript or enrollment proof with application.
• Pathways Participant Agreement and verification of academic status required.

Responsibilities

• Perform legal research and analyze laws, facts, and precedents.
• Assist attorneys in preparing memoranda and documents.
• Respond to inquiries on legal matters and maintain case files.

Skills

Legal research

Legal writing

Attention to detail

Education

Law school enrollment (JD/LL.B)

Job description

This position is part of DFAS's Pathways Program, for current students/individuals accepted for enrollment in a qualifying educational program in an accredited institution, full or half-time basis. This is a PAID summer internship, running May - August. Applicants who indicate they meet the minimum qualifications will receive an email from [e-mail] to complete online assessments. Check your "Spam"/"Junk" folders. See below for more information!

Requirements:

Law Student Status: An eligible student is an individual who is enrolled in law school pursuing a Juris Doctor Degree or a LL.B Legum Baccalaureus Degree and is taking at least half-time academic course load in an American Bar Association accredited university. Successful candidates must have outstanding academic records, superior writing skills, and be in good academic standing at his/her university. Enrolled or formally accepted for enrollment as a full-time or half-time (Half-time basis is defined by the academic institution that the student is enrolled or accepted into) student into an accredited college or university in a qualifying degree-seeking program, or enrolled or formally accepted for enrollment in a qualifying certificate program; Students must have a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of at least 2.5 on a 4.0 scale (or equivalent) at time of application and must maintain at least a 2.5 GPA throughout the entire Pathways Student Trainee Internship appointment to remain in the Program; Applicants MUST submit a transcript or proof of enrollment with the online application (see Required Documents for additional details). Please Note: If you are graduating from your current academic program prior to September 2027, you will not be eligible for this student appointment unless you are accepted for enrollment at a qualifying educational institution seeking an ADDITIONAL qualifying degree, diploma, certificate, etc., OR an advanced degree. You MUST submit proof of acceptance along with your current transcripts for consideration. If selected, must sign a Pathways Participant Agreement; provide course registration information at the start of each school term; and provide verification of academic status (official transcript) at the end of each academic term. In addition to meeting the above requirement, applicants must meet one of the following minimum qualifications:GS-07: One year of specialized experience equivalent in level of difficulty and responsibility to that of the next lower grade (GS-05) within the federal service, which demonstrates the ability to perform the duties of the position, is required. Specialized Experience is defined as: Performing legal research and analyzing laws, facts, evidence, and precedents; assisting with the preparation of legal memoranda; assisting attorneys in preparing legal documents and responding to inquiries on legal matters. To qualify for this position, you must meet the selective placement factor described below. Your experience related to this requirement must be well-documented in your resume. Selective Placement Factor Requirement: Selected Placement Factors (SPF) are special qualification requirements, in addition to the minimum requirements, that are essential in successfully performing the duties of this job. If SPF experience is not documented in your resume, you will not receive further consideration under this vacancy announcement. In addition to the specialized experience/education requirement listed above, this position has the following selective placement factor(s): Completion of at least one year of enrollment at an accredited law school (NOTE: You must attach a copy of your transcripts for verification.) You will be rated INELIGIBLE if you do not possess the above noted Selective Placement Factor. Volunteer Experience: Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional, philanthropic, religious, spiritual, community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills, and can provide valuable training and experience that translates to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.