Navigating Legal Research Internship Requirements: A Comprehensive Guide

Embarking on a legal career often begins with valuable internship experiences. Legal research internships offer law students a chance to hone their skills, gain practical experience, and explore different areas of law. This article provides a comprehensive overview of legal research internship requirements, focusing on opportunities within the Department of Labor (DOL) and other organizations.

The Department of Labor's Office of the Solicitor (SOL)

The Office of the Solicitor (SOL) serves as the legal counsel for the Department of Labor (DOL). 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 comprises a National Office in Washington, D.C., and Regional and Branch Offices across the country. These offices offer internships and externships to law students, providing them with invaluable experience in various legal domains.

SOL Internship Opportunities

SOL provides internship/externship opportunities for those participating in designated hiring authorities, such as the Pathways Program, as well as those receiving stipends or academic credit. Interested applicants should reach out to the individual SOL Division or Regional Offices to find out more information about currently available opportunities. Opportunities under the Pathways Program or other hiring authorities are posted on USAJOBS. As a legal intern, you will perform a variety of legal assistance responsibilities including significant legal research and writing related to advice, litigation and/or rule-making 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.

SOL National Divisions

The SOL National Office houses several divisions, each specializing in a specific area of labor law. These divisions include:

Black Lung and Longshore Legal Services
Civil Rights and Labor Management
Employment and Training Legal Services
Management and Administrative Legal Services
Mine Safety and Health
Office of Legal Counsel
Occupational Safety and Health
Plan Benefits Security

SOL Regional Offices

SOL maintains Regional Offices in various cities across the United States, including:

Read also: Unlock summer legal internships

Arlington (VA)
Atlanta
Boston
Chicago
Dallas
Philadelphia
Los Angeles
New York
San Francisco
Seattle

Specific SOL Internship Opportunities

Division of Black Lung and Longshore Legal Services (Washington, D.C.)

The Black Lung and Longshore Legal Services Division (BLLLS) supports the Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs (OWCP) in administering the Black Lung Benefits Act and the Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act and its extensions. Courts of Appeals, advise OWCP on legal issues that arise in administering the statutes, prepare regulations implementing the statutes, and enforce the payment of benefits by liable employers or their insurers. Interns work with attorneys on projects in all of these areas. Courts of Appeals Assisting with the drafting of program regulations Helping litigate an enforcement case against a liable employer or insurer

What They Look For: The ideal candidate has experience or a sincere interest in public service. Subject matter experience is not required. We look for research and writing skills, academic achievement, and a positive and collaborative work ethic.

Application Deadline: Applications for Summer 2025 are due Friday, January 31, 2025.

Civil Rights and Labor Management Division

In general, CRLM's client agencies administer and enforce a variety of civil rights, EEO, and labor laws. 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. Students who can commit to a full-time schedule (35-40 hours/week) are preferred.

What They Look For: Excellent research and writing skills; a demonstrated interest in civil rights, labor and employment issues; and a strong academic record. We would like to extend offers by February, circumstances allowing.

Read also: NBCUniversal Internship Program

Number of Positions: Potentially up to three.

Division of Employment and Training Legal Services (ETLS)

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. 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. 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 They Look For: Candidates must demonstrate strong research and writing abilities, and academic achievement.

Management and Administrative Legal Services

During our previous internships, interns have prepared memos, drafted sections of briefs, and assisted with presentations. In terms of skills/benefits, interns have/will: Learn about working in a legal office for a federal agency; Obtain real-world experience about the practice of law, particularly procurement and appropriations law; and 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 They 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. We also consider students in their 2L or 3L years for school-year intern positions.

Application Deadlines: We accept applications for summer internships from December 1 - January 31 and extend offers by mid-March (though usually sooner). We accept applications for fall-semester internships until the June 30 preceding the semester, and applications for spring-semester internships until the September 30 preceding the semester.

Mine Safety and Health (MSH) Division

The MSH Division supports the Mine Safety and Health Administration, the agency that enforces the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977, as amended (Mine Act). The Mine Act protects miners' safety and health at every mine in the United States. MSHA enforces the Mine Act by promulgating safety and health standards and regulations; investigating accidents, fatalities, and criminal violations; protecting whistleblowers; and inspecting mines. MSHA also does other safety- and health-related work, like providing grants, hosting mine rescue competitions, and certifying equipment to use in dangerous mine environments.

Our attorneys assist MSHA with rulemaking, provide legal advice in a wide variety of situations, and perform nationwide trial and appellate litigation. Interns work with attorneys on projects in all of these areas. Projects could include: Analyzing legal questions and writing litigation memos Reviewing rulemaking and guidance documents before they are published Attending meetings and strategy sessions with MSHA Seeking injunctions or temporary restraining orders in federal district courts Trying cases before the Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission's Administrative Law Judges or Department of Labor's Administrative Law Judges, or in federal district court Writing appellate briefs and preparing attorneys for oral arguments before the Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission or the federal courts of appeals

Interns will also learn about the work of the Solicitor's Office and of federal agencies more generally.

Office of Legal Counsel (OLC)

The Office has three major areas of responsibility. First, the Office plays a major role in the Department's legislative activities by analyzing legislation impacting the Department, helping prepare testimony presented by Departmental at congressional committee hearings, and drafting proposed legislation. Second, the Office manages the Department's ethics program by providing advice and training and by administering the financial disclosure requirements. Third, OLC provides legal advice on a number of areas relating to government organization and operations, most notably administrative law and procedure.

The law student intern will assist OLC in providing the legal services listed above. Duties may include reviewing testimony and draft legislation, drafting legal advice about ethics-related matters, researching administrative law issues, and writing memos as appropriate. The intern will also participate in the SOL Summer Intern Program, which includes weekly meetings with guest speakers. The intern may also attend meetings with the SOL Front Office and other SOL divisions as appropriate. OLC also houses the SOL Honors Attorney program for entry-level attorneys, so the intern will have the opportunity to meet and interact with recent law school graduates. We expect this internship to be entirely virtual.

What They Look For: Candidates must demonstrate strong research and writing abilities, academic achievement, and an interest in a career in public service. Prior relevant courses or work experience preferred but not required. The ideal candidate will be able to demonstrate the ability to work well in a collaborative environment and an interest in Federal government service.

Time Commitment: We typically ask each intern for a minimum eight-week time commitment, although they are welcome to stay longer. We are currently accepting applications for Summer 2025.

Application Review: We are accepting applications for Summer 2025. We will review applications on a rolling basis through November 1, 2024.

Number of Positions: We typically hire two interns for each summer.

Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Division

The Division of the Office of the Solicitor (SOL) provides legal services to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Courts of Appeals when they are challenged after promulgation. OSH attorneys advise OSHA on rulemakings and enforcement policy, and provide advice on novel, significant, and complex cases, including potential cases considered for referral to DOJ for criminal prosecution. In addition, OSH attorneys assist OSHA in administering the whistleblower protection provisions in the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, and several other worker protection statutes. The OSH Division also provides legal services in connection with state grants and state occupational 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; Providing legal advice to SOL Regional Offices and OSHA on litigation and other OSHA enforcement matters; 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, such as 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. 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.

SOL offers internship opportunities for law students who are hired through the Pathways Programs, as well as those who receive stipends or academic credit. The Department of Labor requires all interns not hired through the Pathways Program to receive the equivalent of $15/hour in funding from an outside source (e.g., academic institution, public interest grant) or to earn academic credit. If you are interested in Pathways Program Internships, those opportunities are posted on USAJOBs as they become available.

What They Look For: Applicants must be 2Ls at the time of their application and must expect to have completed their 2L year by the summer of their internship. Applicants must be students in good academic standing with strong writing, research, and analytic skills.

Other Internship Opportunities

Private Law Firms

444 S. Our law firm provides litigation services in a variety of legal fields. The intern will assist in the preparation of a healthcare-related multi-district lawsuit to be filed in Federal Court. This position will be research-intensive, focusing on review of scientific research, related litigation and various reports from state and federal agencies. This case is set to be filed in early November and the intern will acquire a solid understanding of civil litigation and case preparation in the weeks leading up to its filing. The hours of this internship are flexible, and the position is remote.

Federal Trade Commission (FTC) - Bureau of Consumer Protection (BCP)

The Bureau of Consumer Protection’s mandate is to protect consumers against unfair, deceptive, or fraudulent practices. The Bureau enforces a variety of consumer protection laws enacted by Congress, as well as rules issued by the Commission. Its actions include investigations, federal court litigation, rulemaking proceedings, and consumer and business education.

Summer Law Clerk Program: Each year, the Federal Trade Commission’s Bureau of Consumer Protection hosts a summer law clerk program. We look for highly motivated second-year law students with an interest in working on consumer protection issues. Each law clerk will work with each of BCP’s divisions throughout the summer: Advertising Practices, Enforcement, Financial Practices, Marketing Practices, and Privacy and Identity Protection. We offer substantive legal work that gives law clerks the opportunity to demonstrate their writing and analytical skills. Our program is small (typically eight clerks), to enable summer law clerks to take on meaningful assignments with significant responsibility. Assignments may include: conducting legal research on a wide range of issues; drafting memoranda; interviewing witnesses and summarizing findings; reviewing documents; and attending meetings with parties and their outside counsel. Each summer law clerk is paired with an attorney mentor.

Eligibility: The BCP summer law clerk program is an unpaid opportunity; however, students must receive a stipend or course credit for completing their internship. Law students should contact their respective law school for requirement details. Law clerks typically work at least eight weeks and usually up to twelve weeks. Applicants must have completed two years of law school by the start of the summer in which they clerk with BCP, and they must be continuing in their legal studies in the fall semester following the clerkship. citizens to be eligible for employment. Please include “Summer Law Clerk Application” in the subject line.

Semester Programs (Fall and Spring): The Bureau of Consumer Protection offers Fall and Spring semester legal internships to second and third-year law students at its Washington, DC offices. Semester law clerks work with BCP’s divisions - Advertising Practices, Enforcement, Financial Practices, Marketing Practices, and Privacy and Identity Protection - depending on need. Assignments may include: conducting legal research on a wide range of issues; drafting memoranda; interviewing witnesses and summarizing findings; reviewing documents; and attending meetings with parties and their outside counsel. Semester internships are unpaid; however, students must receive course credit for completing their internship. Interested students should contact their respective law schools for requirement details. citizens to be eligible for employment. Please include “Fall Semester Application” or “Spring Semester Application” in the cover line. Applications are accepted for both part-time (minimum of 16 hours/week) and full-time positions.

Department of Justice (DOJ) - Summer Law Intern Program (SLIP)

How would you like to get paid for the experience of a lifetime? That is just what the Department’s Summer Law Intern Program (SLIP) has to offer. The SLIP is the Department’s competitive recruitment program for compensated summer internships. Law students who participate in the SLIP benefit from an exceptional legal experience and invaluable exposure to the Department of Justice. Interns come from a wide range of law schools throughout the country.

Eligibility: Law students who have completed at least one full semester of legal study by the application deadline are eligible to apply. Most successful applicants intern the summer between their second and third year of law school; however, graduating law students who will enter an honors program eligibility-preserving activity may intern following graduation. Part-time law students are also eligible to apply. The online status will also show which component(s) selected the candidate in the "Selected By" column. Due to space constraints, a code is used for each component. Interviews are virtual. Components independently contact SLIP candidates to schedule interviews. If you are selected for an interview, see the list of component contacts and component-specific requirements.

General Requirements and Application Tips

Regardless of the specific internship, some general requirements and application tips can increase your chances of success:

Academic Excellence: A strong academic record is crucial. Highlight your achievements, relevant coursework, and any law review or moot court experience.
Research and Writing Skills: Legal research and writing are fundamental to any legal internship. Showcase your skills through writing samples, research projects, or relevant work experience.
Interest in Public Service: For government internships, a demonstrated interest in public service is highly valued. Highlight any volunteer work, pro bono activities, or involvement in organizations that promote the public good.
Tailor Your Application: Customize your cover letter and resume for each specific internship. Emphasize the skills and experiences that align with the organization's mission and the internship's responsibilities.
Meet Deadlines: Pay close attention to application deadlines and submit your materials well in advance. Late applications are rarely considered.
Networking: Attend information sessions, career fairs, and networking events to connect with attorneys and recruiters. Building relationships can provide valuable insights and increase your visibility.

tags: #legal #research #internship #requirements