Law Jobs in the Federal Government

The three top reasons to consider legal federal service:

1. Get real-world experience very quickly
2. Work with a high degree of independence and autonomy
3. Work on issue of national scope and represent of government instead of private interests

Job Profiles—for Non-Law School Graduates

Here are examples of recent job openings. Explore more and apply now at USA Jobs.

Legal Assistant for the Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys

• Salary Range: $39,262 - $51,036 per year
• Duty Locations: Washington, D.C.
• Summary: The Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys hires candidates who will help to forge a relationship between the Department of Justice and the 93 U.S. Attorneys located throughout nation and its territories.
• Major Duties: The person hired for this position will perform legal docket work for the computerized case tracking and record-keeping system, as well as maintain records regarding the status of all cases and performing interrelated and non-standard legal docket work in support of the Appellate Division’s legal activities.

Legal Instruments Examiner for the Department of Interior’s Bureau of Indian Affairs

• Salary Range: $26,667 - $44,004 per year
• Duty Locations: Anchorage, AK
• Summary: The Department of Interior’s Bureau of Indian Affairs is responsible for managing the 55.7 million acres of land held in trust by the U.S. for American Indians, Indian tribes and Alaska Natives.
• Major Duties: This Examiner’s duties include: determining the conveyed ownership, interest and accuracy of legal land descriptions; and determining whether conveyances have been made in accordance with applicable treaties, laws and orders; and ascertaining whether any mineral reservations or other special conditions are attached to a particular area of land.

Paralegal Specialist for the Federal Trade Commission

• Salary Range: $36,671 - $47,669 per year
• Duty Locations: Washington, D.C.
• Summary: The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) enforces a variety of federal antitrust and consumer protection laws, and ensures that the nation's markets function competitively and are free of undue restrictions.
• Major Duties: The Specialist position provides an opportunity to work with attorneys, economists, paralegals and other agency employees in all divisions of the FTC, and will allow someone considering a career in law the opportunity to gain significant hands-on experience.

Probation Officer Assistant at the Northern District of California U.S. Probation Office

• Salary Range: $40,910 - $65,539 per year
• Duty Locations: San Francisco, CA
• Summary: The Northern District of California U.S. Probation Office serves the U.S. Court System and improves public safety by investigating and supervising individuals convicted of federal crimes, enforcing sentences and providing correctional treatment to offenders.
• Major Duties: The incumbent provides technical support and services to the probation officers in a wide range of areas, including supervision of persons on probation, parole and supervised release, investigations and preparation of reports.

Student Legal Assistant at the National Labor Relations Board

• Salary Range: $36,671 - $47,669 per year
• Duty Locations: Washington, D.C.
• Summary: At the National Labor Relations Board, the person hired will work under the direction of the Assistant General Counsel, Regional Advice Branch, and assist with personnel and legal duties. These include conducting legal research; drafting and editing legal memoranda; and attending meetings of the General Counsel’s advisory committees to gather information regarding cases and policy issues. Applicants must be currently enrolled in law school, have completed their second year, and have successfully completed at least one course in labor law.

Internship Programs—for Law School Students

Several agencies offer Summer Legal Internships. Summer Legal positions may be volunteer internships, internships for academic credit, or paid internships. Programs differ by agency, and agencies also may have other types of internships open to law students. To find specifics, go to each agency’s Web site and search for “Summer Legal Internships.”

• The Department of Commerce hires outstanding first- and second-year law students at the Office of the General Counsel. This agency’s Summer Legal Internships offer the opportunity to work on a wide range of legal issues under the supervision of senior attorneys.
• The Federal Trade Commission’s summer program is for students who have completed one or more years of law school. This agency seeks students with an extraordinary level of commitment to enforcing antitrust and consumer protection laws that are mandated by Congress.
• The IRS Chief Counsel Summer Legal Intern Program is available primarily to second-year law students and incoming Tax LLM students. The Office of Chief Counsel consists of over 1500 attorneys in 50 nationwide offices and serves to advise both the public and government on the law related to taxation. In addition, one of our business units, General Legal Services, is responsible for providing legal advice on, and litigating, non-tax administrative law issues such as EEO matters, labor and employee relations, personnel matters, ethics, procurement, fiscal and appropriations law and laws relating to information technology management. We are seeking primarily students with strong academic credentials and participation in law journal, moot court, and/or other relevant experience to work for us during the summer. Appointments under the Summer Legal Intern Program are made at GS-9, Step 1 for second year law students and incoming Tax LLM students. We interview second year law students on-campus at various law schools and accept applications sent directly to us throughout the fall, and we accept applications from incoming Tax LLM students the spring before they begin their LLM program. More information can be found online at http://jobs.irs.gov/mn-attorney.html.

Job Profiles—for Law School Graduates

Here are examples of recent job openings. Explore more and apply now at USA Jobs.

Attorney Advisor at the Social Security Administration

• Salary Range: $42,955 - $62,291 per year (may differ by location)
• Duty Locations: Throughout the nation
• Summary: The Social Security Administration offers protection against the risk of reduced income due to retirement, disability or death.
• Major Duties: Attorney Advisors provide assistance to one or more Administrative Law Judges, by giving advice and assistance in pre-hearing development and preparation of cases, as well as post-hearing development. Attorney Advisors also analyze, research and develop cases.

General Attorney at the Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights

• Salary Range: $52,057 - $96,451 per year
• Duty Locations: Dallas, TX
• Summary: The Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights enforces federal civil rights laws that prohibit discrimination in programs or activities that receive financial assistance from the Department of Education.
• Major Duties: General Attorneys provide legal and policy advice to the Site Director and the Dallas office, regarding the processing of complaints and compliance review. This includes investigations, negotiations, acceptance and monitoring corrective action plans.

Law Clerk at the Department of Agriculture

• Salary Range: $54,272 - $70,558 per year
• Duty Locations: Washington, D.C.
• Summary: The Department of Agriculture’s Office of the General Counsel provides legal support to the Food Safety and Inspection Service, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service and the Agricultural Marketing Service.
• Duties: Division attorneys formulate policy, assist in the preparation of regulations and proposed legislation and aid with administrative, civil and criminal litigation.

Staff Attorney for the Tennessee Valley Authority

• Salary Range: $67,000 - $101,000 per year
• Duty Locations: Knoxville, TN
• Summary: The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) provides affordable and reliable power, promotes sustainable economic development and protects the Tennessee Valley's natural resources.
• Major Duties: Staff Attorneys are responsible for the procurement area and must be instrumental in carrying out legal tasks in support of TVA’s mission and business goals. Staff Attorneys will also advise various TVA organizations on legal matters relating to all aspects of contracting issues and the resolution of disputes and protests.

Trial Attorney at the Department of Justice

• Salary Range: $77,623 - $140,262 per year
• Duty Locations: Sacramento County, CA
• Summary: The Department of Justice’s U.S. Trustee Program is responsible for overseeing the administration of bankruptcy cases and private trustees, under 28 U.S.C. § 586 and 11 U.S.C. § 101, et seq.
• Major Duties: The person hired for this position will assist in supervising the administration of cases and trustees filed under chapters 7, 11, 12, and 13 of the Bankruptcy Code. He or she will review cases for bankruptcy fraud and abuse (both civil and criminal); oversee business reorganization filings, draft motions, pleadings and briefs; and prepare, present and litigate cases.

Legal Honors Internships—for Law School Graduates

This is the primary way federal agencies hire entry-level attorneys. To find out more about the following as well as other opportunities, search each agency’s Web site for information regarding “Legal Honors Internships.” You can also find a fairly thorough list at: http://www.vault.com/articles/Federal-Government-Jobs-for-JDs:-The-CIA--FTC-and-More-22736363.html

The Attorney General's Honors Program is the Department of Justice’s recruitment program for entry-level attorneys and is the sole way in which it hires law school graduates. This program is highly-competitive, as the agency evaluates several facets of an applicant's background before selecting him or her for employment. Qualifications include academic achievement, law review experience, moot court competition, legal aid and clinical experience and summer or part-time employment. The Department of Justice also reviews previous academic studies (including undergraduate and post-graduate degrees), work experience and extracurricular activities that relate to the work of the Department. Visit http://www.usdoj.gov/oarm/arm/hp/hp.htm for additional information on this program, and http://www.usdoj.gov/oarm/ for other opportunities at the Department of Justice.*
* The U.S. Attorney Offices do not hire entry-level attorneys.

The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Legal Honors Program allows a small number of outstanding law school graduates to be exposed to national security law for the duration of three-years. Honors Program Attorneys are usually assigned to two divisions within the Office of the General Counsel throughout the course of the program. Some, however, may be given three assignments. When reviewing candidates, the CIA uses a number of factors, including: the needs of the Office, the skill sets needed to succeed in a career within the Office of the General Counsel and the background and skills of the Honors attorney applicant. To find out more, visit: https://www.cia.gov/offices-of-cia/general-counsel/careers/honors-attorneys-program.html

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) seeks entry-level attorneys for open positions on an annual basis. This type of attorney is hired at the GS-11 or GS-12 level. Recent graduates are placed in fourteen-month rotations as law clerks, pending admission to a bar. Honors Attorneys must be licensed and authorized to practice under the laws of a state, territory, the District of Columbia or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. Employment inquires may be sent to Human Resources Management Office, Room H-723, Federal Trade Commission, 600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20580. This agency may also be reached via e-mail at HRMOEmployment@ftc.gov.

The IRS Chief Counsel Honors Program is available to third-year law students and graduating Tax LLM students for entry level attorney positions. The Office of Chief Counsel consists of over 1500 attorneys in 50 nationwide offices and serves to advise both the public and government on the law related to taxation. In addition, one of our business units, General Legal Services, is responsible for providing legal advice on, and litigating, non-tax administrative law issues such as EEO matters, labor and employee relations, personnel matters, ethics, procurement, fiscal and appropriations law and laws relating to information technology management. We are seeking JD and Tax LLM students with strong academic credentials and participation in law journal, moot court, and/or other relevant experience. Appointments under the Honors Program are made at GS-11, Step 8 for JD applicants, and at GS-12, Step 4 for LLM applicants. We interview third year law students on-campus at various law schools and accept applications sent directly to us throughout the fall, and we interview and accept applications from Tax LLM students throughout the fall and spring. More information can be found online at http://jobs.irs.gov/mn-attorney.html.

The Legal Honors Intern program is the only recruitment method the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) uses for hiring graduating law students. Successful candidates are given a one-year legal internship. Following the completion of the internship, the attorney may be granted an offer of permanent employment. Additional information regarding the program can be found at http://www.hud.gov/jobs/index.cfm.

The Solicitor's Honors Program is primary manner by which the Department of Interior hires entry-level lawyers. Similar to HUD’s program, new attorneys are hired for a one-year internship program, after which they may be offered permanent employment based on their performance. To find more information on the program, check out this link: http://www.doi.gov/hrm/doijobs.html.

The Department of Labor’s Office of the Solicitor, an employer of 500 attorneys, enforces occupational safety and health laws, various civil rights laws, minimum wage and overtime laws as well as a number of other labor laws. Attorneys hired for the honors program spend two years in the Special Appellate and Supreme Court Litigation Division, and are then assigned to another division in Washington, D.C. Information on the program is available at http://www.dol.gov/sol/honorsprogram.htm.

Federal Jobs by the Numbers

Number of Law and Law-Related Positions by Field

Field	Full-time and Permanent (FTP) Positions
General Attorney	29,833
Contact Representative	26,110
Legal Assistance	7,878
Veterans' Claims Analyst	6,532
Paralegal Specialist	6,604
General Legal and Kindred Administration	4,592
Claims Assistance and Examining	3,907
Legal Instruments Examining	2,219
Hearings and Appeals	1,686
Administrative Law Judge	1,405

Source: Fedscope 12/06

General Attorney Positions by State

Location	FTP General Attorney Positions
District of Columbia	11,368
Virginia	2,209
California	1,908
Texas	1,648
New York	1,445
Illinois	937
Florida	820
Pennsylvania	807
Georgia	753
Maryland	744
All Other States	6,856

Source: Fedscope 12/06

Paralegal Positions by State

Location	FTP Paralegal Positions
District of Columbia	1,304
Virginia	667
Texas	646
California	399
New York	289
Maryland	257
Florida	210
Georgia	181

Source: Fedscope 12/06

Law and Law-Related Positions by Federal Agency

Agency	FTP Law and Law-Related Positions
Social Security Administration	22,726
Department of Treasury	17,609
Department of Justice	15,615
Department of Veterans Affairs	11,894
Department of Defense	5,383
Department of Homeland Security	2,879
Department of Labor	2,182
Department of State	1,730
Securities and Exchange Commission	1,554
Department of Commerce	1,528
Department of Interior	1,253
Department of Health and Human Services	1,207

Source: Fedscope 12/07

Average Annual Salary by Position

Position	Average Annual Salary
Administrative Law Judge	$149,076
General Attorney	$121,127
Pension Law Specialist	$102,502
Hearings and Appeals	$93,576
Estate Tax Examining	$92,605
Paralegal Specialist	$77,982
Tax Law Specialist	$72,605
Worker's Compensation Claims Examining	$72,003
Law Clerk	$66,191
Railroad Retirement Claims Examining	$65,210
Veterans Claims Examining	$59,177
Clerk of Court	$53,309

Source: Fedscope 12/07

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