Student Trainee (Legal)

The Office of Inspector General (OIG) is organized into six operational units: the Immediate Office of the Inspector General, Office of the Counselor, Office of Audits and Evaluations, Office of Healthcare Inspections, Office of Investigations, and Office of Management and Administration. OIG has offices in more than 60 locations throughout the country. This internship is located in the Office of the Counselor. The Office provides a range of legal services in furtherance of the OIG's mission.

The Student Trainee (Legal) is a summer internship position located within the Office of the Counselor to the Inspector General. The primary purpose of this position is to provide a variety of legal assistance to attorneys in the Office of the Counselor including conducting legal research, composing legal memoranda, assembling and organizing materials for administrative trials, and preparing summaries and outlines of hearings. As a Student Trainee (Legal), you will: Conduct legal research in matters arising under the U.S. Constitution, United States Code, Code of Federal Regulations, the Federal Rules of Evidence, and the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, utilizing tools such as Westlaw and the Commission's website and in-house library. Research and analyze issues for attorneys using reference sources such as legislative history, treatises, administrative decisions, Federal district and circuit court decisions, and Supreme Court decisions. Prepare memoranda reflecting Merit Systems Protection Board (M.S.P.B.), Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (E.E.O.C.), and Federal Court case law precedent discovered during the course of legal research and applies precedent to pertinent facts in cases before judges. Prepare draft memoranda, based upon analysis of the legal research, for review by an Administrative Law Judge. Prepare drafts of decisions, orders, and notices, based upon results of the legal research, in cases before an Administrative Law Judge. Review filings, briefs and settlement proposals. Summarize briefs for hearings.

Program Requirement: If selected, you must: Sign a Pathways Internship Program agreement; Provide official documentation of enrollment and registration; Provide verification of academic status (transcript) at the end of each academic semester/quarter; In coordination with supervisor, prepare and implement an Individual Development Plan (IDP) that will include a combination of on-the-job-training, mentoring, formal training courses, and developmental assignments; Maintain satisfactory performance; and Complete 640 hours of work experience in order to be considered for conversion to a Career or Career-Conditional appointment. You may be made permanent upon graduation if you meet all qualifications, eligibility, and educational requirements, are recommended for conversion by your supervisor, and funding is available. Key Requirements: You must have been accepted for enrollment or be enrolled and seeking a law degree in a qualifying educational institution on a full or half-time basis. You must remain in good academic standing during the duration of this program. Must be a U.S. Citizen or U.S. National. A Public Trust Background Investigation will be required. If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System or are exempt from having to do so. If selected, you will be asked to complete a Declaration for Federal Employment to determine your suitability for Federal employment, at the time requested by the agency. Have your salary sent to a financial institution of your choice by Direct Deposit/ Electronic Funds Transfer.

If you are claiming education as any part of your qualifications for this position, you must submit an official transcript or unofficial transcript. Special Instructions for Foreign Education: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show that 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. Failure to provide such documentation with your application will result in lost consideration. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/. EDUCATION DOCUMENTATION: For positions with an education requirement, or if you are qualifying for this position by substituting education or training for experience, submit a copy of your transcripts or equivalent. An official transcript will be required if you are selected. A college or university degree generally must be from an accredited (or pre-accredited) college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For a list of schools which meet these criteria, please refer to Department of Education Accreditation page. If you are qualifying based on foreign education, you must submit proof of creditability of education as evaluated by a credentialing agency. Refer to the OPM instructions.