Legal Internships
DC Metro Area Internship Opportunities
Information Security Oversight Office - Physical location is National Archives Building, 700 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC
Legal Internship Program
The Information Security Oversight Office (ISOO) is responsible to the President for policy and oversight of the Government-wide security classification system and the National Industrial Security Program. ISOO receives policy and program guidance from the National Security Council (NSC).
ISOO has three components:
- The Classification Management Staff develops security classification policies for classifying, declassifying and safeguarding national security information generated in Government and industry.
- The Operations Staff evaluates the effectiveness of the security classification programs established by Government and industry to protect information vital to our national security interests.
- The Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) Staff develops standardized CUI policies and procedures that appropriately protect sensitive information through effective data access and control measures.
The ISOO intern will conduct legal research and provide legal opinions on a wide range of legal and factual questions and issues to aid in fulfilling ISOO’s mission and responsibilities germane to national programs under Executive Orders 13556, 13526, 12829, 13587, and 13549, draft correspondence, as needed, from ISOO to Executive branch agency senior officials and other stakeholders regarding ISOO activities, including the Classified National Security Information (CNSI) program, Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) program, and National Industrial Security Program, and support the drafting of language and provisions for inclusion in future Presidential and regulatory direction to the Executive branch related to ISOO’s oversight functions. Intern will also participate in and produce documentation of meetings with senior officials from the National Security Council, Executive branch agencies, industry, and representatives of the public.
The ideal candidate must possess outstanding communication skills, both written and oral, excellent research skills, and must bring a collaborative and enthusiastic attitude to this team-based working environment. Unfortunately, we are not able to pay our interns. However, we will cooperate in arrangements for law school credit.
Please visit NARA's Voluntary Internship Program page for more information on deadlines and how to apply.
Office of the General Counsel - Physical site is College Park, MD
Legal Internship Program
As a small but vital office, the General Counsel's office offers interns the opportunity to become directly involved in the broad range of legal and policy matters that come into the office. We hope to create a challenging and interesting experience for an intern. Our "small law firm" environment enables an intern to experience a wide range of administrative law issues common to all federal agencies, as well as those issues unique to NARA that arise from its mission as the nation’s record keeper.
Volunteer interns at the Office of General Counsel will assist in providing litigation and administrative support to attorneys and archivists on the legal staff in a variety of ways, including but not limited to: researching legal issues relevant to the Federal Records Act, the Presidential Records Act, the Freedom of Information Act, and other applicable laws pertaining to the activities and operations of the National Archives and Records Administration; and providing support in the drafting of legal opinions, letters, memoranda, discovery responses and other legal documents, and in the preparation of documents for use in administrative and court proceedings.
We anticipate selecting 1-2 interns for the summer, fall, and spring. Strong analytical and writing skills as well as an interest in the arts and humanities are essential, and we prefer second or third-year students. Unfortunately, we are not able to pay our interns. However, we will cooperate in arrangements for law school credit.
Office of General Counsel
NARA's Office of General Counsel is responsible for providing legal advice to the Archivist of the United States and the Archivist’s staff.
The General Counsel's office provides advice on a wide range of substantive areas, including open government laws, tort law, administrative law and the interpretation of our authorizing legislation, appropriations law, employment law, civil rights compliance, ethics standards, and federal grants law.
Please visit NARA's Voluntary Internship Program page for more information on deadlines and how to apply.
Office of Government Information Services - Physical location is Government Publishing Office Building, 732 North Capitol Street, NW, Washington, DC
Legal Internship Program
Congress created the Office of Government Information Services (OGIS) within the National Archives and Records Administration when it passed the OPEN Government Act of 2007 amending the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. § 552. OGIS's doors opened in September 2009. OGIS is the FOIA Ombudsman -- answering questions, tracking suggestions and providing information about the FOIA process, and serving as a resource for the public and the federal government. OGIS is a place where anyone can ask for FOIA assistance.
OGIS provides mediation services to resolve FOIA disputes, reviews agency compliance with FOIA, and identifies policies and procedures for improving FOIA compliance. In addition to its dispute resolution and compliance functions, OGIS’s Director chairs the Federal FOIA Advisory Committee and co-chairs the Chief FOIA Officers' Council. OGIS provides dispute resolution training for FOIA professionals across the federal government, and to key FOIA stakeholders, including the requester community, civil society groups, and open government advocates.
We expect that OGIS law clerks will complete FOIA legal research to assist staff in mediating disputes; compile and assess information about agency FOIA litigation to assist with compliance reporting; and assist in drafting advisory opinions, memoranda, and reports on related FOIA issues. As much as possible in a pandemic world, law clerks will interact virtually with agency FOIA officials and members of the FOIA requester community and attend FOIA training sessions and other events as they arise.
We anticipate selecting 1-2 law clerks for the summer. We are also open to selecting 1-2 law clerks during the fall and spring semesters. Strong analytical and writing skills are a must, and an interest in administrative law, open government, and access laws are preferred. We prefer first and second-year students. Unfortunately, we are not able to pay our law clerks. However, we will cooperate in arrangements for law school credit.
Please visit NARA's Voluntary Internship Program page for more information on deadlines and how to apply.