Honors Program Attorneys will be hired for a two-year term, and during that time will have the opportunity to work in the headquarters Office of the General Counsel and other participating component legal offices within the Office of the General Counsel. These include legal offices within the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Secret Service, Customs and Border Protection, Transportation Security Administration, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Citizenship and Immigration Services, and the United States Coast Guard. All of the offices in which Honors Program Attorneys will serve during their two-year term are located in the Washington D.C. area. Honors Program Attorneys who achieve satisfactory performance ratings will be eligible for full-time positions at the conclusion of their two-year term, depending on the Department’s needs and availability of funding.
The Honors Program is highly competitive. The Department selects candidates based on multiple factors including academic achievement, writing skills, law review participation, moot court experience, legal aid or clinical experience, and employment history. We also consider specialized academic studies, post-graduate studies, as well as extracurricular activities that directly relate to the work of the Department. We seek candidates with a well-rounded background, demonstrated intellectual and analytical abilities, and excellent judgment.
The responsibilities of the Department offer Honors Program Attorneys experience in a variety of practice areas. These include, but are not limited to, litigation, administrative law, commercial law, procurement law, legislative and regulatory drafting, maritime law, immigration law, enforcement law, and national security law. Honors Program Attorneys working for the Department can expect to be given a significant amount of responsibility early in their career, often handling highly visible or legally significant cases on an accelerated basis. Honors Program Attorneys will also participate in a program designed to familiarize them with the operating components within the Department and other federal agencies.
Applications for the Honors Program will be accepted online from August 15, 2009 to September 21, 2009. Candidates interested in the 2010 Honors Program should submit a resume, cover letter, references and a current law school transcript to OGCstaffing@dhs.gov . Final selections for the Honors Program are expected in the beginning of November 2009. Subject to budgetary or security clearance issues individuals selected for the Honors Attorney Program can expect to commence employment with the Department in the fall of 2010. Additional information may be available on our website at www.dhs.gov.
If you have additional questions please contact Craig Raynsford, Legal Advisor, DHS Office of the General Counsel at 202-447-3303.
The United States Government does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, age, membership in an employee organization, or other non-merit factor.
