Department of Justice

[katie115]

has anyone interned at any of its DC divisions before?  do you have any thoughts or opinions?  is it prestigious to get an offer?  i am waiting and really hoping to get one!

thanks

[1LMan]

For the unpaid positions?  Not prestigious but good experience.  The elite paid program that is the only way to get into DOJ as an AUSA right out of law school is very prestigious, but also very difficult to get into.

However, take advantage of the experience and use it to land a good paying job 2L year (I'm assuming you are a 1L).

[vaplaugh]

What are your other options?

[GoGoPogo]

Not prestigious at all. However, the experience is good.

The SLIP is pretty tough to get and is actually pretty prestigious though.

[1LMan]

Not prestigious at all. However, the experience is good.

The SLIP is pretty tough to get and is actually pretty prestigious though.

Didn't I just say this?  Thanks for the insight lol.

[bb]

So I hear wildly differing opinions about the "prestige" of a federal government internship (for 1Ls).  Seems like some people say anyone can get one, other says it's the best thing you can do after federal judicial or big/medium law firm.  Certainly most people agree that it's a great practical experience, but I'm not clear on how firms view it for 2L OCI purposes. 

[1LMan]

Anyone can definitely get them.  They have pretty much unlimited slots.  It's unpaid..... However, firms want to see that you have SOME legal experience going into 2L OCI, it will make you stand out.

However, if you don't have the grades or go to a mediocre school, then DOJ won't be some magic carpet to Big Law.

[bb]

Cool, thanks.

What about federal internship v. working at a small firm making about 10-15 an hour?  I guess with the small firm you're not quite sure how much substantive legal experience you'll get?

[katie115]

Well there goes my thought that I had a good legal future since I've been rejected by most divisions.  =(  But I'm confused as to the comment that there are unlimited spots.  The website clearly states the number of interns each division and most are pretty low, like 2-6 interns.  The antitrust division takes the most but the others don't take many.  So isn't it hard to get an offer?  I definitely haven't gotten one but have gotten over 10 rejections.  Super sad... =(

[vaplaugh]

?  Plenty take more than Antitrust in DC.  Consider Civil Division, Criminal Division, CRD, ENRD, and Trustee.

Many USAO take students, too.  DC = 100.

Might be a little late to apply to many of them, though.

http://www.usdoj.gov/oarm/arm/int/internsum08.htm