Legal Careers
Law Student Volunteer, Fall 2025, Counterterrorism Section
The Counterterrorism Section (CTS) is responsible for the design, implementation, and support of law enforcement efforts, legislative initiatives, policies and strategies relating to combating international and domestic terrorism. The Section seeks to assist, through investigation and prosecution, in preventing and disrupting acts of terrorism anywhere in the world that impact on significant United States interests and persons. The Section's responsibilities include:
· investigating and prosecuting domestic and international terrorism cases;
· investigating and prosecuting terrorist financing matters, including material support cases;
· participating in the systematic collection and analysis of data and information relating to the investigation and prosecution of terrorism cases;
· coordinating with U.S. government agencies (including the Departments of State, Defense, Homeland Security, and the Treasury; the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. intelligence community) to facilitate prevention of terrorist activity through daily detection and analysis and to provide information and support to the field;
· investigating and prosecuting matters involving torture, genocide and war crimes that are linked to terrorist groups and individuals;
· formulating legislative initiatives and DOJ policies and guidelines relating to terrorism;
· conducting training conferences, seminars and lectures on terrorism-related topics including substantive law, policy, procedure and guidelines for foreign and domestic law enforcement personnel, intelligence officials, the private sector and the general public;
· assisting the Anti-Terrorism Task Force Coordinators in the U.S. Attorney's Offices through the Regional Coordinator system by facilitating information sharing between and among prosecutors nationwide on terrorism matters, cases and threat information;
· participating in the foreign terrorist organization designation process with the Departments of State and Treasury and other Department of Justice components;
· staffing the FBI's Strategic Information Operation Center (SIOC) during crisis incidents;
· sharing information and trouble-shooting issues with international prosecutors, agents and investigating magistrates to assist in addressing international threat information and litigation initiatives; and
· providing legal advice to federal prosecutors concerning numerous federal statutes.
The Counterterrorism Section (CTS) seeks exceptionally qualified candidates for volunteer internship opportunities. Academic year internship positions are either part time (16 hours/week minimum) or full time (32 hours/week minimum). We do not offer remote externships.
The mission of CTS is to prevent and disrupt acts of terrorism in the United States and around the world. We investigate and prosecute domestic and international terrorism cases, support the counterterrorism efforts of other federal departments and agencies, and work with foreign governments to assist in their criminal investigations and prosecutions of terrorists. CTS intern responsibilities include: conducting legal research and analysis, assisting with the drafting of motions and other pleadings, and assisting with presentations and supporting materials.
Open to all law students, joint degree or LL.M. students. Applicants must be U.S. citizens and able to obtain and maintain a security clearance. Applicants must be enrolled in an accredited U.S. law school at the time of application and throughout their internship. Strong analytic, research and writing skills are required. Prior interest or experience in national security or criminal litigation is highly preferred. Courses such as Criminal Procedure, Evidence and Trial Practice are also helpful. Interns cannot participate in another internship while interning with CTS.
If interested in applying, please send a cover letter indicating the period in which you are interested, a resume, a legal writing sample (not to exceed ten pages), an unofficial law school transcript (if available), and the contact information for three references, via email, to cts-internship@usdoj.gov.
Deadline:
Fall 2025: All Students – April 30, 2025
Applications submitted after the deadline will not be considered.
Student volunteers are uncompensated, however, if your school offers interns academic credit or work study, we will work with you to meet school requirements whenever possible.
Department Policies
The United States government does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service or other non-merit factor. To learn more, please visit the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
This agency provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the agency. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis.
The Department encourages qualified applicants with disabilities, including individuals with targeted/severe disabilities to apply in response to posted vacancy announcements. Qualified applicants with targeted/severe disabilities may be eligible for direct hire, non-competitive appointment under Schedule A (5 C.F.R. § 213.3102(u)) hiring authority. Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to contact one of the Department’s Disability Points of Contact (DPOC) to express an interest in being considered for a position. See list of DPOCs.
Unless otherwise required by law, the Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act prohibits employees of the U.S. Department of Justice or a federal contractor acting on its behalf from inquiring about an applicant's criminal history record, either in writing or orally, before that individual receives a conditional offer of employment. Applicants who believe they have been subjected to a violation of the Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act, may submit a written complaint within 30 days of the date of the alleged non-compliance directly to the hiring office using the contact information listed in the announcement.
It is the policy of the Department to achieve a drug-free workplace and persons selected for employment will be required to pass a drug test which screens for illegal drug use prior to final appointment. Employment is also contingent upon the completion and satisfactory adjudication of a background investigation. Congress generally prohibits agencies from employing non-citizens within the United States, except for a few narrow exceptions as set forth in the annual Appropriations Act (see, https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/working-in-government/non-citizens/). Pursuant to DOJ component policies, only U.S. citizens are eligible for employment with the Executive Office for Immigration Review, U.S. Trustee’s Offices, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Unless otherwise indicated in a particular job advertisement, qualifying non-U.S. citizens meeting immigration and appropriations law criteria may apply for employment with other DOJ organizations. However, please be advised that the appointment of non-U.S. citizens is extremely rare; such appointments would be possible only if necessary to accomplish the Department's mission and would be subject to strict security requirements. Applicants who hold dual citizenship in the U.S. and another country will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
There is no formal rating system for applying veterans' preference to attorney appointments in the excepted service; however, the Department of Justice considers veterans' preference eligibility as a positive factor in attorney hiring. Applicants eligible for veterans' preference must include that information in their cover letter or resume and attach supporting documentation (e.g., the DD 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty and other supporting documentation) to their submissions. Although the "point" system is not used, per se, applicants eligible to claim 10-point preference must submit Standard Form (SF) 15, Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference, and submit the supporting documentation required for the specific type of preference claimed (visit the OPM website, www.opm.gov/forms/pdf_fill/SF15.pdf for a copy of SF 15, which lists the types of 10-point preferences and the required supporting document(s). Applicants should note that SF 15 requires supporting documentation associated with service- connected disabilities or receipt of nonservice-connected disability pensions to be dated 1991 or later except in the case of service members submitting official statements or retirement orders from a branch of the Armed Forces showing that their retirement was due to a permanent service-connected disability or that they were transferred to the permanent disability retired list (the statement or retirement orders must indicate that the disability is 10% or more).
Assistant United States Attorneys must reside in the district to which appointed or within 25 miles thereof. See 28 U.S.C. 545 for district specific information.
This and other vacancy announcements can be found under Attorney Vacancies and Volunteer Legal Internships. The Department of Justice cannot control further dissemination and/or posting of information contained in this vacancy announcement. Such posting and/or dissemination is not an endorsement by the Department of the organization or group disseminating and/or posting the information.