Salary, Promotion & Benefits
Salaries
Law Student Interns are compensated under the General Schedule (GS). Federal salaries vary by geographic location. Employees assigned to high cost-of-living areas receive a percentage of their base pay as “locality pay.” The Office of Personnel Management publishes GS salary tables that list base pay and, for geographic areas with locality pay, the specific amounts. For both the current GS base salary and exact GS salaries by location click here. Volunteer internships are not compensated.
The chart below lists the 2024 GS pay scale, current base salary (annual and hourly) and current salary for the Washington, D.C. area (annual and hourly) for compensated Summer Law Interns.
| Qualifications | General Scale (GS) Pay Grade and Base Salary (Not Including Locality Pay) | General Scale (GS) Salary for Washington, D.C. Area (Including Locality Pay) |
|---|---|---|
| Candidates with a law degree (J.D. or equivalent) at time of employment | GS-11, step 1 Annual: $62,107 Hourly: $29.76 |
Annual: $82,764 |
| Candidates who have completed two years of law school (equivalent to full-time study) at the time of employment | GS-7, step 1 Annual: $41,966 Hourly: $20.11 |
Annual: $55,924 Hourly: $26.80 |
| Candidates who have completed less than two years of law school (equivalent to full-time study) at the time of employment | GS-5, step 1 Annual: $33,878 Hourly: $16.23 |
Annual: $45,146 Hourly: $21.63 |
Benefits and Services
Compensated law interns do not generally receive employment benefits; however, interns who work for 90 days or more do earn annual and sick leave. Summer law interns in Washington, D.C. may also join the Department’s fitness center and the Justice Federal Credit Union, and are eligible for a transit subsidy.
Federal Benefits
Annual leave: Compensated interns may earn annual vacation leave.
Sick leave: Compensated interns may earn sick leave.
Paid Holidays: Compensated interns receive 10 paid holidays each year: New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King Jr.’s Birthday, Presidents Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Veterans’ Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day.
Department Benefits
Flexible Work Options: As part of the work-life program, subject to mission requirements, component participation and management approval, the Department may offer modified work schedules. Modified work schedules may include flexible hours, compressed work schedules, and telecommuting. These flexible work schedules are rare for paid or volunteer interns.
Fitness Centers: The Justice Occupational Health Organization offers a state-of-the-art gym for a small annual membership fee. Some components offer in-house fitness centers at satellite locations.
Pro-Bono and Community Involvement Opportunities: The Department sponsors an organized pro-bono program and supports other volunteer activities, such as tutoring to local schools.
Transit Subsidy: DOJ provides a transit subsidy to employees residing in areas served by mass transit to encourage the use of public transportation.
Justice Federal Credit Union: A full-service financial institution serves DOJ employee members and their families.
Employee Affinity Groups: DOJ has a variety of affinity groups including DOJ Association of Black Attorneys; DOJ AHEAD (Association of Hispanic Employees for Advancement and Development); Indian Trial Lawyers Association of DOJ; DOJ Pan Asia Employees Association; and DOJ Pride (Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Employees).