Job Description

Hiring Organization

USAO District of South Carolina

Location:

1441 Main Street
Suite 500
Columbia, SC 29201 - United States

Application Deadline:

Tuesday, January 20, 2026

About the Office

The United States Attorney's Office is responsible for representing the federal government in virtually all litigation involving the United States in the District of South Carolina. This includes all criminal prosecutions for violations of federal law, civil lawsuits by and against the government, and actions to collect judgments and restitution on behalf of victims and taxpayers. The district extends over the entire state of South Carolina. The population of our district is over five million people.

South Carolina is a southeastern U.S. state known for its shoreline of subtropical beaches and marsh-like sea islands. Coastal Charleston is a historic city, defined by pastel-colored houses, Old South plantations and Fort Sumter, where the Civil War’s opening shots were fired. To the north is the Grand Strand, a roughly 60-mile stretch of beach front known for golf courses and the vacation town Myrtle Beach. South Carolina is also known for its golf courses, fishing, historic districts, and its Lowcountry cuisine.

Job Description

Selected candidates will be assigned work from the criminal and civil divisions. Our goal is to introduce law students to the federal system and litigation involving the United States. We strive to assist students in developing their legal research and writing skills. Students will perform legal research and writing; draft various pleadings, motions, briefs, and other documents; and assist with witness preparation, depositions, and hearings or trials. Students will also be provided with several opportunities to meet members of the judiciary, representatives of various federal agencies, and to participate in substantive programs to familiarize them with the federal legal system.

The Criminal Division may give students an opportunity to work on a wide variety of practice areas, including narcotics, public corruption, healthcare fraud, cybercrimes, terrorism, and other federal crimes. Within the Civil Division, students may work on a wide variety of defensive and affirmative litigation, including employment discrimination, medical malpractice, general torts, constitutional torts, immigration, prisoner litigation, commercial, financial, and civil fraud.

Responsibilities will increase and assignments will become more complex as training and experience progress.

Spring 2026: The internship will begin approximately in mid to late February and last a minimum of 8 to 10 weeks.

Summer 2026: The internship will begin approximately in June 2026 and last a minimum of 8 to 10 weeks.

Qualifications

To be eligible for this internship ALL the following requirements must be met:

Student Status (Spring) : You must be considered in good academic standings by the school and be a second- or third-year Law Student.

Student Status (Summer): You must be considered in good academic standing by the school and currently be a rising second or rising third year Law Student. Law school graduates are not eligible for summer positions

Grade Point Average : You must have at least a 3.0 GPA.

Citizenship : Student Interns must be United States citizens or owe permanent allegiance to the United States. (Currently, natives of American Samoa, Swains Island and certain inhabitants of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands are the only groups that owe permanent allegiance to the United States.)

Suitability/Fitness: You must successfully complete a suitability/fitness review and receive a favorable determination based on information provided in your security forms, credit report, and fingerprint check.

Volunteer Agreement: All interns are required to sign the Participant Agreement (This document will be completed later during the security process, if selected).

You must meet all qualification requirements upon the closing date of this announcement.

Conditions of Employment

You must be a United States Citizen or National.

You must successfully complete a suitability/fitness review, credit check, and fingerprint check.

You must be registered for Selective Service, if applicable.

You must submit a transcript or proof of enrollment with your application.

You must be at least 16 years of age or older.

You must meet all qualification requirements upon the closing date of this announcement.

Application Process

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above. Your resume and supporting documentation will be used to determine how well you meet the job qualifications listed on this announcement. Applications will be sent to the hiring manager once the announcement closes. To be considered for this internship, the complete application package must be submitted by 11:59pm (EST) on January 20, 2026, to USASC.LawClerkResumes@usdoj.gov

You must provide a complete Application Package, which includes:

Required: Your cover letter must state the location(s) you are applying to and whether you are seeking placement for the Spring or Summer semester. Please also indicate whether your law school offers public interest stipends, work-study opportunities or course credit for this internship.

Required: Submit a resume not to exceed two pages that clearly outlines your relevant experience and dates of employment. For full consideration your resume must include the month/day/year of employment and the work schedule for each position (e.g., part-time XX hours per week or full-time). Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social).

Required : Current law school unofficial transcript or proof of current enrollment, (e.g., recent letter from the registrar's office). Note: If you are selected for this position, an official transcript will be required prior to your first day.

Required: One legal writing sample (5 pages or more).

Salary

Uncompensated. Course credit and/or work-study credit are possible depending on school requirements.

Job Tags

Permanent employment, Full time, Part time, Summer work, Internship, Work at office,

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