Internship in Legal Ethics at SEC Headquarters
Although most SEC attorneys work day-to-day in securities regulation, many attorneys deal with other substantive areas. The Commission actively seeks interns every semester inWashington D.C.who are interested in legal ethics. The Office of Ethics Counsel reports directly to the Chairman. The Commission encourages applications to the Office of Ethics Counsel because it serves important mission and because it provides interns with hands-on educations in legal fields outside of securities regulation.
The Office of the Ethics Counsel is responsible for advising and counseling all Commission employees and members on such issues as personal and financial conflicts of interest, post-employment restrictions, and securities holdings and transactions. The office advises the commissioners, along with current and former employees. Interns assist attorneys in providing that counseling, including with legal research and preparing responses to inquiries and questions.
Interning in the Office of the Ethics Counsel provides law students with hands-on experience involving a wide variety of issues and a unique opportunity to obtain exposure to the various divisions and offices of the Commission. Students interning in the Office of the Ethics Counsel may be assigned legal research projects or training projects and will work closely with the Ethics Counsel and her staff to interpret and apply government-wide Ethics law to the SEC.
Students interested in the Office of Ethics Counsel should apply to Headquarters using the procedure described for the “Law Student Observer Program” on the website.
Students should highlight their preferred assignment in their cover letter.