Career Development Office Blog

OGC HONORS LEGAL FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM

By Career Development Office on December 11th, 2014

U.S. EPA Office of General Counsel:

The Office of General Counsel (OGC) is the chief legal advisor to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the federal agency with primary responsibility for implementing the nation’s environmental laws. OGC attorneys provide counsel to EPA policy makers on legal issues associated with implementing these environmental laws, as well as the laws governing the day-to-day operations of a federal agency. Approximately 160 attorneys work in OGC. Our principal office is located at EPA’s headquarters complex in downtown Washington, DC. OGC is organized by practice area into eight law offices: Air and Radiation, Pesticides and Toxic Substances, Solid Waste and Emergency Response, Water, Cross-Cutting Issues, Alternative Dispute Resolution, General Law, and Civil Rights and Finance Law.

OGC HONORS LEGAL FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM:

This is a highly competitive two-year fellowship to start in September 2015. The key objectives are to provide recent law school graduates with the opportunity to practice public sector general or environmental law and to provide OGC with highly motivated, talented, and diverse entry-level lawyers who are interested in a variety of legal work on cutting-edge administrative and environmental law issues. The effectiveness of EPA’s legal responsibilities depends upon the recruitment and hiring of excellent and diverse legal talent. We recognize the need for attorneys and legal interns of varied backgrounds and skills and offer an inclusive environment that relies on those diverse perspectives to ensure that we effectively serve the American people. Students who participate in our programs will experience a new era of outreach and protection for communities historically underrepresented in EPA decision-making. The Agency is building strong working relationships with tribes, communities of color, economically distressed cities and towns, young people and others, but this is just a start. Therefore, we want to make sure we are recruiting the best, the brightest and most diverse EPA ever and ensure EPA is a place for people who are talented, smart, and passionate about protecting the environment. 

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS: 

The 2015 OGC Honors Legal Fellowship Program is open to highly qualified applicants with outstanding academic records who are graduating law school (May 2015), who have completed a judicial clerkship, or who have graduated from an ABA accredited law school within the past 3 years and have at least 1 year of legal experience. OGC is seeking applicants with excellent analytical and writing abilities, a strong commitment to public service, effective “people” skills, and an ability to take on significant responsibility. 

HOW TO APPLY:

Applications must consist of a cover letter/personal statement, resume, law school transcript, writing sample (5 page minimum – 10 page maximum demonstrating analysis of a complex legal issue), and references. All required documents must be submitted for consideration in this fellowship opportunity. Note: We are also requesting applicants to submit a voluntary Demographic Information Form OMB No. 3046-0046 (Vacancy Announcement No. – leave blank) which is used to determine the effectiveness of our outreach efforts.

OTHER INFORMATION:

Selected applicants will be invited for interviews, at the candidate’s expense, in Washington, DC. Offers will be made in March/April 2015. Information about OGC’s fellowship program, as well as additional fellowship opportunities with EPA Offices of Regional Counsel, are described at the website. www.epa.gov/ogc/fellowship.htm. 

BENEFITS:

These are full-time, two-year appointments paid at the GS-11 (first year) and GS-12 (second year) levels.  Benefits that are available include annual and sick leave, health insurance, life insurance, flexible work schedules, family medical leave, Thrift Savings Plan, and transit subsidy.