Honor Law Graduate Program - Legal Intern

Background

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is proud to be ranked among the best places to work for compensation, work-life balance, and performance for mid-sized agencies in the Federal Government. We've earned our top ratings by creating a work environment rich in opportunity, diversity, leadership training, teamwork, and work life balance. Help guide our nation into the next generation of nuclear safety! Begin a challenging career with the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission where you can be part of a select group of professionals who protect people and the environment with the peaceful use of nuclear materials in medicine, industry, and research.

Each year, the NRC selects a small number of graduating law students or judicial law clerks to serve in the OGC Honor Law Graduate Program (HLGP).

Established in 1972, the HLGP is the primary mechanism for hiring entry-level attorneys at the NRC.

As an Honor Law Graduate, you will serve in a two-year program consisting of rotational assignments through different OGC divisions in order to gain broad exposure to the diverse legal practice at the NRC.

Duties

The Honor Law Graduate Program allows you to collaborate with seasoned attorneys and work independently on a variety of assignments, such as the following:

participating in administrative litigation involving activities licensed by the NRC

reviewing environmental impact statements with technical staff

drafting proposed regulations for new or revised safety standards

assisting in the review and litigation of employment law matters, Government contract matters, fiscal law and security issues working with the Solicitor in researching and preparing briefs for submission to the Federal courts of appeals

NOTE: This job will close when 350 applications are received, which may be earlier than the closing date.

Qualifications

In order to qualify for the Honor Law Graduate Program, you must meet the following qualification criteria. Please read carefully to determinate the grade at which you would qualify based on your education and specialized experience:

GG-11:

1. a third-year law student (3L) at an American Bar Association-accredited law school who will earn a J.D. degree no later than June of the 2024-2025 academic year; or

- a graduate of an American Bar Association-accredited law school who will earn an LL.M. degree no later than June of 2024-2025 academic year of application; and

a J.D degree and current judicial law clerk with less than one year of judicial law clerk experience within 30 days of the closing date of the vacancy announcement; and

2. Be in at least the upper thirty percent (30%) of your law school class and/or have an overall grade point average (GPA) of at least a 3.25 based on a scale of 4.0. NOTE: If your law school does not calculate class rank, and also does not provide traditional grades or a GPA, you should include a link to the school’s grading policy and should provide a narrative explanation of how your law school performance correlates with our requirements.

Specialized experience includes educational experience, in nuclear energy law, NRC practice, environmental law, government contracts, employment law, labor relations, information law, federal administrative procedure, or regulatory law.

GG-12:

1. a J.D. degree; or

- an LL.M. degree; and

- a current judicial law clerk with a minimum of one year of judicial law clerk experience within 30 calendar days of the closing date of the vacancy announcement; and

2. Be in at least the upper thirty percent (30%) of your law school class and/or have an overall grade point average (GPA) of at least 3.25 based on a scale of 4.0. NOTE: If your law school does not calculate class rank, and also does not provide traditional grades or a GPA, you should include a link to the school’s grading policy and should provide a narrative explanation of how your law school performance correlates with our requirements.

Specialized experience includes educational experience in nuclear energy law, NRC practice, environmental law, government contracts, employment law, labor relations, information law, federal administrative procedure, or regulatory law.

Admission to the Bar is not a prerequisite to applying and being considered for the Honor Law Graduate Program, but is expected during the first year of NRC employment. Recent law school graduates who join the NRC before Bar examination results are available will provide evidence of Bar admission as soon as possible after admission. Selectees who are not admitted to the Bar will not be promoted to the GG-12 level. Those not admitted to the Bar within two years may be separated from the NRC.

The ideal candidate for this position will be able to demonstrate the following:

- Experience in nuclear energy law, NRC practice, environmental law, government contracts, labor relations, information law or energy-related regulatory law.

- Ability to perform legal analysis and communicate the results of that analysis orally and in writing (evidenced by relevant employment experience or internships, academic achievement, or extracurricular law school activities).

- Ability to perform legal analysis and communicate the results of that analysis in writing as evidence by an unedited writing sample.

Education

You must possess a professional law degree acquired through graduation from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association no later than June of the 2024-2025 academic year.

How to Apply

Visit www.nrc.govReview the NRC Opportunities page and click on “view a list of current NRC vacancies, please visit USAJobs EXIT.” Find the Honor law Graduate Program - Legal Intern GG-11/12 (FPL GG-14) Announcement Number OGC-2024-0006 and apply on-line by July 10, 2024. If you are viewing this opportunity after July 10th please visit NRC’s website and discover additional opportunities for which you might be interested.