Spring, Summer, and Fall 2026
The Department of Energy’s (DOE or Department) Office of the General Counsel is accepting applications for its Law Student Intern Program in accordance with the time frames listed at the end of this announcement.
The Office of the General Counsel offers an exciting opportunity for law students to gain firsthand exposure to the fast-moving and evolving practice of energy, environmental and Federal agency law. The General Counsel is charged by the Secretary of Energy with the authority to determine the Department’s authoritative position on any question of law. The General Counsel’s Office provides legal advice, counsel, and support to the Secretary, the Deputy Secretary, and program offices throughout DOE to further the Department’s mission of advancing the national, economic, and energy security of the United States through scientific and technological innovation and the environmental cleanup of the national nuclear weapons complex.
The intern program is designed for a select group of law students to become integrated members of our practice groups by working closely with attorneys throughout the Office of the General Counsel. Interns can expect demanding legal research and writing assignments concerning an array of practice areas, including: administrative litigation, appropriations, and ethics; civilian nuclear programs; electricity, fossil energy, cybersecurity, energy security, and emergency response; enforcement; environment; legislation, regulation and energy efficiency; international and national security programs; litigation; procurement and financial assistance; technology transfer and intellectual property; and loan guarantee programs.
DOE headquarters Office of the General Counsel staff is composed of over 100 attorneys who work within various and distinct issue areas. The following offices accept interns:
- Civilian Nuclear Programs
- Clean Energy Demonstrations
- Energy Delivery and Resilience
- Enforcement
- Environment
- Ethics and Personnel Law
- Finance and Information Law
- International & National Security Programs
- Legislation, Regulation, and Energy Efficiency
- Litigation
- Procurement and Financial Assistance
- Technology Transfer and Intellectual Property
- Loan Programs Office
All interested students are encouraged to apply for this competitive program. U.S. citizenship is required. No paid internships are available. If selected, interns must complete an initial background investigation.
Internships are available during the summer and for both spring and fall semesters during the academic year. Although we can be somewhat flexible on start dates to accommodate academic schedules, we require interns to work a minimum of ten weeks in the summer and a minimum of twelve weeks for both fall and spring. Internships can be in person, hybrid, or remote, depending on the office. To apply, please send a cover letter, resume, transcript, writing sample, and rankings list of your top five office preferences directly to the Office of the General Counsel’s email at gcintern@hq.doe.gov.
Candidates interested in more than one term must apply separately under the appropriate time frame below for each period of interest. Further, we will not send notices of non-selection, therefore, if you do not hear from our office by the recruitment closing dates below, you may assume you will not receive an offer for that term period. Below are the application, interviewing, recruitment, and internship dates for our 2026 programs.
Spring Internship Program 2026
August 1 – September 30, 2025
Open season for applications
October 31, 2025
Recruitment program closes with offers extended
January, 2026
Internships begin
April, 2026
Internships end
Summer Internship Program 2026
November 1 – February 15, 2026
Open season for applications
March 31, 2026
Recruitment program closes with offers extended
May, 2026
Internships begin
July, 2026
Internships end
Fall Internship Program 2026
March 1 – April 30, 2026
Open season for applications
May 31, 2026
Recruitment program closes with offers extended
August, 2026
Internships begin
November, 2026
Internships end