2027 DOJ Honors Attorney Program

State of Oregon•Portland, OR

1d•$9,063 - $9,519•Hybrid

About The Position

The Oregon Department of Justice is accepting applications for our 2027 Honors Attorney Program. Placement will begin September 2027 following a comprehensive recruitment and evaluation process. Depending on assignment, selected candidates may be located in one of our Salem or Portland offices. Hybrid/remote options may be available for in-state candidates. The Oregon Department of Justice Honors Attorneys Program is designed to provide recent law school graduates, who have not yet engaged in the practice of law, the opportunity to gain public law experience. Honors Attorneys will be assigned to work on ongoing cases or client advice, and will have the opportunity to work on some of the most pressing issues facing Oregon. Whether you are interested in complex litigation, criminal law, defending state agency orders in administrative hearings, protecting Oregon's children, or constitutional issues, the Honors Attorney Program enables new attorneys to gain invaluable, hands-on experience in a wide range of legal disciplines alongside more experienced attorneys. As an employee of the Oregon Department of Justice, you will work with talented and dedicated attorneys and staff to represent the State of Oregon and its people. Honors Attorneys serve as Assistant Attorneys General for two years. Honors Attorneys typically rotate from one division to another after their first year, enabling them to obtain a breadth of experience in diverse areas of the law and to work with colleagues from different divisions in the office. This is a limited duration position from September 2027 through August 2029. Participants are eligible to apply for permanent positions with the department after completing their first year in the program, but they should not expect the Honors program appointment to extend beyond two years. With more than 1600 dedicated employees, including over 400 exceptional attorneys, the Oregon Department of Justice is the largest law firm in Oregon. Our goal is to be the best public law office in the nation. We are committed to finding, developing, and retaining the finest legal professionals. We offer our employees a challenging, fun, and rewarding work environment with great benefits--resulting in a satisfying career. Because of our size and the volume of legal work, we are able to entrust each attorney with an appropriate level of responsibility, helping people work productively by facilitating growth and development of their knowledge and skills. We value the unique perspectives and experiences that each individual brings. Your backgrounds and insights help us grow and succeed in our mission. We are seeking individuals who are dedicated to justice and motivated to work hard on important legal matters on behalf of Oregonians. Assistant Attorneys General, acting on behalf of the Attorney General, represent the State of Oregon and officers and agencies of the State in most administrative and civil proceedings, all juvenile dependency proceedings and many criminal proceedings. The Department offers a broad range of opportunities for attorneys to work on significant and complex issues facing our state. Assistant Attorneys General work in virtually every area of legal practice including protecting children, prosecuting crimes, defending criminal convictions, protecting consumers and older Oregonians, protecting our natural resources, fighting discrimination, defending the state and state employees, and providing legal advice and counsel to state agencies, boards and commissions, as well as elected officials. This work makes a difference daily to the people of Oregon and provides unparalleled career satisfaction and professional opportunities. At DOJ we serve Oregonians by: • Defending Oregon’s values and essential services by representing state agencies and officials in litigation, challenging federal overreach, and supporting the victims and survivors of crime. • Advising state agencies on legal questions to ensure that they comply with the law and safeguard the constitutional rights of all Oregonians. • Keeping children and communities safe by advocating for the best interests of children in dependency proceedings, defending lawful criminal convictions and sentences, combating internet crimes against children, partnering with local law enforcement to disrupt organized crime networks, and ensuring accountability in cases of public corruption so that no one is above the law. • Protecting working families, seniors, and consumers through fighting predatory lending and scams, enforcing data‑privacy safeguards, and returning money to Oregonians harmed by unlawful business practices. • Supporting Oregon families through our Child Support Program, which helps parents secure financial stability for their children by establishing parentage, enforcing child support orders, and ensuring families have the resources they need to thrive. • Providing efficient support services through investments in a healthy workplace, modernized technology and human resource systems, transparent operations, and long‑term planning that ensures DOJ remains a resilient institution for future generations. Diversity, equity and inclusion are core values of the Oregon Department of Justice. As such, we focus on building and maintaining a diverse, inclusive and equitable work environment. Every employee contributes to our diversity through varied background, experiences and perspectives. Candidates from diverse backgrounds are encouraged to apply. The Oregon Department of Justice is an equal opportunity employer, and does not discriminate based on race, color, national origin, ethnicity, veteran, gender, sexual orientation, religion, age or disability, and is committed to workplace diversity. Veterans’ preference is recognized as provided by law.

Requirements

Must be a recent law school graduate (includes those serving as judicial clerks).
Applicants who have already practiced law are not eligible.
Must be admitted to the Oregon Bar, or anticipate being admitted shortly after appointment in September 2027.
Must be eligible to practice law in Oregon courts by or soon after September 2027.
Individual background and perspective.
Commitment to diversity and equity.
Contributions to an inclusive work environment.
Enthusiasm for public service.
Educational achievements.
Class standing.
Written work.
Presentation, content, clarity, grammar, spelling, and applicable knowledge and skills in application materials.

Responsibilities

Serve as Assistant Attorneys General for two years.
Rotate from one division to another after the first year to gain a breadth of experience in diverse areas of the law.
Work on ongoing cases or client advice.
Represent the State of Oregon and its people.
Defend state agency orders in administrative hearings.
Protect Oregon's children.
Handle complex litigation, criminal law, and constitutional issues.
Represent state agencies and officials in litigation.
Challenge federal overreach.
Support victims and survivors of crime.
Advise state agencies on legal questions.
Advocate for the best interests of children in dependency proceedings.
Defend lawful criminal convictions and sentences.
Combat internet crimes against children.
Partner with local law enforcement to disrupt organized crime networks.
Ensure accountability in cases of public corruption.
Fight predatory lending and scams.
Enforce data-privacy safeguards.
Return money to Oregonians harmed by unlawful business practices.
Support Oregon families through the Child Support Program.
Establish parentage.
Enforce child support orders.