Student Trainee (Legal)

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission • District of Columbia, DC

6d • Onsite

About The Position

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) is hiring Student Trainees (Legal) for its Spring/Summer 2027 Pathways Internship Program. Interns will gain firsthand experience in the energy industry and exposure to the Commission’s work. This announcement may be used to fill multiple positions in the Office of Administrative Litigation (OAL), Office of Administrative Law Judges (OALJ), Office of Enforcement and Regulatory Accounting (OERA), Office of the General Counsel (OGC), and the Office of Commissioner David Rosner. Duties vary by office placement.

OAL interns work with multidisciplinary case teams on administrative litigation involving energy law, infrastructure, and rates in the electric, natural gas, and oil sectors. OALJ interns assist administrative law judges and law clerks with hearings, settlement proceedings, evidentiary records, orders, and initial decisions in contested energy-regulation proceedings. OERA interns support enforcement investigations and litigation or hearings, and complete a semester-long research project. OGC interns may work on energy markets, environmental and infrastructure projects, or general and administrative law matters. Interns in Commissioner Rosner’s office review and analyze matters within the Commission’s jurisdiction and support the Commissioner’s work.

The program also offers networking events, visits to regulated hydropower dams, and seminars with FERC management officials. The appointment is not to exceed September 30, 2027, but may be extended if the student continues to meet program requirements. The internship may confer non-competitive conversion eligibility if program requirements are met; conversion is not guaranteed. The duty location is Washington, DC.

Requirements

• Be a U.S. citizen or national.
• Be accepted for enrollment or enrolled and seeking a degree or certificate at a qualifying educational institution on at least a half-time basis, as determined by the institution, and remain a student throughout the appointment.
• Meet applicable experience and/or education qualification standards and eligibility requirements by the applicable deadline.
• To qualify at GS-9, complete the second year of law school by the end of fall 2026 for a spring internship or by the end of spring 2027 for a summer internship.
• Submit transcripts with the application.
• Sign a Pathways Participant Agreement if hired.
• Pass a background investigation; a one-year probationary period may be required.
• Generally, male applicants must be registered with the Selective Service.
• If hired, divest certain energy-related securities as required by ethics rules.
• Submit a resume no longer than two pages.

Responsibilities

• In OAL, work with multidisciplinary case teams on administrative litigation involving energy law, infrastructure, and rates; support negotiations, trial preparation, motions practice, expert testimony preparation, and legal research.
• In OALJ, assist administrative law judges and law clerks with formal administrative hearings, settlement proceedings, complex evidentiary records, drafting orders, and initial decisions.
• Conduct legal research, writing, and analysis; summarize testimony and exhibits; and attend settlement conferences and hearings as assigned in OALJ.
• In OERA, assist enforcement staff with investigations, litigation, and administrative hearings, including evidence collection, legal research, drafting legal memoranda, and helping attorneys prepare for and attend depositions or interviews.
• Complete a semester-long research project of the intern’s choice in OERA.
• In OGC Energy Markets, conduct legal research, draft legal memoranda, and assist with orders concerning the Commission’s responsibilities under energy statutes and administrative law.
• In OGC Projects, conduct legal research, draft memoranda and orders, work with technical staff on energy issues, and review applications and materials concerning proposed hydropower and natural gas facilities.
• In OGC General and Administrative Law, work on matters including labor relations, personnel disputes, FOIA, ethics, contracts, Critical Energy/Electric Infrastructure Information, and related litigation.
• In Commissioner David Rosner’s office, review, summarize, and analyze matters within the Commission’s jurisdiction; prepare memoranda, research background for public statements and engagements, participate in meetings with external stakeholders, and complete other assigned projects.

Benefits

• Federal employee benefits package; eligibility depends on position type and whether employment is full-time, part-time, or intermittent.
• Networking events, visits to regulated hydropower dams, and seminars with FERC management officials.

What This Job Offers

• Career Level: Intern