Upcoming Government Opportunities (as of 12/05/25)
These are upcoming deadlines from the Government Honors and Internship Handbook and from the Public Policy Handbook. For job descriptions and application details, go to https://arizonahandbooks.com/u/vanilla (request password from aoa28@cornell.edu). And don’t forget to set up an email alert on Symplicity.
Additional resources:
- psjd.org – great for fellowships and internships. Search both jobs and employers (go to the employer’s website for the most up-to-date information).
- https://arizonahandbooks.com/u/vanilla (request password from aoa28@cornell.edu). Use the table at the top of the page to sort by class year.
- usajobs.gov – for all federal government opportunities.
- firmprospects – for government and public interest positions – select under the “Jobs” tab. (request registration link from aoa28@cornell.edu).
NOTE: With the Jan. 20, 2025 Federal Hiring Freeze, federal legal hiring is in a state of flux. There are some exemptions to the freeze (https://www.chcoc.gov/content/federal-civilian-hiring-freeze-guidance-1) and Agencies are reviewing appointments on a case-by-case basis. We have heard reports that some offers to students and graduates have been revoked and have heard of others going forward. Positions that are no longer recruiting are being removed from Agency websites and USAJobs.gov, so we advise checking Agency websites ands USAJobs to reconfirm availability and access the most up-to-date information before applying. Please contact us at cls-careers@cornell.edu for assistance if you are impacted.
1L
- Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency – DCSA Student Experience ’26 Office of General Counsel (Paid, Deadline Dec. 8, 2025)
- San Francisco, CA – Office of the City Attorney – Internship Program (Unpaid, Deadline Dec. 11, 2025)
- Civilian Board of Contract Appeals – Law Clerk & Internship Programs (Paid & Unpaid, Dec. 15, 2025 Begin accepting applications)
- District of Columbia, Public Defender Service for the – Legal Clerkship Program (Unpaid, Dec. 15, 2025 Begin accepting applications)
- New York County District Attorney’s Office – Summer Law Fellowship and Semester Law Internship (Paid & Unpaid, Deadline Dec. 15, 2025)
- Pennsylvania – Commonwealth Of – Legal Extern Program Governor’s Office of General Counsel (Paid & Unpaid, Deadline Mid-Dec.)
2L
- Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency – DCSA Student Experience ’26 Office of General Counsel (Paid, Deadline Dec. 8, 2025)
- San Francisco, CA – Office of the City Attorney – Internship Program (Unpaid, Deadline Dec. 11, 2025)
- Pennsylvania, Commonwealth of – Legal Extern Program Governor’s Office of General Counsel (Paid & Unpaid, Deadline Mid-Dec.)
- Labor, Department Of – Philadelphia – Legal Internship Program Office of Solicitor (Unpaid, Dec. 15, 2025 Begin accepting applications)
3L/ Honors Programs/Fellowships
- Executive Office of the President – Attorney-Advisor Office of Administration (Paid, Deadline Dec. 5, 2025)
- Sacramento State Center for California Studies – California Senate Fellows Program 2026-2027 Capital Fellows Programs (Paid, Deadline Dec. 8, 2025)
- Sacramento State Center for California Studies – Executive Fellows Program 2026-2027 Capital Fellows Programs (Paid, Deadline Dec. 8, 2025)
- Sacramento State Center for California Studies – Jesse Marvin Unruh Assembly Fellowship Program 2026-2027 Capital Fellows Programs (Paid, Deadline Dec. 8, 2025)
- Sacramento State Center for California Studies – Judicial Fellowship Program 2026-2027 Capital Fellows Programs (Paid, Deadline Dec. 8, 2025)
- Immigration and Customs Enforcement, DHS, U.S. – General Attorney Office of Principal Legal Advisor, Various Divisions (Paid, Deadline Dec. 12, 2025) Exec Comm Unit
- Center for Economic and Policy Research (Washington, DC) – Digital Communications Congressional Fellowship (Paid, Deadline Dec. 8, 2025)
- Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute (Washington, DC) – Public Policy Fellowship (Paid, Deadline Dec. 15, 2025)
Upcoming Public Policy Opportunities
Federal/State
- NOTE: With the Jan. 20, 2025 Federal Hiring Freeze, federal legal hiring is in a state of flux. There are some exemptions to the freeze (https://www.chcoc.gov/content/federal-civilian-hiring-freeze-guidance-1) and Agencies are reviewing appointments on a case-by-case basis. We have heard reports that some offers to students and graduates have been revoked and have heard of others going forward. Positions that are no longer recruiting are being removed from Agency websites and USAJobs.gov, so we advise checking Agency websites ands USAJobs to reconfirm availability and access the most up-to-date information before applying. Please contact us at cls-careers@cornell.edu for assistance if you are impacted.
- New York City Department of Citywide Administrative Services (New York City) – Urban Fellows Program (Grads & Recent Grads, Paid) Deadline Jan. 12, 2026
Non-Profits
- Education Pioneers (Washington, DC; Bay Area, CA; New York, NY; Chicago, IL; or Dallas/Houston, TX) – Education Pioneers Summer Fellowship (Paid, Deadline Dec. 9, 2025) Priority Round
- Peter G. Peterson Foundation (Washington, DC & New York, NY) – Fiscal Internship Program (Paid, Dec. 12, 2025 Begin accepting applications)
- National Immigration Law Center (Washington, DC & Los Angeles, CA) – Legal Internship (Unpaid, Deadline Dec. 12, 2025)
- National Housing Law Project (San Francisco, CA) – Law Student Internship Program (Paid, Deadline Dec. 15, 2025)
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