How does the ACUS internship process work?  Glad you asked!  This blog post will take you through the process from start to finish.

To start, what do we look for in an intern?  Among other things, we look for academic excellence, as well as coursework, work experience, and/or demonstrated interest in administrative law.  To apply, submit a cover letter, résumé, unofficial transcript, and writing sample either by e-mail to internships@acus.gov (preferred) or standard mail to 1120 20th Street, NW, Suite 706 South, Washington, DC 20036.  We hire 1Ls, 2Ls, and 3Ls.  Deadlines for the upcoming year are: June 15 for Fall 2013; October 1 for Spring 2014; and February 15 for Summer 2014.  We consider applications on a rolling basis, so check the website frequently for updates.

After you’ve applied, we may contact you for an interview.  We conduct interviews either in person or via teleconference or videoconference.  All interviewees are given the same consideration, regardless of whether they interview in person or remotely.  Once we’ve finished the interview process and made our selections, we notify everyone who has applied.

You may also have questions about the structure of the internship program.  First, how will you get your assignments?  You receive assignments from either our Research Director or the Staff Counsel who support ACUS’s six committees (Adjudication, Administration & Management, Collaborative Governance, Judicial Review, Regulation, and Rulemaking).  Don’t worry, we will not all assign things to you at once!  We will monitor your workflow and welcome your feedback about your bandwidth.

Second, what kind of work will you be doing?  Your work will vary depending on the projects currently underway.  For example, both our past and current projects touch on a wide variety of areas including incorporation by reference, third-party programs, cost-benefit analysis, and Social Security disability adjudication.  Your work will also vary depending on the time of year you intern—we have interns during the Summer, Fall, and Spring.  For example, in the Spring and Fall, we hold a number of committee meetings in order to prepare for the June and December Plenary Sessions.  These are some of the things you may do:

·         Conduct legal research for ACUS projects

·         Write memos

·         Attend meetings & events with ACUS staff

·         Draft committee meeting minutes

·         Write blogs for ACUS website

·         Bluebook & cite check reports

Third, is there a dress code, and if so, what is it?  The dress code is either business or business casual, depending on the occasion.  Business casual attire is sufficient for typical workdays, but wear business attire for committee meetings, plenary sessions, or formal “off campus” events (e.g., workshops with stakeholder groups, ABA meetings).

Fourth, what is the office culture like?  The people here are friendly and ready to help.  Our doors are open, and we encourage you to ask any questions you may have.  We also encourage you to share your interests and expertise with us.  If you have interest or background in an area, let us know—we can learn from you as you learn from us.  We also will take your expressed areas of interest into account to the greatest extent possible when dividing work assignments among interns.

That’s the ACUS internship process in a nutshell.  If you have any internship questions, please contact Reeve Bull (rbull@acus.gov) or me (awilliams@acus.gov); we’d love to speak with you.