Hiring Organization
National Security Division (NSD)
Hiring Office
Counterintelligence and Export Control Section/ Counterterrorism Section/ Foreign Investment Review Section/ National Security Cyber Section/ Office of Justice for Victims of Overseas Terrorism
Location:
Washington, DC 20530 - United States
About the Office
CES
The Counterintelligence and Export Control Section (CES) authorizes, supervises, and participates in the investigation and prosecution of cases affecting national security, including espionage, mishandling and unauthorized disclosure of classified information, economic espionage, counterproliferation, export control, neutrality, atomic energy, and foreign agent registration violations. CES attorneys work closely with law enforcement agencies and members of the intelligence community, as well as with U.S. Attorney’s Offices around the country, to investigate and prosecute crimes within CES’s area of responsibility. In addition, CES also coordinates criminal cases involving application of the Classified Information Procedures Act (CIPA) and liaises with relevant members of the intelligence community who may have an equity in any classified information.
CTS
The Counterterrorism Section (CTS) is responsible for the investigation and prosecution, prevention and disruption of acts of terrorism anywhere in the world that impact on significant United States interests and persons. The Section's responsibilities include:
investigating and prosecuting domestic and international terrorism cases;
coordinating with U.S. government agencies (including the Departments of State, Defense, Homeland Security, and the Treasury; the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. intelligence community) to facilitate prevention of terrorist activity through daily detection and analysis and to provide information and support to the field;
assisting the Anti-Terrorism Task Force Coordinators in the U.S. Attorney's Offices through the Regional Coordinator system by facilitating information sharing between and among prosecutors nationwide on terrorism matters, cases and threat information;
FIRS
NSD’s Foreign Investment Review Section (FIRS) is responsible for DOJ’s non-prosecutorial efforts to proactively address national security risks to the United States posed by foreign adversaries, hybrid commercial threats, and non-state threat actors in the context of cross-border transactions and technology. These efforts include case-specific reviews and investigations as well as broader regulatory and legal authorities relating to inbound and outbound foreign investments as DOJ’s representative on the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), exercising the Attorney General’s responsibilities as Chair of the Committee for the Assessment of Foreign Participation in the United States Telecommunications Services Sector (also known as Team Telecom), Data Security Program, Compliance and Enforcement, and Supply-chain security including the information and communications technology and services (ICTS).
OVT
The National Security Division's (NSD) Office of Justice for Victims of Overseas Terrorism (DOJ/OVT) provides support to U.S. victims of overseas terrorism by helping them navigate foreign criminal justice systems and by advocating for their voices to be heard around the world. We help victims and their families understand foreign criminal justice systems and participate in those systems to the extent permitted by foreign law. You can read more about our work here.
NatSec Cyber
The National Security Cyber Section (“NatSec Cyber”) leads the Department’s efforts in the investigation, prosecution, and general disruption of computer intrusions, attacks, other malicious cyber-enabled activities that affect national security, including those conducted by nation-state actors and their proxies. To carry out this mission, the NatSec Cyber partners with U.S. Attorney’s offices (USAOs), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the United States Intelligence Community (USIC), other U.S. government departments and agencies, and foreign and private sector partners, using a wide range of tools and authorities, including prosecution, technical operations, economic sanctions, and military, intelligence, and diplomatic efforts. NatSec Cyber often represents the Department in the National Security Council’s inter-agency policy process regarding such operational efforts and works closely with the Office of the National Cyber Director to advance related cybersecurity policy efforts. NatSec Cyber also plays the leading role in managing the Department’s National Security Cyber Specialists (NSCS) Network, which consists of at least one prosecutor in every USAO who possesses expertise in national security-related cyber investigations.
Job Description
CES
Interns will support the entire mission of CES, including assisting with ongoing criminal investigations and prosecutions. Interns will report to CES’s Intern Coordinators, Deputy Section Chiefs, and Chief. Interns will research legal questions and draft memoranda or other legal policy analyses, conduct factual research, and assist with presentations and supporting materials. Interns may also provide support for court hearing or trials. Summer internships are fulltime for a minimum of 8 weeks in the office. Fall and Spring Semester internships require a minimum commitment of 10 weeks with at least 20 hours per week in the office.
CTS
The Counterterrorism Section (CTS) seeks exceptionally qualified candidates for volunteer internship opportunities. Academic year internship positions are either part time (16 hours/week minimum) or full time (32 hours/week minimum). Summer internships are full time (40 hours/week). We do not offer remote externships.
CTS intern responsibilities include: conducting legal research and analysis, assisting with the drafting of motions and other pleadings, and assisting with presentations and supporting materials.
FIRS
Intern projects may include: researching factual and legal questions, drafting memoranda or other legal and policy analyses, conducting intra-or interagency coordination, evaluating contractual and other national security review deliverables, preparing briefing material, conducting elements of national security risk assessments, supporting the development and implementation of regulatory rules and processes, and assisting with presentations and supporting materials.
OVT
DOJ/OVT is seeking in-person law student volunteers for either part time (16 hours per week, Spring or Fall) or full time (32 hours per week in Summer) intern positions. Intern projects include performing research on international legal systems and topics, drafting memoranda and other documents, and assisting with presentations and supporting materials. Interns cannot participate in another internship or split their semester while interning with DOJ/OVT.
NatSec Cyber
NatSec Cyber seeks exceptionally qualified candidates for volunteer internship opportunities. NatSec Cyber intern responsibilities include: conducting legal research and analysis; assisting with the drafting of motions and other pleadings; assisting with presentation and supporting materials; and otherwise supporting NatSec Cyber’s efforts to disrupt cyber-enabled threats to national security. Academic year internship positions are either part time (16 hours/week minimum) or full time (32 hours/week minimum). NatSec Cyber does not offer remote internships.
Qualifications
CES
Open to all law students, joint degree, or LLM students. Applicants must be U.S. citizens and be able to obtain and maintain a Top Secret security clearance. Applications must be enrolled in an accredited U.S. law school at the time of the application and throughout their internship. Strong analytic, research, and writing skills are required. Prior interest in or experience in national security or criminal litigation is highly preferred. Interns cannot participate in another internship while interning with CES.
CTS
Open to all law students, joint degree or LL.M. students. Applicants must be U.S. citizens and able to obtain and maintain a security clearance. Applicants must be enrolled in an accredited U.S. law school at the time of application and throughout their internship. Strong analytic, research and writing skills are required. Prior interest or experience in national security or criminal litigation is highly preferred. Courses such as Criminal Procedure, Evidence and Trial Practice are also helpful. Interns cannot participate in another internship while interning with CTS.
FIRS
Applicants must be enrolled in an accredited U.S. law school at the time of application and throughout their internship. Strong research and writing skills are required. Prior interest or experience in national security is highly preferred.
OVT
Strong research and writing skills are required. Prior interest or experience in victims' issues is desired but not required. By the time of the internship, all applicants must have taken one or more of the following courses: Criminal Law, Criminal Procedure, or Constitutional Law. Additional courses addressing litigation, international law, conflicts of laws, or national security would also be helpful.
NatSec Cyber
Open to all law students, joint degree, or LL. M. students. Applicants must be U.S. citizens and able to obtain and maintain a security clearance. Applicants must be enrolled in an accredited U.S. law school at the time of application and throughout their internship. Strong analytic, research and writing skills are required . Prior interest or experience in national security, criminal litigation , and internet, digital asset, or blockchain technology is highly preferred. Courses such as Criminal Procedure, Evidence and Trial Practice are also helpful. Interns cannot participate in another internship while interning with NatSec Cyber.
Applicants must be able to obtain and maintain a security clearance for internships with CES, CTS, FIRS, and NatSec Cyber.
Application Process
If interested in applying, please send a cover letter indicating the internship period in which you are interested and specify the section to which you are applying, a resume (not to exceed two pages), a legal writing sample (not to exceed ten pages), an unofficial law school transcript (if available), and the contact information for three references, via email to
[email protected]
Deadline:
Spring 2027: All Students – August 31, 2026
Summer 2027: For Current 2L Students – November 1, 2026
For Current 1L Students – December 15, 2026 (Please note that we will not consider applications submitted before December 1, 2026).
Fall 2027: All Students – April 30, 2026
If applying to more than one section, please mark your preferences for what sections you would like. Please indicate in your cover letter if you have an active or recent security clearance.
Applications submitted after the deadline will not be considered.
Salary
Student volunteers are uncompensated, however, if your school offers interns academic credit or work study, we will work with you to meet school requirements whenever possible.
Firms are encouraging their summer associates to obtain public service internship while getting paid by a law firm in return and a commitment to work at the firm after the internship is completed. NSD will not consider applicants with this type of arrangement to avoid any conflicts of interest or the appearance of impropriety.
