Internships in Region 8's Office of Regional Counsel (ORC) offer an exciting opportunity for talented law students to learn about practicing as government lawyers while making substantive contributions to the legal work performed by ORC.

What do interns hired under this program do?

EPA Region 8 works to protect human health and the environment in Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah and Wyoming, and on the reservations of 27 tribal nations. The practice areas of the Office of Regional Counsel include all major federal environmental laws (including the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, CERCLA, etc.), a significant focus on Indian law, and administrative law and general law (such as employment, contract and information law).

Our program provides an exciting and valuable opportunity for talented law students to gain practical experience in the field of environmental law, while making a meaningful contribution to the legal work performed by EPA Region 8. We offer a diverse range of substantive legal work, the ability to work with and learn from highly skilled, dedicated and collegial attorneys, significant feedback and mentoring to enhance student growth, and a general counsel practice focused on client counseling.

Our legal interns and externs work directly with Office of Regional Counsel attorneys in their capacity as counselors to the Regional Administrator, senior regional managers, and regional policy and technical staff on the application of environmental statutes, regulations, case law, and policies. Legal intern assignments typically include legal research and writing legal memoranda concerning the practice areas listed above. Legal interns often have the opportunity to observe and participate in client meetings and legal briefings, to assist in client counseling, and typically produce a writing sample in the course of their internship or externship.

Who is eligible?

We are only accepting applications from students who will have completed their second year of law school at the time they would begin their summer internship, or fall or spring externship.

What is the typical length of employment?

Fall externships typically run from September through December; spring externships typically run from January through April; and summer internships typically run from June through August (however, summer interns may be able to schedule their minimum 10 weeks to accommodate splitting their summers with other employers).  All interns and externs are expected to work for a minimum of 10 weeks.

For fall and spring semester externships, interns are expected to work a minimum of 15 hours per week, though full time fall and spring externships are available.  Summer interns are expected to work 40 hours per week.     

Are the positions paid? What are the benefits?

We are unable to offer any remuneration; however, we endeavor to accommodate requests for academic credit consistent with your law school’s externship policy.

How and when do I apply?

To be considered, please submit a copy of your:

1. cover letter,
2. resume,
3. references (the names and phone numbers of three references, preferably including one law school professor)
4. law school transcript, and
5. legal writing sample

to this address:

Office of Regional Counsel (8RC)
Attn: Mai Denawa
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 8
1595 Wynkoop Street
Denver, CO 80202-1129

Applications may also be emailed to Mai Denawa (denawa.mai@epa.gov), and questions may be directed to Ms. Denawa at 303.312.6514. Application materials sent via email should be sent in Microsoft Word or PDF formats.

Applications will be considered on a rolling basis.

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