The National Enforcement Training Institute (NETI), in EPA's Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance (OECA), offers qualified and highly motivated law students the opportunity to work side by side with practicing environmental lawyers and technical professionals in its Washington, D.C. office. NETI accepts law clerks for eleven weeks, full-time, during the Summer. Some full-time and part-time positions may also be available during the year. All Law Clerk positions are unpaid.  

What do Law Clerks hired under this program do?

Law clerks work with practicing environmental lawyers and technical professionals on active cases, policies and other projects related to civil (administrative and judicial) and criminal enforcement, investigations, inspections, targeting/priorities, federal facilities enforcement, state/tribal enforcement coordination, and other matters. Our offices implement and enforce the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, FIFRA, RCRA, TSCA, CERCLA and other environmental laws. Specific projects and assigned practice areas will depend upon the office in which the student is placed. For more information about OECA’s activities, see www.epa.gov/enforcement and www.epa.gov/compliance.

During the Summer, NETI’s Law Clerk Honors Program includes a series of unique, specialized training sessions on environmental laws and how they are enforced, as well as some relevant technical and data topics. These weekly seminars provide first-hand knowledge from EPA’s leading enforcement experts

Who is eligible?

Qualified students who are enrolled not less than half-time in law school.

Where would I work?

NETI places students in the Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance (OECA). The offices are at EPA’s Federal Triangle campus in Washington, D.C. The campus is located around the Woodrow Wilson Plaza between 12^th and 14^th Street and Pennsylvania and Constitution Avenues, NW. EPA’s William Jefferson Clinton federal office building is next to the Federal Triangle metro subway station, which is located on the Orange, Blue, and Silver lines. We are located a short distance from the White House, Washington Monument, and Smithsonian Institution museums.

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What is the typical length of employment?

• Summer:  Minimum of 40 hours per week for 11 weeks.
• Semester: Minimum of 15 hours per week for 10 weeks.

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Are the positions paid? 

• We currently are not able to offer any paid positions.
• A Metro transit subsidy is available to all Law Clerks.
• Some law schools will provide law school credit for participation in the NETI Law Clerk Honors Program. Please check with your law school to confirm whether our program satisfies the law school requirements.
• Some law schools provide a public interest stipend for participation in the NETI Law Clerk Honors Program. Please check with your law school to confirm whether a stipend program is available.

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How and when do I apply?

Positions are competitive. We look for qualified and highly motivated candidates with superior records of achievement, a commitment to environmental and/or law enforcement work, and who also work well in teams.

Interested applicants should submit a resume, two or three references (name, title, phone number and email address), a writing sample, and a cover letter that includes a statement of interest that highlights particular skills and subject area preferences. Please submit this information to OECALawInternProgram@epa.gov. On the email’s subject line, please include your name and indicate the timeframe of interest (Fall, Spring, and/or Summer). 

• DEADLINES:

  NETI Law Clerk Honors Program

  	Application Deadlines	Law Clerkship Period
  Fall	Last Friday in April	September – December
  Spring	Last Friday in September	January – March
  Summer	Last Friday in January	June – August

• We do not accept mail or courier-delivered applications.
• You must state your name, and indicate the timeframe of interest (Fall, Spring, and/or Summer), in the subject line of the email application.
• Interviews can be scheduled for out of town candidates.
• Questions may be directed to OECALawInternProgram@epa.gov

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