Legal Intern Program
United States Attorneys Office
Middle District of Tennessee
The Office of the United States Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee is responsible for the prosecution of all federal crimes in the 32 of 95 counties in the State of Tennessee. The Criminal Division handles a variety of case: Firearms, Violent Crimes, Narcotics, Terrorism, White Collar Crime, and General Crimes. The office also represents the United States and its departments and agencies in civil proceedings filed in federal court. Approximately 30 attorneys work in the office – about 80% work in the Criminal Division and 20% work in the Civil Division. The office is located in Nashville, Tennessee.
Legal Intern Program
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Tennessee utilizes the volunteer services of law students on a year-round basis. These legal interns/externs are unpaid volunteers who work either for the experience and/or for academic credit. The program is intended to give law students the opportunity to assist in the prosecution and defense of both criminal and civil cases in the district court and Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.
Interns may be assigned to a specific team, either in the Criminal or Civil Division. Each intern will have a supervising attorney who will work with the intern throughout the internship to coordinate assignments, assist in legal research, and provide general assistance and mentoring as needed. The interns are not limited to working on projects for their assigned mentor or within their assigned team, especially if they are interested in a variety of areas.
Interns are responsible for researching legal issues and writing responses in pending cases, jury instructions, and appellate briefs. Interns work with attorneys in responding to discovery, interviewing witnesses, assembling exhibits for trial, and negotiating settlements. Additionally, interns have the opportunity to observe hearings and trials.
Full-time summer interns have the opportunity to participate in several extracurricular activities, including tours of a local prison, the medical examiner’s office, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, the Metropolitan Nashville Police Academy, and Federal Agencies. Interns also may participate in a ride-along program with the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department. Additional opportunities may include talking with local judges, observing a variety of hearings, and talking with an assistant federal public defender.
Summer interns are expected to work full time for a minimum of eight weeks, although ten weeks or more is recommended. Splitting the summer is strongly discouraged but will be considered in unusual circumstances in which there are compelling reason(s). The summer intern program lasts from June through August.
Vanderbilt interns who work during the semester are expected to work a minimum of 110 hours, 8 hours a week.
Submitting an Application
To submit an application, the student should submit a cover letter, resume, writing sample, references, telephone numbers where the student can be reached during the day and in the evening, and an e-mail address. Applications for the summer internship program should be sent to the Intern Coordinator (Carrie Daughtrey), United States Attorney’s Office, 110 9th Ave. South, Suite A-961, Nashville, TN 37203. Applications for summer employment should be received no later than February 4, 2008. First year students should update their applications as soon as possible after receiving their grades for their first semester. Applications for students interested in working part time during the school year must be received by June 15 for work in the Fall semester and October 15 for the Spring semester. Applicants must be U.S. citizens and must be currently enrolled in school.
Background Check
Prior to beginning work as an intern, candidates must undergo a name and fingerprint check. In addition, interns’ pre-employment forms are thoroughly reviewed to determine suitability for employment. Finally interns must pass a drug test, which screens for current illegal drug use. This background check takes approximately three months.