The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is now accepting applications from 2L, 3L, and 4L law students for its Spring 2024 Legal Externship (Unpaid) Program in our Washington DC office. The position may be remote depending on the hiring office. The Bureau is an independent federal agency built to protect consumers. We write and enforce rules that keep banks and other financial companies operating fairly. We also educate and empower consumers.

Duties

The externships start in January 2024 and end in April 2024, the start and end dates may be flexible. The dates must be agreed upon before the start of the externship. Externs will work in one program area during the semester (see the "Qualifications" sections for a description of each program office).

Requirements

Qualifications

Applicants should have research and writing skills, solid academic credentials and a demonstrated commitment to the mission of CFPB. Externs will work in one program area during the externship. Positions are available in the following program areas: Legal Division: Responsible for advising on all legal matters; reviewing clearance, rulemaking, enforcement, and other policymaking documents; representing the CFPB in administrative, defensive, appellate, and amicus litigation; managing and overseeing responses to requests for information from Congress and other oversight bodies; and ensuring compliance with federal ethics regulations and other federal laws, rules, and regulations. Incumbents may work on projects for any of the five offices within the Legal Division. Projects generally consist of (1) conducting legal research on novel or complex issues, (2) drafting memoranda, correspondence, and motions, (3) assisting attorneys with matters in active litigation or active Congressional investigations, and (4) assisting attorneys in the Bureau-wide clearance process for policy and rulemaking initiatives. Incumbents may also attend staff meetings, moots, court proceedings, and other exciting events during their term. Office of Enforcement: Responsible for investigating potential violations of the Federal consumer financial laws and taking action to address violations where appropriate. Their work is critical to furthering the Bureau's goal of a fair marketplace for consumers. Externs in Enforcement support cases in active litigation and matters in the investigation stage. We try to give our externs exposure to many different aspects of our investigation and litigation process. Externs are typically assigned to a case team that is in active litigation and receive assignments in support of other investigations and cases. When possible, externs are provided with the opportunity to observe hearings, depositions, and other proceedings. Office of Regulations: Responsible for developing and implementing consumer financial regulations and guidance. In addition to preparing and finalizing consumer finance regulations, attorneys also conduct periodic regulatory reviews and regulatory burden reviews of existing regulations and provide guidance to other CFPB offices, government agencies, and external stakeholders on the interpretation of the CFPB's consumer financial regulations. Externs will be placed on an active rulemaking or regulatory implementation team for the duration of their semester-long externship. An extern's duties may include researching and analyzing complex factual, legal, and policy issues; preparing memos addressing these issues; and presenting their work to team members and others. Office of Supervision Policy: Responsible for providing legal and policy subject-matter expertise to the Bureau's supervisory examination staff and develops supervision strategy. A supervisory exam is an inspection of an institution's activities, management, and internal controls. OSP staff also makes recommendations on how potential violations should be resolved, such as referring a matter to the Office of Enforcement for further investigation. Externs can expect assignments that focus heavily on legal research and writing, such as drafting legal memos on, for example, whether citations of Federal consumer financial law are appropriate in examinations or interpretations of Bureau supervisory authority, or policy guidance. Externs may be invited to join calls with examiners, Supervision Policy team meetings and bi-weekly staff meetings, and meetings with other regulators. Office of Civil Rights: Enforces employment civil rights laws and works to prevent and correct any unlawful discrimination in the workplace for employees and applicants for employment. OCR processes EEO complaints filed by CFPB employees and applicants in accordance with timeframes and guidelines set forth by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and issues mandated reports. Legal Externs in the OCR will have the opportunity to (1) observe the complete EEO adjudication process and assist in Alternative Dispute Resolution such as mediations, reviewing affidavits, reviewing Reports of Investigations, draft and review final agency decisions, and draft and review accept/dismiss letters for legal accuracy before issuance, (2) conduct targeted legal research in civil rights laws, employment laws, and EEOC federal regulations and write clear and concise legal memorandum on issues that arise within the EEO Complaint Process, and (3) work on special projects within OCR to support its mission, including assistance in research and drafting reports and policy, assisting with creating and presenting webinars on EEO topics, and supporting monthly educational events for the workforce. Office of Competition and Innovation: Promotes competition, innovation, and consumer access within financial services. They are responsible for developing, coordinating, and implementing Bureau efforts to spur consumer-friendly innovation and monitor markets for competition-related issues. This includes working with other offices on information collection initiatives, researching and drafting reports, and coordinating with other regulators, both on a one-off basis and through participation in the American Consumer Financial Network (ACFIN) and the Global Financial Innovation Network (GFIN). An extern's duties may include researching and analyzing complex factual, legal, and policy issues related to competition and innovation; assisting with drafting memos, reports, and orders; reviewing information submissions from third parties; participating in internal Bureau meetings; and interacting with external stakeholders, such as consumer advocacy groups, industry trade associations, individual companies, and government regulators. For externs with a particular interest in relevant topics, OCI works to incorporate that interest into assigned projects. OCI is especially interested in candidates with a strong background and/or interest in fintech. Office of Fair Lending & Equal Opportunity: OFLEO is the team within the Office of the Director charged with administering the Bureau's fair lending program, including enforcement of the Equal Credit Opportunity Act and the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act. OFLEO focuses on ensuring fair, equitable, and nondiscriminatory access to credit for consumers, small businesses, and communities in many different areas of consumer finance, including home loans, student loans, auto loans, and small business loans. OFLEO promotes compliance with federal fair lending laws through advocacy, education, coordination with internal and external stakeholders, and reporting. Externs in OFLEO will have an opportunity to assist with the Bureau's fair lending work through policy development, supervision and enforcement activity, economic and market research, and rule-making initiatives. Areas of focus for OFLEO externs may include algorithmic bias, appraisal bias, justice-involved individuals and families, redlining, discriminatory targeting, student lending, small business lending, and other fair lending topics.

Education

You must be an enrolled 2L, 3L, or 4L law student.

Contacts

• Address HUMAN CAPITAL Administrative Resource Center Parkersburg, WV 26101 US
• Name: Applicant Call Center
• Phone: 304-480-7300
• Email: [email protected]