GAO is an independent, nonpartisan, legislative branch agency that advises Congress on ways to make the federal government more efficient and effective. GAO's Office of the General Counsel (OGC) employs about 180 attorneys who carry out a range of legal functions in support of GAO's mission. OGC is hiring 2Ls or 2L equivalents for its paid 2025 Summer Associate Legal Honors Program, which may lead to offers of permanent employment for entry-level positions for the fall of 2026.

Duties

As an Attorney (Student Trainee) - 2025 Summer Associate (GS-0999-9) your typical work assignments may include the following: Demonstrating core legal skills by researching complex areas of law and by applying analytical and critical thinking skills to resolve legal issues. Summer Associates further demonstrate these skills through the preparation of legal decisions or portions of legal decisions, legal memos, and oral presentations to attorneys and/or non-attorneys. Summer Associates generally prepare at least two significant legal memos or decisions and deliver at least one oral presentation describing the results of their work. Demonstrating the ability to work effectively in a federal legal office by working closely with supervisors and other attorneys to provide legal advice to clients and share legal conclusions with clients. Demonstrating the ability to manage a large portfolio of work by managing their time effectively, prioritizing their work appropriately, and meeting deadlines. Demonstrating the ability to respond to feedback on their legal work product by addressing comments and guidance from supervisors and others. Summer Associate assignments are determined based on the teams to which they are assigned for rotations. The types of teams to which Summer Associates can be assigned are as follows: Engagement counsel rotations: Attorneys supporting GAO's analysts are referred to as engagement counsel, and they provide legal support to one of GAO's 14 mission teams, whose work covers topics such as Natural Resources and the Environment; Information Technology and Cybersecurity; Homeland Security and Justice; Health Care; Education, Workforce, and Income Security; Physical Infrastructure; and International Affairs and Trade. Engagement counsel are responsible for ensuring the legal sufficiency of every report that GAO issues, and they work as part of interdisciplinary teams that may include analysts, economists, statisticians, scientists, and others. Summer Associates in engagement counsel roles will typically prepare a written legal memo on a topic related to an ongoing GAO engagement, a possible future GAO engagement, or cross-cutting legal issues affecting multiple engagements. Appropriations Law rotations: Attorneys draft legal decisions and reports on complex matters of appropriations law and provide briefings to congressional staff and agency officials on the conclusions. They collaborate with other GAO attorneys to provide legal advice on federal budget and appropriations law issues. They provide internal legal advice and counsel to GAO on the use of its own appropriation. They also draft decisions and reports as required by the Congressional Review Act, the Davis Bacon Act, and the Federal Vacancies Reform Act. Summer Associates rotating through Appropriations Law generally prepare a memo on a related topic and also have a broader exposure to the work of the group through smaller assignments. Procurement Law Rotations: Attorneys manage a docket of bid protest cases, which are challenges to the award or terms of federal contracts. Procurement law attorneys are responsible for all aspects of bid protest case development, including responding to agency dismissal requests and document disputes. They conduct status conferences, bid protest hearings, and alternative dispute resolution, as needed, for the effective resolution of each bid protest. They draft clearly written, legally sound bid protest decisions in a timely manner, ensuring that they are reviewed, edited, and issued to the parties within the 100-day statutory deadline applicable to all bid protests filed with the GAO. Summer Associates rotating through Procurement Law generally have an opportunity to draft dismissal decisions, full or partial decisions related to the merits of a protest, or broader topics of wide interest in the procurement law community. Legal Services Team Rotations: Attorneys who act as in house counsel in our Legal Services team advise GAO managers on a broad array of personnel and labor issues to ensure compliance with applicable laws, rules and regulations, and they manage a docket of administrative litigation before the GAO Personnel Appeals Board. They also perform other duties as necessary to respond to novel and complex questions concerning GAO's personnel system, and to support GAO's efforts in carrying out its mission. Summer Associates assigned to Legal Services generally have an opportunity to write a memo on a timely topic relevant to the Legal Services portfolio. The Summer Associate program also features opportunities to participate in small team and larger office events and activities. Please refer to the "Additional Information" section for more information about the Summer Associate program.

Requirements

Qualifications

You must meet the minimum qualification requirements by the closing date of this job opportunity announcement: Must be a current 2Ls or the equivalent student pursing a J.D. degree from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association.

Education

See Qualification section.

FOREIGN EDUCATION: Education completed outside of the United States must be deemed equivalent to that gained in conventional/accredited U.S. education programs to be acceptable for Federal employment. Most foreign education is not accredited by an accrediting body that is recognized by the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education. If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html

Contacts

• Address Government Accountability Office Human Capital Office 441 G Street NW Washington, DC 20548 US
• Name: GAO Legal Careers
• Email: [email protected]