Law Student Volunteer (Summer 2026)

The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of South Dakota investigates and prosecutes federal crimes and represents the interests of the United States in both criminal and civil cases and matters in U.S. District Court for the District of South Dakota, as well as in the Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit.

The office has three litigating divisions—Criminal, Appellate, and Civil. The Criminal Division prosecutes federal criminal violations, which include crimes in Indian Country, controlled substance violations, violent crime, organized crime, fraud, tax violations, white-collar crime, civil rights violations, crimes against children, and national security offenses. The Appellate Division handles the office’s appeals and provides guidance to Assistant U.S. Attorneys. The Civil Division is responsible for litigating matters in which the United States is a party, whether as plaintiff or defendant. Such cases include, for example, bankruptcy, collections, affirmative civil enforcement, federal tort claim defenses, EEOC matters, and prisoner petitions. Summer Law Volunteers will work from the Sioux Falls (headquarters), Rapid City, or Pierre offices. Remote or telework is not available.

The District of South Dakota is seeking outstanding candidates as Law Student Volunteers for the Sioux Falls, Rapid City, or Pierre, SD offices. The program is overseen by experienced Assistant U.S. Attorneys who provide daily supervision and coordinate work assignments. Substantive assignments Law Student Volunteers can expect in this role include:

providing research on legal issues and stating findings orally and/or through written memoranda;

assisting and/or preparing pre-trial and post-trial motions and responses;

assisting in writing of trial and appellate briefs;

observing various stages of federal proceedings (witness interviews, depositions, trials, sentencings, appellate arguments, etc.);

assisting in the preparation of affidavits, exhibits, and notebooks for trial; and

for those who qualify under the student-practice rules, participating in court hearings.

Other opportunities provided include:

meeting with federal agencies (FBI, DEA, ATF, HSI, etc.);

attending “Law Student Volunteer Panels” hosted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys; and

receiving personal introductions to federal district judges.

The summer session runs from approximately June to August. For the best experience, Law Student Volunteers are expected to be in-person, 40 hours a week, for a minimum of 8 weeks.

To be eligible for this experience ALL of the following requirements must be met:

Law Student Status: Acceptance of applications for this announcement will be limited to students entering their second year of law school. Law school graduates are not eligible. An eligible student is an individual who is enrolled in law school pursuing a Juris Doctorate Degree and is taking at least half-time academic course load in an accredited university. Preferred candidates will have outstanding academic records, superior writing skills, and be in good academic standing with their educational institution.

Citizenship: Law Student Volunteers must be United States citizens or owe permanent allegiance to the United States. (Currently, natives of American Samoa, Swains Island and certain inhabitants of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands are the only groups that owe permanent allegiance to the United States.)

Background Investigation: You must successfully complete a background investigation to determine your suitability for Federal selection.

Volunteer Agreement: All Law Student Volunteers are required to sign the Participant Agreement (will be completed later if selected).

Applicants must provide an application packet as one combined PDF attachment to:
USASD.Applications@usdoj.gov with a subject line of “Summer 2026 SLV”, no later than October 19, 2025, including the following elements:

Cover letter including your contact information, the litigating division(s) you are interested in, location preference (Sioux Falls, Rapid City, and/or Pierre), and the dates you are available for the Law Student Volunteer position. We encourage you to address your interest in the USAO’s work and your ties to (or interest in) the District of South Dakota.

Current resume (must not exceed 2 pages). Note this is a federal requirement.

Current law school transcript (unofficial). If your most recent semester's grades are unavailable when you submit your application, you must provide them as soon as they become available.

A legal writing sample (not to exceed 10 pages).

Those selected for interviews will be notified. We participate in on-campus interviewing (OCI) at the University of South Dakota Knutson School of Law. For students farther afield or when on-campus interviews are not feasible, arrangements will be made for interviews online or in person at the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Sioux Falls.

This is a voluntary position without federal compensation or benefits. Academic credit may be available. Students are required to coordinate eligibility and any associated requirements through their respective law school in advance.