Legal Intern (OALJ)

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) anticipates multiple student intern vacancies for spring and summer 2025 positions, with interviews occurring in Fall 2024. This announcement concerns positions in FERC's Office of Administrative Law Judges (OALJ) for interns supporting judicial work.

The Office of Administrative Law Judges (OALJ) is an administrative law court located within the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). FERC regulates all interstate aspects of the national energy industry. OALJ receives its cases from FERC orders to resolve issues of material fact, and to apply those facts to relevant law, regulation, and FERC-interpreted policy to issue initial decisions. OALJ initial decisions are reviewed and voted-on by the FERC Commissioners before accruing appellate oversight of the D.C. Circuit, or other U.S. Circuit Court with jurisdiction. In formulating decisions, OALJ judges hold courtroom hearings and issue a broad range of intermediate orders on motions, sometimes after oral argument. FERC judges also serve as mediators and assist participants in settling complex disputes with large monetary impacts.

Spring and summer 2025 interns receive competitive compensation and work in support of judge teams. OALJ’s internship program aims to provide interns with substantive research, drafting, and in-court work, depending on the office needs, while also reserving time and attention for interns to learn more about the energy regulatory field from in-house experts as a part of both formal and informal training opportunities. At weekly meetings, interns also have the opportunity to present on energy topics that they find interesting and receive feedback from the office’s supervisory attorney.

While interns often explore foundational energy law questions, the complex nature of adversarial energy litigation leads interns to explore legal questions of all sorts, such as administrative, environmental, corporate, corporate finance, contract, tax, securities, antitrust, evidence, and much more.

Outstanding organizational, critical analysis, and legal writing skills are all essential for OALJ interns.

If you are interested in applying for a compensated spring and summer 2025 internship with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s Office of Administrative Law Judges (OALJ), please follow the USA Jobs link associated with this post and select “OALJ” or “Office of Administrative Law Judges” as your office of interest.