Hiring Organization

USAO Northern District of Iowa

Location:

Multiple Locations

Application Deadline:

Friday, November 6, 2026

About the Office

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Iowa prosecutes federal criminal offenses and defends the federal government’s interests in civil cases in 52 of the state’s 99 counties. The headquarters office is in Cedar Rapids with a branch office in Sioux City. The Office routinely ranks among the busiest of the 25 U.S. Attorney’s Offices of comparable size, and its attorneys have a reputation for trying and winning complex, difficult cases. The work environment emphasizes professionalism, teamwork, collaboration, and mentorship. For more information on the Office, see https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndia.

Job Description

“Valuable morning. I’m here on behalf of the United States of America.” In few positions besides Assistant U.S. Attorney are the Nation’s interest and safety so frequently embodied in a single representative. United States Attorneys and their assistants are uniquely charged with pursuing not just policies, but justice—justice for communities, justice for victims, and justice even for those defending themselves against criminal charges. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Iowa is among the best in the Nation in that pursuit, and there are opportunities for you to immerse yourself with that team: We’re seeking Law Student Volunteers to work in our Cedar Rapids and Sioux City offices for the Spring 2026–2027 academic term.





These in-person positions are for students who are interested in the federal legal system and in developing practical skills. You’ll become familiar with the Federal Rules of Civil and Criminal Procedure, the Federal Rules of Evidence, the local rules of practice for the United States District Court, and the local and Federal Rules of Appellate Procedure. You may have the chance to attend depositions and meetings with investigative agents; you’ll often accompany Assistant U.S. Attorneys and Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys to court proceedings in their cases or in cases of general interest in the office.

As a Law Student Volunteer, your duties will include, for example, legal research; drafting memoranda and pleadings; trial preparation; and drafting motions and responses, memoranda of law, and appellate briefs. If you qualify to practice under the court’s student-practice rules, you may have the opportunity to present or argue at hearings.

You and the U.S. Attorney’s Office will jointly determine your hours of duty and the duration of your volunteer service.

Qualifications

- Law students only: You must be a second- or third-year law student (or the equivalent, if a part-time student) enrolled in an accredited law school pursuing a J.D. degree and taking at least a half-time academic course load.



Preferred candidates will have outstanding academic records and superior writing skills and be in valuable academic standing at their university.

- Citizenship: You must be a United States citizen or owe permanent allegiance to the United States. (The latter group includes natives of American Samoa, natives of the Swains Island, and certain inhabitants of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.)

- Background investigation: You must successfully complete a background investigation.

- Agreement: You must agree to the Participant Agreement after your background investigation is completed.

Application Process

To apply, send a cover letter, resume, official or unofficial law-school transcript, and writing sample of no more than 10 pages. Your cover letter should include your daytime phone number and the dates and hours you are available. If applying by email, send the materials (preferably combined into a single PDF) to [email protected].

If applying by mail, send them to:

Administrative Officer
United States Attorney’s Office
111 7th Ave SE, Box 1
Cedar Rapids, IA 52401

Applications must be received by Friday, November 6, 2026. The Office is not responsible for delays in receiving your application, whatever the cause. Consistent with Executive Order 14170 and the Merit Hiring Plan, the Office will not accept resumes more than two pages long. The Office will frown on formatting tricks designed to get around either page limit.

Salary

These positions are uncompensated. Course credit may be available.

📌 Law Student Volunteer, Spring 2027 (Meghalaya)
🏢 U.S. Department of Justice
📍 Meghalaya