Why Work for the Federal Government?

Have you considered working for the federal government?  Lawyers working for the federal government report high levels of satisfaction with their jobs.  Federal employment offers significant responsibility early in one’s career, intellectually challenging work, and an opportunity to serve the public good.  In addition, the federal government offers the highest attorney salaries in the public sector and wonderful work/life benefits, including reasonable and flexible work hours.  Aside from work on criminal matters, government lawyers work on everything from constitutional issues to coal mine safety regulation.  Also, they work in all three branches of government, although most are employed in the executive branch.

Because the federal government is so large and the opportunities within it so varied, the process of researching and applying for government jobs can be daunting.  Know that Georgetown students intern for a diverse range of offices every semester, and Law Center alums are represented in almost every federal agency and department.  Below you will find information about where to find federal government jobs and how to apply successfully for those jobs.  Our hope is that this information, though not exhaustive, will help you navigate the federal hiring process. 

Reasons to consider federal employment

Guess Who’s Hiring? – An expected large-scale retirement by Baby Boomers in the next decade is likely to leave many federal positions open for new attorneys to fill.  One-third of full-time federal employees are expected to leave their jobs in the next five years.

From Constitutional Law to Coal Mine Regulation – Attorneys work in all three branches of government and in numerous capacities, including litigating civil and criminal cases, counseling lawmakers, drafting statutes and regulations, issuing administrative legal opinions, and much more.

Immediate Responsibility – Attorneys working for the federal government develop key leadership skills quickly as a result of managing their own caseloads and other significant immediate responsibilities.

Where in the World? – 85% of federal jobs are located outside of the Washington, DC area, and almost 50,000 federal employees work outside the U.S.  There are many government attorney jobs in DC, however, and you can take advantage of our location by serving as an intern or extern for a federal agency during the school year.

Lighten the Debt Load – Many federal agencies have their own loan repayment assistance programs.  Learn more about federal student loan repayment programs, and note that the recently passed College Cost Reduction & Access Act (which you can learn about here) can benefit attorneys working in the federal government.  Alums working in government (federal, state and local) are eligible for Georgetown’s Loan Repayment Assistance Program as well.

High-end Public Interest Pay – Federal jobs tend to pay better than jobs with nonprofit organizations.  Starting salaries for entry level federal attorneys are generally in the $50,000 range.  From there, federal attorneys can move up the salary scale quickly.  See the Office of Personnel Management: Salaries, Promotions, and Benefits site for more information.

Learn more about opportunities with the federal government at Making the Difference, a federal careers website operated jointly by the Office of Personnel Management and the Partnership for Public Service. 

 

See the OPICS’ Prosecutors and Public Defenders websites for more information about criminal law.