Internship Opportunity: Office of General Counsel
The Office of General Counsel at the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) is pleased to announce its 2025 Summer and Fall internship opportunities. The NEA is an independent federal agency that funds, promotes, and strengthens the creative capacity of communities by providing all Americans with diverse opportunities for arts participation. This mission is carried out through partnerships with state arts agencies, local leaders, and the philanthropic sector. The NEA supports arts education, celebrates America’s rich and diverse cultural heritage, and works to ensure equal access to the arts in every congressional district and community across the country.
The General Counsel serves as the chief legal advisor to the NEA Chair, staff, and the National Council on the Arts. The Office of General Counsel ensures that agency activities comply with a broad range of federal laws, including those related to grants, appropriations, procurement, employment, civil rights, intellectual property, ethics, and administrative procedures. The Office is also responsible for drafting and analyzing legislation, developing statutory regulations, and managing the agency’s Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) program. The General Counsel serves as the chief legal advisor to the NEA Chair, staff, and the National Council on the Arts. The General Counsel and her staff ensure that agency activities comply with a broad range of Federal laws, including Federal grants law, appropriations and procurement laws, employment and civil rights law, intellectual property laws, ethics law, and administrative law. The Office is also responsible for drafting legislation, analyzing pending legislation, drafting statutory regulations, and managing the agency’s Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) program.
Internship Description:
Legal interns participate in the daily operations of the Office of General Counsel and work closely with the General Counsel and legal staff. Interns gain exposure to legal issues unique to the NEA as well as those common to all federal agencies. Areas of focus may include administrative law, grants law, appropriations and procurement, employment and civil rights, intellectual property, FOIA, and ethics. Interns may be asked to draft legal memoranda, track pending legislation, or attend one of the agency’s quarterly Council meetings.
Requirements:
Applicants must have completed at least one year of law school. Strong writing skills and an interest in the arts are preferred.
Additional Information:
These positions are unpaid. However, academic credit may be available, and flexible work schedules can be arranged upon request.
Application Instructions:
Please submit a cover letter, resume, and writing sample via e-mail to:
📧 ogc@arts.gov
Or fax to: (202) 682-5872
Application Deadlines:
- Summer 2025: Applications accepted immediately
- Fall 2025: Deadline is July 25, 2025