Region 1: EPA New England
Legal Internships
Legal Interns State Their Case
"As a summer legal intern in EPA's Office of Environmental Stewardship, I had the excellent opportunity to work with a number of attorneys on enforcement actions under several environmental statutes – CAA, CWA, EPCRA, RCRA and FIFRA. I was also included in both internal and external case discussions, and received mentoring in negotiation, strategizing and other lawyering skills that are critical in the practice of environmental law. My mentor and the other attorneys I worked with provided me with interesting assignments and constructive feedback. In addition to learning more about environmental law and its practice than is possible in a classroom, it was an honor to spend my summer working for an agency with a mandate as important as EPA's."
Rebecca Tatem, Boston College Law School
"Working in the Office of Environmental Stewardship proved to be a terrific opportunity to learn how EPA enforces our country's environmental laws and regulations. I acquired hands on experience working with EPA attorneys by drafting information requests, administrative orders, and civil complaints. My mentors did a terrific job exposing me to multiple areas of environmental law while assigning me meaningful work assignments. All the attorneys at EPA made me feel welcome and that I was part of the team. If given the opportunity to join EPA, I highly recommend working alongside this group of incredible attorneys and staff."
Adam Dumville, Vermont Law School
"Working in the Office of Regional Counsel has been, without a doubt, the best experience of my law school career. I've had the opportunity to delve into cutting-edge legal questions implicating both Regional and national policy. Not only do legal interns engage in a diverse array of substantive, meaningful work but the mentorship and supportive, collegial work environment at Region I are absolutely phenomenal. The attorneys are eager to involve interns in meetings and events beyond simply those pertaining to an existing assignment. As result, I have established lasting connections that will be both personally and professionally invaluable throughout my career. Similarly, the interns have forged a close bond that I am confident will endure long past the conclusion of our summer experience."
Blair Edwards, Boston College Law School
"EPA Region 1 really goes above and beyond in providing a comprehensive top-notch summer intern experience. I learned so much about agency law and our major environmental statutes in such a short time, and had the amazing opportunity to work closely with five extremely talented attorneys who were very eager, not only to help me learn more about the practice of environmental law, but to provide career advice and to serve as mentors. To top it all off, the summer intern program includes a weekly series of engaging speakers from an broad array of agency departments, so interns can see how the different divisions of EPA Region 1 work together to protect our environment. For any law student interested in environmental law, I cannot imagine a more fantastic summer learning experience."
Hayley Fink, Yale Law School
Summer Program Activities
The Summer Program includes activities for interns such as information sessions with EPA experts on homeland security, criminal enforcement, emergency response, energy, and environmental justice; field trips including a walking tour of Commonwealth tidelands and a visit to a Superfund Site; the annual legal office retreat; and brown bag lunches with senior regional managers.
FOR CURRENT LAW STUDENTS ONLY / AVAILABLE FOR SPRING 2012 and SUMMER 2012
EPA New England offers a unique opportunity for law students to join an office dedicated to protecting public health and the environment in New England. The Region has innovative initiatives addressing environmental justice, brownfields redevelopment, and urban environmental issues, as well as comprehensive programs to protect our air, water, and land. EPA New England's legal offices value diversity and a collegial work environment. Legal interns will be supervised by attorneys with regionally and nationally recognized expertise.
EPA New England
EPA New England, located in Boston, MA, is one of ten regional offices of the Environmental Protection Agency. The mission of the Agency is to protect public health and to preserve the environment.
EPA New England employs approximately 700 people who are responsible for implementing the federal environmental statutes and programs in the six New England states. The staff includes scientists, environmental engineers, environmental protection specialists, and attorneys.
EPA New England attorneys provide legal advice on the implementation and enforcement of federal laws administered by EPA, including laws relating to air and water pollution, the control of toxic substances, and the management and disposal of hazardous wastes.
Approximately sixty attorneys in EPA New England work on a full range of legal matters including:
- enforcement actions brought administratively or in federal district court against violators of federal environmental protection statutes and regulations;
- defense of EPA in lawsuits filed against it;
- review of the statutes and regulations of states and Indian tribes seeking delegations of authority from EPA to have primary responsibility for federal environmental programs;
- legal advice concerning the operation of the regional office; and
- legal advice concerning the administration of EPA grant programs.
The attorneys are housed in two separate offices. Enforcement of the federal environmental statutes is managed through the Office of Environmental Stewardship. All other legal work is managed through the Office of Regional Counsel.
LEGAL INTERN PROGRAM
EPA New England is seeking motivated law school students with strong academic credentials for legal intern positions. Only currently enrolled law school students are eligible to apply for the program. We are particularly interested in students planning careers in the public sector or seeking experience in environmental law. Legal interns will have the opportunity to work on a challenging range of issues involving environmental protection and public policy throughout New England.
Summer internships are ten week full-time positions. There is a summer program that includes weekly meetings introducing the legal interns to a broad range of regional activities, field trips, and brown bag lunches with senior managers.
It is likely that all positions in Summer, 2012 will be unpaid. Students with outside sources of funding (i.e., scholarship, fellowship, or grant funds) or who may receive law school credit are encouraged to apply.
APPLICATION DEADLINES
Please do not mail resumes to EPA New England. Applications should include a cover letter, resume, and most recent law school transcript.
Applications for full-time legal internships for Spring, 2012 should be submitted electronically to the EPA New England legal internship e-mail box at the address below prior to November 18, 2011.
The summer program includes approximately ten interns. Applications for Summer, 2012, legal internships should be submitted electronically to the EPA New England legal internship e-mail box at the address below no later than December 16, 2011. We encourage you to submit your application for the Summer, 2012 program as early as possible. Some offers may be made as soon as November, 2011.
EPA New England will be conducting interviews at the following job fairs:
Equal Justice Works Career Fair, Washington, D.C. October 21-22, 2011
Massachusetts Law Consortium, Careers in Government/Public Interest Program
Boston College Law School October 17—18, 2011
Suffolk University Law School January 26—27, 2012
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is an equal opportunity employer. EPA encourages people of color to apply. If you are a veteran, please include in your application appropriate documentation such as DD214 (copy 4), your VA letter, or Standard Form-15 (disabled veteran).
Contact Information
Application materials for legal internship positions must be sent by e-mail to: internships.legal@epa.gov
Questions about the legal internship program should be directed to:
Barbara Barrett/Office of Environmental Stewardship
U.S. EPA, New England Region
5 Post Office Square, Suite 100
Mail Code: OES04-5
Boston, MA 02109-3912
Phone: 617-918-1700
Please be sure to include the mail code (OES04-5) in our address.
Legal intern positions are not open to any undergraduate students or to those post-graduate students who are not currently attending law school.