Summer Honors Law Program

The SEC's Summer Honors Program gives law and JD/MBA students the opportunity to become acquainted with the regulation of the securities markets and the activities of the Commission. Students from law schools across the country work at the Commission's Washington, DC, Headquarters and in a number of our Regional Offices nationwide.

The Program

Over the course of the ten-week program, students work with Commission attorneys on several projects particular to the specific Division or Office to which they are assigned. Students participate in seminars/workshops on various aspects of the federal securities laws. Past presentations have included: An Overview of Federal Securities Laws; Securities Fraud on the Internet; a Testimony Taking Workshop; Mergers and Acquisitions; and The SEC's Investigative Process.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

• How do I apply?
• What are the eligibility requirements?
• Which Divisions/Offices hire Summer Honors Law Program interns?
• What do you look for in a candidate?
• How many students do you typically hire?
• How do I know my application has been received?
• How will I know if I have submitted all my application materials?
• Where can I check the status of my application?
• Where can I submit additional documentation or update my application?
• What do you look for in a writing sample?
• Who can I contact if I have additional questions?
• Is this a paid internship?

How do I apply?

Currently, the Summer Honors Law Program application for 2Ls is open and can be found on USAJobs at:

2010 Summer Honors Law Program – 2L applicants interested in being considered by Divisions/Offices in DC must apply by November 15, 2009. Applications received between November 16 and December 15, 2009, will only be considered by Regional Offices. The application for 1Ls will open in December. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis and referred to hiring officials on a bi-weekly basis.

What are the eligibility requirements?

• Students must attend an accredited law school. See http://www.abanet.org/legaled/approvedlawschools/alpha.html.
• Students who are relatives of current SEC employees are ineligible.
• The SEC can hire U.S. citizens or citizens of allied nations for paid legal positions. You can find more information about our citizenship requirements at http://www.sec.gov/jobs/jobs_attcitizen.shtml .
• Students completing their first year of law school by the summer are eligible for the 1L program. Students completing their second year of law school by the summer are eligible for the 2L program. JD/MBA students' program eligibility is determined by years of law school completed by the summer.

Which Divisions/Offices hire Summer Honors Law Program interns?

Listed below are the Divisions and Offices that typically hire Summer Honors Law Program interns. This list is subject to change on an annual basis.

Washington DC Headquarters

• Division of Corporation Finance
• Division of Enforcement
• Division of Investment Management
• Division of Risk, Strategy, and Financial Innovation
• Division of Trading and Markets
• Office of Chief Accountant (1Ls only)
• Office of Compliance Inspections and Examinations
• Office of General Counsel
• Office of Inspector General (1Ls only)
• Office of International Affairs
• Executive Staff

Regional Offices (Enforcement Only)

• Atlanta
• Boston
• Chicago
• Denver
• Fort Worth
• Miami
• Los Angeles
• New York (1Ls only)
• Philadelphia
• Salt Lake
• San Francisco

What do you look for in a candidate?

Students are selected based on merit. Selection criteria include: a demonstrated interest in public service and the SEC's mission; strong academic performance; excellent writing skills; previous employment and internships; law review and other publication work; and extracurricular activities such as moot court competition, legal aid, and clinical experience. Undergraduate securities course work is not a prerequisite.

How many students do you typically hire?

The SEC hires about 100 legal interns nationwide. Typically, 65-75 are 1Ls and 25-35 are 2Ls.

How do I know my application has been received?

Students can check on the status of their application on USAJobs.

How will I know if I have submitted all my application materials?

Your status in USAJobs will be updated with your status information; however you MUST complete the entire document to be considered. Please remember that the application has a questionnaire (questions relating to citizenship, class year, grade-point average, etc.) that must be filled out in order to be considered eligible.

Where can I check the status of my application?

Students can check on the status of their application on USAJobs. For this program, the SEC receives over a thousand applications. Due to the fact that we have a decentralized review process, final notifications are not sent out until all offices have completed making their selections.

Where can I submit additional documentation or update my application?

All documents need to be submitted as part of your original application. Please review requested documentation carefully prior to finalizing your application.

What do you look for in a writing sample?

Strong writing skills are essential to our work here at the SEC. Your writing sample should demonstrate your ability to analyze complex legal issues and communicate such information clearly and effectively. You may submit a brief, legal memorandum or other document that you wrote for a legal writing class assignment, research project, job, or internship. It should not exceed 10 pages in length. Please submit excerpts from your writing sample if the original document exceeds 10 pages.

Who can I contact if I have additional questions?

Please e-mail any additional questions to recruit@sec.gov. Please note that the SEC receives a high volume of emails, inquiries submitted to this mailbox will be responded to as they are received.

Is this a paid internship?

This internship is paid or unpaid depending on the budget.