Federal Trade Commission Internship Opportunities: A Comprehensive Guide
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) offers a variety of internship opportunities for students and recent graduates seeking to gain practical experience in fields related to consumer protection and competition advocacy. These internships provide valuable exposure to the FTC's work and allow participants to contribute to important initiatives.
Internship Programs at the FTC
FTC internships are available in a wide range of areas, including:
- Law
- Economics
- Business
- Public Policy
- Communications
- Technology
These internships are typically offered during the summer months, although some opportunities may be available year-round. Interns may work either full-time or part-time, depending on the specific internship program and their availability.
Benefits of an FTC Internship
In addition to gaining valuable work experience, FTC interns have the opportunity to:
- Network with professionals across various sectors.
- Attend educational seminars and workshops.
- Participate in special events hosted by the agency.
- Contribute to projects and contribute to important initiatives.
- Gain experience in various fields related to consumer protection and competition advocacy.
- The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) offers a rewarding educational experience for students and recent graduates interested in making a difference in the fields of consumer protection and competition advocacy.
Eligibility Requirements
To qualify for an FTC internship, candidates typically need to be enrolled in a college or university program or have recently graduated. Specific eligibility requirements may vary depending on the internship program and position.
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Specific Internship Programs and Opportunities
Honors Paralegal Program
The Honors Paralegal Division offers summer and semester internship opportunities for undergraduate students at its Washington, D.C., office. Honors Paralegal interns have the opportunity to learn more about pursuing a career in law, public policy, and economics. During their tenure, interns work alongside paralegals, attorneys, and economists on merger and conduct investigations and litigations.
Application Deadlines:
- Summer internships: February 28th
- Fall semester internships: May 31st
- Spring semester internships: September 30th
Honors Paralegal student internships are unpaid; however, students must receive a stipend or course credit for completing their internship. Interested students should contact their respective university for additional information. Students work on a flexible part-time schedule during the academic year and full-time in the summer.
How to Apply:
The Office of Public Affairs (OPA) has posted these positions in the Handshake system used by most colleges and universities in the Washington D.C. area. If you have a Handshake account at one of the local schools, please apply by submitting your resume in the system. For questions, call 202-326-2565.
Digital Media Internship
The Office of Public Affairs (OPA) at the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) offers an opportunity for a student to share their creativity and enthusiasm for cutting-edge communications and digital design with a group of communications and digital strategy professionals educating the public about the FTC’s work. OPA is responsible for informing the public about the FTC’s diverse law enforcement actions and policy work.
Law Student Internships
The Bureau of Competition and the Bureau of Consumer Protection offer legal internship programs.
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Bureau of Competition Legal Internship Program
The Bureau of Competition’s legal internship program is designed to provide law students with meaningful work experience in the field of antitrust enforcement. The legal internship program gives law students the opportunity to work closely with attorneys, economists, and other investigative staff on investigations and federal court litigations. Interns can expect to learn the fundamentals of antitrust law through substantive assignments on a wide range of issues. The Bureau also offers a comprehensive training program and opportunities to develop strong professional relationships with attorneys and economists.
Summer Program (1Ls, 2Ls):
Interns will be assigned to the following enforcement divisions, depending on agency need: Mergers I, Mergers II, Mergers III, Mergers IV, Anticompetitive Practices I, Anticompetitive Practices II, Health Care, Technology Enforcement, and American Competition Enforcement (ACE).
Semester Program (2Ls, 3Ls):
The Bureau of Competition offers Fall and Spring semester legal internships to second and third-year law students at its Washington, D.C., offices. Semester law clerks work closely with attorneys, economists, and other investigative staff on investigations and federal and administrative court litigations. Typical assignments include conducting legal and factual research, interviewing witnesses, writing legal memoranda, and preparing documents and exhibits.
Application Process for Semester Programs:
- The Bureau accepts applications from late January to early April for Fall semester internships.
- The application period for Spring semester internships is from early September to early November.
Interviews are scheduled, and offers are extended on a rolling basis; therefore, students are encouraged to submit their applications before the deadline. Students should apply directly to each Division in which they have an interest.
Required Application Materials:
- Cover letter
- Resume
- Law school transcript
- Maximum seven-page writing sample (excerpts of a longer sample permitted)
- Three academic and/or professional references
Semester internships are unpaid; however, students must receive course credit for completing their internship to work in any Division. Interested students should contact their respective law school for requirement details and additional information.
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Bureau of Consumer Protection Summer Law Clerk Program
Each year, the Federal Trade Commission’s Bureau of Consumer Protection hosts a summer law clerk program. The program seeks highly motivated second-year law students with an interest in working on consumer protection issues. Each law clerk will work with each of BCP’s divisions throughout the summer: Advertising Practices, Enforcement, Financial Practices, Marketing Practices, and Privacy and Identity Protection. The program offers substantive legal work that gives law clerks the opportunity to demonstrate their writing and analytical skills. The program is small (typically eight clerks) to enable summer law clerks to take on meaningful assignments with significant responsibility.
Assignments may include:
- Conducting legal research on a wide range of issues
- Drafting memoranda
- Interviewing witnesses and summarizing findings
- Reviewing documents
- Attending meetings with parties and their outside counsel
Each summer law clerk is paired with an attorney mentor.
Eligibility:
The BCP summer law clerk program is an unpaid opportunity; however, students must receive a stipend or course credit for completing their internship. Law students should contact their respective law school for requirement details. Law clerks typically work at least eight weeks and usually up to twelve weeks.
Applicants must have completed two years of law school by the start of the summer in which they clerk with BCP, and they must be continuing in their legal studies in the fall semester following the clerkship.
How to Apply:
Please include “Summer Law Clerk Application” in the subject line.
Bureau of Consumer Protection Semester Programs
The Bureau of Consumer Protection offers Fall and Spring semester legal internships to second and third-year law students at its Washington, DC offices. Semester law clerks work with BCP’s divisions - Advertising Practices, Enforcement, Financial Practices, Marketing Practices, and Privacy and Identity Protection - depending on need.
Assignments may include:
- Conducting legal research on a wide range of issues
- Drafting memoranda
- Interviewing witnesses and summarizing findings
- Reviewing documents
- Attending meetings with parties and their outside counsel
Semester internships are unpaid; however, students must receive course credit for completing their internship. Interested students should contact their respective law schools for requirement details. Applications are accepted for both part-time (minimum of 16 hours/week) and full-time positions. Please include “Fall Semester Application” or “Spring Semester Application” in the cover line.
General Application Instructions for FTC Positions
To apply for a position at the FTC, including Honors Paralegal and internship positions, please follow the instructions below:
- Search USAjobs.gov to find vacancies at the FTC.
- Read the job posting in its entirety, including all requirements and qualifications.
- Follow all of the instructions to submit application materials. Make sure you include all required documents and address supplemental questions. Please note that requests for extensions of time may not be granted.
The FTC provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. Candidates requiring reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process should contact the agency contact listed on the job opportunity. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis.
How Applications Are Evaluated
Applications and responses are evaluated through the category rating process. The applications are then divided into three categories: “Qualified”, “Well Qualified”, and “Best Qualified” based on the answers to the application questions. Applications are rated based on the extent, quality, and relevancy of your experience, education, and training.
Additional Information
Citizenship Requirement
To be eligible for employment, applicants must be U.S. citizens. You may be required to sign a pre-employment affidavit declaring that you meet the above requirement.
Displaced Federal Employees
Displaced federal employees may be entitled to receive special priority selection under the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP).
tags: #federal #trade #commission #internship #requirements
