Student Volunteer (General Legal)

About the role

Unpaid internships with CFTC are offered year-round and can last from 12 weeks to 12 months. Duties vary based on the department and/or office in which the intern is placed.

CFTC's Internship Program offers valuable experience that contributes to educational and professional growth, and may be applied in any future employment endeavor, including federal, state and local governments or in the private sector. Internships may begin as early as August 2026.

What you will do

• Law students currently enrolled and in good standing as a J.D. or LL.M candidate in an ABA accredited law school.
• The CFTC offers substantive work that gives interns an opportunity to demonstrate their skills through work experience.
• Interns assist the CFTC with tasks set out by various teams, such as research, data capturing and working closely with different team members to learn more about the Commission.
• Students will be assigned to work with CFTC staff members on projects and assignments that cover a broad range of the Commissions' work.
• The CFTC offers substantive legal work that provides interns an opportunity to demonstrate their writing, analytical, and advocacy skills.
• Law students will be assigned to work with CFTC staff members on projects and assignments that cover a broad range of the Commissions' work.
• Interns may be assigned to one of the following Divisions or Offices: Chairman/Commissioner's Office Five Commissioners administer the CFTC, all Commissioners are appointed by the President, with the advice and consent of the Senate.
• The President designates one of the Commissioners to serve as Chairman.
• The Chairman and Commissioners sponsor advisory committees as well as provide market oversight.
• Duties of a legal intern may include: Researching and analyzing market issues Drafting memos summarizing research and briefing the Chairman or Commissioner Drafting public statements Attending meetings with market participants Division of Enforcement (DOE) DOE investigates and prosecutes alleged violations of the Commodity Exchange Act (CEA) and CFTC regulations by filing complaints in the U.S. District Court.
• The Division also provides expert help and technical assistance with case development and trials.
• Duties of a legal intern may include: Researching and writing legal memoranda, including pleadings and papers Reviewing and analyzing evidence in ongoing investigations Assisting attorneys in preparing investigative testimony, depositions, and discovery Division of Market Oversight (DMO) DMO fosters open, transparent, fair, competitive, and secure markets through oversight of derivatives platforms, specifically, designated contract markets (DCMs) and swap execution facilities (SEFs).
• Duties for the Compliance Branch law student intern include working under the supervision of a special counsel includes: Assist in examining and assessing the adequacy of DCM and SEF self-regulatory and rule enforcement programs Help in reviewing and assessing DCM designation and SEF registration applications for demonstration of an applicant's ability to comply with the Commodity Exchange Act and Commission regulations Review and analyze SEF Annual Compliance Reports and draft a summary memorandum Review and analyze DCM and SEF rules as assigned Market Participants Division (MPD) MPD provides oversight in derivatives market intermediaries, including commodity pool operators, commodity trading advisors, futures commission merchants, introducing brokers, major swap participants, retail foreign exchange dealers, and swap dealers, as well as designated self-regulatory organizations.
• Duties of a legal intern may include: Assisting with technical analyses of intricate regulations and industry governing activities Preparing legal reports and analytical fact summaries Reviewing documents, and conducting background and factual research on swap dealers and futures market intermediaries Office of International Affairs (OIA) OIA is responsible for overseeing how the CFTC interacts with its foreign counterparts in multilateral and bilateral fora, assisting the Chairman, Commissioners and staff of the CFTC in analyzing the implications of regulatory policies, advising the CFTC on supervisory cooperation issues, and providing technical assistance to foreign authorities.
• Duties of a legal intern may include: Researching, analyzing, and monitoring relevant international standards as well as legislative proposals, statutes, regulatory requirements, advisories, guidance, and market developments Collaborating with OIA staff members in the preparation of briefing memoranda and presentation materials in connection with international meetings attended by the Chairman and senior CFTC staff Assisting and joining CFTC staff in meetings and discussions with external stakeholders and drafting related summaries and analysis

Requirements

• To be eligible for this volunteer internship all of the following requirements must be met.
• You MUST submit academic transcripts demonstrating that you meet the eligibility requirements.
• (Unofficial is acceptable) If you do not submit sufficient academic documentation necessary to demonstrate that you meet the eligibility requirements described in this announcement, your application will be deemed incomplete, and you will be ineligible.
• A completed application will only be accepted via USAJobs.
• Applications will not be accepted via email.
• Click "Print Preview" to review the entire announcement before applying.

Education

You MUST submit a copy of your transcripts or equivalent. U.S. EDUCATION: Institutions located within the United States that have attained accreditation are listed on the U.S. Department of Education's website.

To verify your institution's accreditation, please access this website: *** A complete listing of all institutions, including those located outside of U.S. territories, may be found in Accredited Institutions of Post-Secondary Education, a handbook published annually by the American Council on Education (ACE).

SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR FOREIGN EDUCATION: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show that the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university.

For further information, visit: ***

How you will be evaluated

Your application includes your: Responses to the online questionnaire Resume Current transcripts showing enrollment (REQUIRED - an unofficial transcript is acceptable) NOTE: You must maintain student eligibility and enrollment for the duration of the internship. If you cannot, you are ineligible for this program.

Please review the "QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED" section of this vacancy announcement to ensure that you qualify for this internship. You may preview questions for this vacancy.

Documents you must provide

• Your resume may NOT exceed two pages, and the font size should not be smaller than 10 pts.
• Please ensure your resume clearly demonstrates how you meet the qualifications for the position within the two-page limit.
• A complete application includes 1.
• Vacancy question responses, and 3.
• Submission of any required documents.
• Please note - If you do not submit sufficient academic documentation necessary to demonstrate that you meet the eligibility requirements described in this announcement, your application will be deemed incomplete, and you will be ineligible.
• You MUST submit a copy of your transcripts or a list of courses showing title, number of credits, and grade (if applicable) from an accredited college or university verifying proof of enrollment.
• Both official AND unofficial transcripts are acceptable as part of the application process.
• However, if you are selected, you will be required to provide an official transcript before you report to work.
• You must be attending a school than is an accredited (or pre-accredited) college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
• For a list of schools which these criteria, please refer to ***
• If you are eligible based on foreign education, you must submit proof of creditability of education as evaluated by a credentialing agency; more information may be found ***
• We recommend you get this process started as soon as possible to avoid delays in appointment if selected.

Benefits

Volunteers are not eligible to receive agency benefits.

What to expect next

Your status will also be updated on USAJOBS throughout the process. You can check your status, by accessing the USAJOBS website at *** and clicking on "Track Your Online Application." You will receive a notification if you are referred to a CFTC Internship Coordinator for further consideration.

Due to the high volume of applications, we are unable to respond individually to application status inquiries.

Additional information

OTHER INFORMATION: CFTC is seeking non-paid volunteers to encourage interest in public service careers and provide valuable work experience. As a non-paid volunteer, students will gain first-hand experience performing a variety of tasks related to supporting the activities of the Commission.

Student Volunteers may work during the school year and/or during summer or school vacation periods. The nature of the volunteer assignment as well as the work schedule will be established once on-board. * Students seeking course credit for externship positions are responsible for coordinating in advance with their education institution.

All candidates will be considered without regard to any non-merit reasons such as race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, lawful political affiliation, marital status, disability, sexual orientation, protected genetic information, parental status, membership in an employee organization, or other non-merit factors.

As required by hiring office, you may be required to: Go through a Personal Identity Verification (PIV) process that requires two forms of identification from the Form I-9. Federal law requires verification of the identity and employment eligibility of all new hires in the U.S. Successfully complete a background investigation. Relocation expenses will not be paid.

Maintain a student status throughout the internship (be actively enrolled at an accredited 4-year college or university) *** If selected for this position, you will be required to report to a CFTC location for this internship. *** Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.