The Federal Communications Commission’s Attorney Honors Program is a two-year recruitment and training program designed to introduce new and recent law school graduates to the field of communications law and policy. The FCC is now accepting applications from graduating law students, recent law graduates, and judicial clerks for openings in the fall 2008 class. Applications must be postmarked, faxed, or e-mailed (except for official transcripts, which may be mailed separately) on or before March 14, 2008. This is the second and final application window for the 2008 Attorney Honors Program.

Honors Program attorneys will participate in the many varied aspects of federal administrative practice as they relate to the FCC’s oversight of television, radio, cable, wireless, wireline, satellite, and other communications services and facilities. Participants also will benefit from a wide variety of learning experiences. Attorneys at the FCC draft decisions in adjudicatory and rulemaking matters, work with internal and external constituencies to resolve complex policy issues before the agency, participate in international negotiations, represent the FCC in dealings with other government agencies, Congress and the private sector, defend FCC decisions in the federal courts, and formulate decisions authorizing new technologies and services.

All Honors Program participants will be located at the FCC’s headquarters in Washington, DC and will be assigned to one of the agency’s bureaus. Specific placements within the agency will be based on the participant’s interests and experience and the needs of the FCC. Participants may have the opportunity to rotate to a new assignment within the agency at the end of their first year. During their two years in the Honors Program, attorneys also will be afforded professional and educational opportunities designed specifically for Program participants. At the end of the two-year program, Honors Program attorneys will be eligible for consideration for continued employment at the FCC.

Selection for the Honors Program is highly competitive. Before making a selection, the FCC reviews many facets of a candidate's background, including academic achievement, writing skills, law review and/or moot court experience, clinic or extracurricular activities, and demonstrated interest in government service and/or the communications industry. New and recent law graduates with strong qualifications are encouraged to apply.

You are eligible to apply to the Fall 2008 Attorney Honors Program if you are a:

• Current law student who will graduate in the spring/summer of 2008;

• Full time graduate law student who will complete your course of study by the summer of 2008; or

• Judicial clerk or other recent law school graduate.

Interested candidates with current bar memberships must respond to FCC Vacancy Announcement Number ATTY-OGC-2008-0007, available on the FCC’s website at http://www.fcc.gov/jobs/. Candidates who are not members of a bar should submit a cover letter, resume, official and/or unofficial law school transcript, writing sample, and list of three references:

• by E-mail (preferred):
  honors.program@fcc.gov

• by Mail:
  Kim Mattos, Attorney Honors Program
  Office of General Counsel
  Federal Communications Commission
  445 12th Street SW
  Washington, DC 20554

• by Fax:
  (202) 418-2822

Applications must be postmarked, faxed, or e-mailed by March 14, 2008. Incomplete applications will not be considered.

Selected applicants may be invited for in-person interviews. Offers will be made in early May 2008. Participants who enter the fall 2008 class will be expected to begin their employment with the agency by September 29, 2008.

Candidates may direct questions about applying to the Honors Program to Kim Mattos at honors.program@fcc.gov or (202) 418-1731.

Other questions about the Honors Program or the work of attorneys at the FCC may be directed to Karen Edwards Onyeije, Assistant General Counsel at karen.onyeije@fcc.gov, or Diane Griffin Holland, Assistant General Counsel at diane.griffin@fcc.gov.

General information about employment opportunities at the FCC is available at www.fcc.gov/jobs.

2/4/08
FCC to Accept Law Student Applications This Winter for the 2008 Attorney Honors Program.
News Release: Word | Acrobat

9/5/07
FCC Accepting Law Student Applications in the Fall for the 2008 Attorney Honors Program.
News Release: Word | Acrobat

2/21/07
FCC to Accept Law Student Applications This Winter for the 2007 Attorney Honors Program.
News Release: Word | Acrobat

9/11/06
FCC to Accept Law Student Applications This Fall for the 2007 Attorney Honors Program.
News Release: Word | Acrobat

3/3/06
FCC Seeks Applicants for 2006 Attorney Honors Program.
News Release: Word | Acrobat

2/25/05
FCC Launches New Attorney Honors Program.
News Release: Word | Acrobat