The Congressional Research Service Honors Attorney Program (CRS Honors Attorney Program) offers three-year paid fellowships for attorneys who demonstrate exceptional ability and interest in legal analysis for Congress (CRS Honors Attorneys). CRS Honors Attorneys work closely with senior attorneys in the American Law Division (ALD) and others in CRS on a range of congressional legal matters. In addition to performing an important public service, CRS Honors Attorneys acquire unparalleled insight into the legislative system to draw upon in their future careers.
Eligibility and Appointment
The CRS Honors Attorney Program is a distinguished public service opportunity for attorneys who have a strong interest in supporting the U.S. Congress and a demonstrated record of academic or practical success in legal research and analysis. The Program accepts applications from individuals who are in their 2L or 3L year at a U.S.-accredited law school (receiving a Juris Doctor (JD) within a year of the close of the application window) or who have practiced law for fewer than five years. In addition to promising law students, judicial law clerks and those practicing at a law firm or in another setting are encouraged to apply. Bar passage and membership is required for anyone above a General Schedule (GS) 11, and CRS Honors Attorneys must have been awarded their JD by the time they begin employment. Please note that paid positions at CRS are limited to U.S. citizens.
CRS Honors Attorneys serve as full-time federal employees on not-to-exceed (NTE) three-year appointments1 and are eligible for salary and benefits as permitted under federal law, including student loan repayment as qualified and conditioned under Library of Congress Regulation (LCR) 9-850, Student Loan Repayment. They are appointed as a law clerk (GS-11) or an attorney-advisor (ranging from GS-11 to GS-14) depending upon their qualifications and experience. A CRS Honors Attorney will be hired as a law clerk if he or she has not yet been admitted to the bar of a state, the District of Columbia, a territory of the United States, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. If he or she is admitted to the bar during the period of his or her appointment, the CRS Honors Attorney will be converted to an attorney-advisor position and may be eligible for promotion to a higher GS level, contingent upon his or her performance, CRS staffing needs, and funding considerations.
CRS Honors Attorney Application and Selection Process
CRS’s ALD accepts applications for the CRS Honors Attorney Program from June 15th of each year through September 15th of each year. The anticipated time frame in which selected applicants would begin their fellowships would be September or October of the following year, and the candidates must have earned their JD prior to the start date. An earlier start date may be possible at the discretion of ALD. CRS Honors Attorney Program candidates can be current law students seeking employment following graduation and recent law school graduates serving in judicial clerkships, legal fellowships, or early years in other legal employment (within five years of graduation).
To apply, a candidate should email the following materials, combined into a single document file (preferably in a PDF format) that is labeled with the applicant’s name and intended start season/year (for example, “Jane Smith Fall 2024”) to [email protected]:
- A cover letter reflecting a statement of the candidate’s interest in and qualifications for the CRS Honors Attorney Program;
- Resume;
- Most recent law school transcript;
- A legal writing sample that is reflective of the candidate’s writing (i.e., that has not been substantially edited by others) and limited to 20 pages (may be an excerpt of a longer piece); and
- Contact information (name, title, organization, street address, email address, and phone number) for three academic and/or professional references with an indication of whether they may be contacted by CRS without first obtaining clearance from the candidate.
Applications must be complete and sent to the correct email address. Incomplete applications will not be considered.
CRS ALD typically will contact those candidates found most qualified to move forward in the selection process within two to three months after the application deadline to schedule an initial interview. Please note that CRS is unable to reimburse candidates’ travel expenses in connection with interviews.
In selecting individuals for the CRS Honors Attorney Program, CRS considers candidates’ application materials, as well as their academic performance, work experience, writing skills, performance during the interview process, references, and interest and expertise in legal analysis of congressional topics.
ALD does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including sexual orientation and gender identity), national origin, age, disability, genetic information, marital status, political affiliation, or union affiliation. All qualified individuals are encouraged to apply. CRS is committed to building a diverse and inclusive workforce that ensures CRS is well-positioned to anticipate and meet the information and analytical research needs of a 21st-century Congress.
The ALD Honors Attorney Program is intended to supplement the usual process for posting and filling ALD’s attorney positions. In any particular year, ALD’s consideration or appointment of any one or more individuals in connection with this program is contingent upon ALD’s staffing and funding considerations, as well as interest from appropriately qualified candidates.
- At CRS’s sole election and determination, employees on NTE appointments who complete at least three years of service may be converted to permanent appointments consistent with Article 15 of the Collective Bargaining Agreement between the Library of Congress and the Congressional Research Employees Association. [Return to text]
Last Updated: 05/27/2025
