Student Trainee (Legal)
These positions are for current students enrolled at least part-time in a law (J.D.) program at an American Bar Association accredited law school, who have completed at least two full years of law school by the beginning of the internship. Joint-Degree students who are simultaneously completing a J.D. degree and a graduate degree (whether an LL.M or non-legal graduate degree) may also apply.
This is an excepted service appointment under the OIG Internship Program and will not exceed September 30, 2022. This appointment does not allow for non-competitive conversion to a term or permanent appointment in the federal service.
Summer Legal Interns will perform legal research, draft briefs, and write legal memoranda. OCIG offers substantive legal work that gives interns experience in health care fraud and abuse and an opportunity to demonstrate their writing, analytical, and advocacy skills. Assignments may include drafting briefs for submission in administrative proceedings, assisting attorneys evaluating instances of fraud that are self-disclosed to the OIG, researching HHS program regulations in support of an audit, report, assisting attorneys to review documents submitted by entities under a Corporate Integrity Agreement, or performing legal research on topics related to health care fraud and abuse including the Anti-Kickback Law, the Stark Law, exclusions law, and EMTALA. OCIG will strive to give Legal Interns an opportunity to work with many of OCIG's five branches: the Administrative and Civil Remedies Branch, the Industry Guidance Branch, the Advice Branch, the Affirmative Litigation Branch, and the Exclusions Branch. Assignments are developmental and recurring in nature including functions such as the following at the GS-9 grade level:
- Perform a variety of activities under the supervision of OCIG attorneys related to providing legal assistance for functions carried out by OCIG, which primarily include researching and writing on health law and health care topics.
- Assist in the review of case materials, including court records, medical records, and other documents related to health care, to identify the relevant factual and legal issues necessary to prepare legal documents, including pleadings and legal memoranda.
- Assist attorneys in preparing documents to be filed with various courts and administrative bodies. Assist attorneys in the research of legal concepts related to health care or health law, apply facts of a case to relevant law, and prepare written memoranda that summarize the research. Research OCIG's prepared legal materials, Federal court decisions, legislative histories, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services regulations and departmental program materials, and other similar materials.
- Assist attorneys in the preparation of legal memoranda related to health care or health law, letters, and other legal documents and ensure that legal documents prepared are in the correct format and contain required exhibits, attachments, and other necessary materials.