Office of the General Counsel Copyright [For-Credit] Externship - Summer 2027

Overview

This organization offers an Office of the General Counsel (Copyright) Externship for law students. Externs provide valuable support to the Office of the General Counsel (OGC), which delivers high-quality, cost-efficient legal and related services to support the mission of service to the public.

This is a for-credit or stipend-eligible temporary externship.

Program Dates

• Application submissions for the Office of the General Counsel (Copyright) Externship: Summer 2027 will close on Sunday, October 18th at 11:59pm ET.
• Program duration: May 10, 2027 – August 13, 2027 (dates may be flexible depending on school requirements).

Work Schedule Expectations

• Summer externships: full-time, 40 hours per week for 12 weeks.
• Fall and Spring externships: typically part-time (15–20 hours per week) or full-time, and must be for course credit.

Responsibilities

Externs will gain practical experience related to copyright, fair use, and audio licensing, assisting senior counsel with tasks that may include:

• Evaluating copyright issues in audio content (and occasional video content)
• Researching copyright issues
• Making fair use determinations
• Drafting and/or organizing permissions agreements and assessing legal aspects of proposed licensing agreements
• Assisting with Rights Management issues

Additional duties may be assigned, and this job description may be modified at any time.

Requirements

• Must be a current student in an accredited law degree program
• Must have taken a course in copyright law or equivalent and be well-versed in the principles of fair use
• Applicants must have taken copyright law before the externship begins

Preferred Qualifications

• Fair Use Law experience and/or familiarity
• Intellectual Property experience and/or familiarity
• Prior experience with licensing issues (preferred but not required)

Compensation & Credit

• Course credit: Applicants must obtain school credit in accordance with their law school’s requirements.
• School-sponsored stipends: During the summer, this externship may alternately be compensated through a program in which the student receives a stipend from their school for non-profit work.

Pay Range

The pay range displayed reflects the minimum and maximum salaries expected to be provided for new hires across all US locations:

• $0.01—$0.01 USD

Location & Work Authorization

• Remote-permitted role
• Based out of the organization’s Washington, D.C. office, with the option to work:
  • remotely from a location within the United States approved by the organization, or
  • on-site at an organization facility (subject to desk availability and approval), or
  • a combination of both
• Regardless of work location, occasional travel to other locations may be required.

Application Requirements

To be considered, applicants should include:

• Resume
• Cover letter

The cover letter must thoroughly explain interest in and experience with copyright law, and must include when and where the copyright law course was taken.