Graduate (Summer) Law Student Intern

Posted 2 Days Ago
Be an Early Applicant
Golden, CO
44K-70K Annually
Internship
Energy
The Role
The Legal Intern at NREL will handle legal research, writing, and support projects for the Office of General Counsel. Interns will work on various legal topics to develop their skills and will complete a major research project and produce legal documentation throughout the internship.
Summary Generated by Built In

Posting TitleGraduate (Summer) Law Student Intern

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LocationCO - Golden

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Position TypeIntern (Fixed Term)

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Hours Per Week40

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Working at NRELThe National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), located at the foothills of the Rocky Mountains in Golden, Colorado is the nation's primary laboratory for research and development of renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies.

Join a team of world-class scientists, engineers, and visionaries dedicated to shaping the world’s energy future through cutting-edge research and innovation. From our vision to our NREL community, we are unique in the research community. We are focused on impact. From our work in basic sciences to systems engineering, analysis, demonstration, and deployment, we are focused on solving market-relevant problems that result in advanced, secure, reliable, and affordable energy systems. We are trusted clean energy leaders, developing cost-saving solutions that make U.S. industries more competitive, and support job creation and economic growth across rural and urban communities.

At NREL, we offer a unique, mission-driven work environment with cutting-edge facilities and multidisciplinary research teams. NREL's environment offers strong partnerships with industry, academia, and other national laboratories, as well as professional development opportunities and a competitive benefits package for employees.

Learn about NREL’s critical objectives: NREL's Mission and Vision.

Job Description

The Legal Intern role at NREL is a unique opportunity for law students interested in exploring the day-to-day work of an in-house legal department at a U.S. Department of Energy National Laboratory focused on energy efficiency and renewable energy. Our Legal Intern will have the opportunity to work on legal research, writing, and other key projects in support of our Office of General Counsel in areas such as compliance, employment, and general law. Projects will be assigned based on organizational need, with an aim to expose the intern to all areas rather than focus on any single one. Over the course of the internship, the intern will hone fundamental legal skills through practice and mentorship and contribute meaningfully to the team’s work supporting the Laboratory’s mission. We aim to make our intern’s experience relevant, challenging, and rewarding.

As part of this internship, the Legal Intern will be expected to complete an assigned research project on a topic of focus determined by the legal counsel. In addition, the Legal Intern will be expected to produce a legal memorandum that could be used as a writing sample as well as a presentation for the legal team.

This internship is expected to be completed onsite in our Golden, Colorado, facility. A hybrid schedule is available by request.

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Basic QualificationsMinimum of a 3.0 cumulative grade point average.
Undergraduate: Must be enrolled as a full-time student in a bachelor’s degree program from an accredited institution.
Post Undergraduate: Earned a bachelor’s degree within the past 12 months. Eligible for an internship period of up to one year.
Graduate: Must be enrolled as a full-time student in a master’s degree program from an accredited institution.
Post Graduate: Earned a master’s degree within the past 12 months. Eligible for an internship period of up to one year.
Graduate + PhD: Completed master’s degree and enrolled as PhD student from an accredited institution.
Please Note:
• Applicants are responsible for uploading official or unofficial school transcripts, as part of the application process.
• If selected for position, a letter of recommendation will be required as part of the hiring process.
• Must meet educational requirements prior to employment start date.

* Must meet educational requirements prior to employment start date.

Additional Required Qualifications

  • College degree in any discipline is required. Current enrollment in a U.S. ABA-approved law school is also required.
  • By the start of the internship, the successful candidate should have completed their 1L/first year of law school
  • Excellent communication skills
  • Proficiency in Westlaw or Lexis
  • Experience drafting legal memoranda
  • This internship is expected to be completed onsite in our Golden, Colorado, facility. A hybrid schedule is available by request

Preferred Qualifications

  • Prior experience working for a federal entity or government contractor
  • Interest in energy/sustainability industry issues
  • Experience in general law, employment, and/or compliance

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Job Application Submission Window

The anticipated closing window for application submission is up to 30 days and may be extended as needed.

Annual Salary Range (based on full-time 40 hours per week)Job Profile: / Annual Salary Range: $43,700 - $69,900

NREL takes into consideration a candidate’s education, training, and experience, expected quality and quantity of work, required travel (if any), external market and internal value, including seniority and merit systems, and internal pay alignment when determining the salary level for potential new employees. In compliance with the Colorado Equal Pay for Equal Work Act, a potential new employee’s salary history will not be used in compensation decisions.

Benefits SummaryBenefits include medical, dental, and vision insurance; 403(b) Employee Savings Plan with employer match*; and sick leave (where required by law). NREL employees may be eligible for, but are not guaranteed, performance-, merit-, and achievement- based awards that include a monetary component. Some positions may be eligible for relocation expense reimbursement. Internships projected to be less than 20 hours per week are not eligible for medical, dental, or vision benefits.

* Based on eligibility rules

Badging RequirementNREL is subject to Department of Energy (DOE) access restrictions. All employees must also be able to obtain and maintain a federal Personal Identity Verification (PIV) card as required by Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12 (HSPD-12), which includes a favorable background investigation. Intern assignments extending beyond six months will be subject to this requirement.

Drug Free Workplace

NREL is committed to maintaining a drug-free workplace in accordance with the federal Drug-Free Workplace Act and complies with federal laws prohibiting the possession and use of illegal drugs. Under federal law, marijuana remains an illegal drug.

If you are offered employment at NREL, you must pass a pre-employment drug test prior to commencing employment. Unless prohibited by state or local law, the pre-employment drug test will include marijuana. If you test positive on the pre-employment drug test, your offer of employment may be withdrawn.

Submission Guidelines

Please note that in order to be considered an applicant for any position at NREL you must submit an application form for each position for which you believe you are qualified. Applications are not kept on file for future positions. Please include a cover letter and resume with each position application.

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Equal Opportunity Employer

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard basis of age (40 and over), color, disability, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, domestic partner status, military or veteran status, national origin/ancestry, race, religion, creed, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding), sexual orientation, and any other applicable status protected by federal, state, or local laws.

Reasonable Accommodations

E-Verify www.dhs.gov/E-Verify For information about right to work, click here for English or here for Spanish.

E-Verify is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. This business uses E-Verify in its hiring practices to achieve a lawful workforce. 

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The Company
Golden, CO
4,016 Employees
On-site Workplace
Year Founded: 1977

What We Do

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), a Department of Energy national lab, is #TransformingEnergy as the nation's primary laboratory for renewable energy and energy efficiency research and development.

NREL's Mission: NREL develops renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies and practices, advances related science and engineering, and transfers knowledge and innovations to address the nation's energy and environmental goals.

NREL's Strategy: NREL has forged a focused strategic direction to increase its impact on the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) and our nation's energy goals by accelerating the research path from scientific innovations to market-viable alternative energy solutions

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