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The Office of Administrative Law Judges (OALJ) is an administrative law court located within the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). FERC regulates all interstate aspects of the national energy industry.

OALJ receives its cases from FERC orders to resolve issues of material fact, and to apply those facts to relevant law, regulation, and FERC-interpreted policy to issue initial decisions. OALJ initial decisions are reviewed and voted-on by the FERC Commissioners before accruing appellate oversight of the D.C. Circuit, or other U.S. Circuit Court with jurisdiction. In formulating decisions, OALJ judges hold courtroom hearings and issue a broad range of intermediate orders on motions, sometimes after oral argument. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) anticipates multiple law clerk vacancies in the Fall of 2025, with interviews occurring in Fall 2024.

Law clerks serve for two-year terms, and are assigned to 1-2 judges, depending on office needs. Although each judge’s needs may vary, the law clerk will often work closely with the assigned judge in drafting orders and decisions on complex issues in energy law, among many other matters. While clerks work with judges on foundational energy law questions, the vibrant field of energy regulation also requires clerks to gain familiarity with legal questions of all sorts, such as administrative, environmental, corporate, corporate finance, contract, tort, tax, securities, antitrust, evidence, and much more. Law clerks will often independently conduct legal and factual research, advise the judge verbally and in-person, and prepare draft decisions, orders, or memos for the judge's review. To provide this assistance, the law clerks will sometimes work with energy industry analysts and other in-house experts to gain technical knowledge. Law clerks will also have the opportunity to sit in, and assist with, trials, oral arguments and mediations, and act as the judge's primary communicator with participants.

As a Law Clerk, some of your typical work assignments may include:

• Analyzing data, information and legal argument to understand and evaluate competing views, helping plan strategies, helping create constructive solutions to aid the administrative law judge in reaching a reasoned decision.
• Presenting and explaining concepts and information in writing, supports conclusions with legal authority. Presenting and explaining concepts and information orally, supports conclusions with logic, policy, and legal authorities.
• Addressing inquiries from internal and external customers on OALJ activities of all levels of complexity and either responding to the request or directing customers to the appropriate staff or external entities where the matter can be addressed more appropriately in another forum.
• Working independently or with others to plan and complete assignments, simultaneously handling multiple assignments, anticipating workload and planning accordingly, and directing others or receiving direction in a team setting.

The FERC Law Clerk position requires a firm two-year commitment. Upon commencement of this term, the Law Clerk must have obtained a juris doctorate degree, and within 14-months, must pass the bar of a state, federal district, or bar for which license holders may practice before the federal government. 

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
• A one-year probationary period may be required.
• A background investigation is required.
• This is a bargaining unit position.
• Generally, male applicants must be registered with the Selective Service.
• This position has an education requirement; you must submit transcripts.
• Relocation expenses will not be paid.
• You may be required to divest certain energy-related securities.

You must meet all eligibility and qualification (experience and/or education) requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

Qualifications

You must meet the following basic requirements, by the end of the Spring semester 2025:  (1) hold a Juris Doctorate (J.D.) or Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) from an accredited college or university.

INTERESTED CANDIDATES MUST PROVIDE A COVER LETTER, A RESUME, AND LAW SCHOOL AND UNDERGRADUATE TRANSCRIPTS. FAILURE TO INCLUDE ALL REQUESTED DOCUMENTS WILL RESULT IN CANDIDATES NOT BEING CONSIDERED. Two (2) writing samples will also be separately required if selected for an interview. 

It is highly preferable for candidates to have taken the bar exam prior to commencing their clerkships, which are anticipated to start in the Fall of 2025. Law Clerks are appointed for a 14 month term prior to passing the bar exam – the appointment cannot under any circumstances exceed 14 months and cannot be extended. This means that the appointee must pass the bar exam before the 14-month period ends. Once admitted to the bar of any state, the appointee’s position title is converted to Attorney Advisor.

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills, and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including any volunteer experience.

Please do not cut and paste  the position description, specialized experience, or occupational assessment questionnaire from this announcement into your resume, as this will not be considered a demonstration of your qualifications for this position.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

You will be evaluated for this position based on how well you meet the qualifications above. All applications that are verified to meet the basic requirements will be referred to the selecting official.

Outstanding organizational, critical analysis, and legal writing skills are all essential for our law clerks.

This field is highly technical and requires substantial training to achieve competence. Once achieved through the clerk program, however, this competence often affords OALJ clerks highly coveted and otherwise unavailable employment opportunities. Clerks may interview for other employment after twenty-two (22) months. Recent clerks have quickly gone-on to other clerking opportunities, litigation and general counsel positions within FERC, in policy or nonprofit roles, and to law firms of all sizes.