Attorney Honors Program

The Federal Communications Commission’s Attorney Honors Program is a two-year employment and training program designed to introduce selected candidates to the field of communications law and policy. Honors Attorneys quickly gain valuable experience and benefit from a wide variety of learning experiences. Attorneys at the FCC draft decisions in adjudicatory and rule making matters; work with internal and external constituencies to resolve complex policy issues before the agency;

represent the FCC in dealings with other government agencies, Congress and the private sector; and defend FCC decisions in the federal courts. Additionally, Honors Attorneys benefit from a specialized training and career-development curriculum designed specifically for the program.

All positions for the Attorney Honors Program are located at the FCC’s headquarters in Washington, D.C. Specific placements within the agency will be based on the participant’s interests and experience and the needs of the FCC at the time of placement. Honors Attorneys may have the opportunity to rotate to a new Bureau or Office within the agency after their first year.

At the end of the two-year program, Honors Program attorneys will be eligible for consideration for continued employment at the FCC.

You are eligible to apply during the fall application window for the 2025 Attorney Honors Program if you are a:

• Current law student who will graduate in the spring or summer of 2026;
• Graduate law student who will complete your course of study by the summer of 2026;
• Federal, state, or municipal judicial clerk serving during the 2025-26 judicial term; or
• Recent law student who graduated in the spring or summer of 2025.

Interested persons should apply via USAJOBS to Vacancy Announcement: FCC-HONORS ATTY-.

Submission of the following documents is required for consideration: a cover letter, resume, official or unofficial law school transcript, writing sample (of not more than 15 pages), and a list of three professional references (phone and email addresses). Each of the following documents should be submitted as a separate PDF file.

At the time of application, applicants have the option of answering the following four short, free-response essay questions.

• How has your commitment to the Constitution and the founding principles of the United States inspired you to pursue this role within the Federal government? Provide a concrete example from professional, academic, or personal experience.
• In this role, how would you use your skills and experience to improve government efficiency and effectiveness? Provide specific examples where you improved processes, reduced costs, or improved outcomes.
• How would you help advance the President’s Executive Orders and policy priorities in this role? Identify one or two relevant Executive Orders or policy initiatives that are significant to you, and explain how you would help implement them if hired.
• How has a strong work ethic contributed to your professional, academic or personal achievements? Provide one or two specific examples, and explain how those qualities would enable you to serve effectively in this position.

Applicants will be required to certify that they are using their own words, and did not use a consultant or AI (such as a large language model [LLM]). The responses to each question cannot exceed 200 words per question.

To expedite processing of your application, please upload these documents as separate attachments to your online application and ensure that all attachments are titled as follows: "Last Name.

First Name-Title.”

Please review your application materials carefully; we are unable to accommodate edits to your application once it is submitted.

All required supporting documents MUST be received by midnight U.S. Eastern Time on January 30, 2026. Incomplete or late applications will not be considered.

Once the announcement has closed, you will receive an automated notification stating that your application has been received and is being reviewed to determine whether or not the…