More Job Opportunities For Graduating Law Students

How does the PMF program work, and when is the application deadline?

We are very service-oriented here at Above the Law. Given the depressing realities of the legal job market, one service we provide is alerting our readers to job opportunities.

We recently reminded our readers about the deadlines for various federal-government honors programs (including but not limited to the DOJ Honors Program). In case you missed those deadlines, though, here’s another option for entering government service….

We’ve mentioned it before: it’s the Presidential Management Fellows Program. The PMF program is open to lawyers, but a law degree is not required. You can read more details over at the PMF website.

The application period is expected to run from October 1 through October 15. There’s a full timetable here.

It’s a great program. As one past participant explained:

[T]he PMF program is a hidden, relatively-unexploited gem for graduating law students, and it has not received proper attention by most of the law schools’ offices of career services. While the DOJ Honors program and the Bristow Fellowship got pretty good publicity at my school’s career services office, nobody knew much about the PMF program. I heard about it through a non-law-school source, and had to go to my university’s public policy school for more information….

[T]he PMF program is one of the absolute best avenues for graduating 3Ls that are: (a) interesting in working for the government; (b) interested in public service; (c) willing to accept a government salary with average tuition reimbursement opportunities; and/or (d) voluntarily or involuntarily not planning to work for biglaw after graduation. Fellows can apply for a position from a wide range of government agencies, including the DOJ, State Department, Department of Defense, USAID, Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, Department of Education, Federal Elections Commission, etc. These positions are generally not available for public application because of stringent government hiring restrictions (agency preference, civil service preference, veteran’s preference, etc.).

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That was back in 2009. In the intervening years, word has gotten out about the program among law students, so getting a PMF position today is quite competitive. Good luck to everyone who applies!

Earlier: A Personal Assistant: The Perfect Accessory For The Entitled Partner
Reminder: DOJ (And Other) Honors Program Applications Are Due Soon
Another Federal Government Opportunity: The Presidential Management Fellows Program

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