The language about grades varies. Language from a few honors programs:
DOL:
Selection is highly competitive, and candidates will be considered based on academic achievement, writing skills, law review and/or moot court experience, clinic or extracurricular activities, as well as demonstrated interest in government service or public interest law.
NLRB:
Selection is based on the consideration of many factors including academic achievement (G.P.A. of 3.2 or greater); law journal or other relevant writing experience; relevant labor relations and/or law courses; moot court competition, legal aid, and legal clinic experience; and summer and/or part-time employment, particularly experience dealing with labor and employment matters. Some Regional offices have special needs where specific skills, such as bilingual skills, may be a factor in selecting the candidate. If your GPA falls below that necessary to qualify for consideration under the requirements of the NLRB Honors Program, you may nevertheless still qualify outside the Honors Program for a position in a Headquarters or Field Office. Please apply directly to the Hiring Office in which you are interested.
[of course, the thing about "3.2 or greater" is that depending on where you go to school, the class rank that translates into varies wildly.]
IRS:
Minimum Criteria:
Top 20% class rank required (or minimum LSAT score of 160 or higher, if school does not provide a class rank at the time a selection is made);
Grade of "B" or above in any tax course completed (or equivalent, if the school does not provide letter grades) for tax positions;
Must attend an ABA accredited law school; and
Must be a US citizen.
Attributes of an Ideal Candidate:
Evidence of background or experience in the position to be filled, such as taking relevant law school classes (e.g., tax law classes for tax positions) or relevant legal experience (e.g., tax legal experience);
Work or achievement in the law school’s law review or other recognized law journal;
Special high-level recognition for academic excellence in law school, such as selection to Order of the Coif or receipt of the American Jurisprudence Award in related courses; or top grades in related course work (e.g., "A" grades in tax courses);
Winning a moot court or mock trial competition or membership on a moot court or mock trial team
DHS:
DHS selects candidates based on multiple factors, including:
Superior academic achievement: 3.5 GPA or above or top 1/3 class ranking strongly encouraged[2];
Excellent research, writing, and analytical skills;
Participation in law review or a secondary law journal, moot court, trial advocacy, legal aid, or clinical experience; and/or
Specialized academic studies or post-graduate work or extracurricular activities that relate to the mission of DHS.
[2] We understand that not all law schools follow a standard GPA or class ranking. Applicants applying from such schools are asked to submit a one-page explanation of grading and ranking policies at their schools.
DOJ:
Justice takes pride in the fact that we consider the “whole candidate” when making selections for employment. Selections are made based on many elements of a candidate’s background including a demonstrated commitment to government service, academic achievement, leadership, law review or moot court experience, legal aid and clinical experience, past employment, and extracurricular activities that relate to the work of Justice and the relevant component.
FDIC:
[candidates must] have, at minimum, a B average or equivalent or be in the top 33 percent of your law school class
State Department:
Competition for attorney positions in the Office is intense. Approximately 13 to 15 of the nearly 1,000 applicants for permanent employment each year are selected. New hires are drawn from third-year law students, judicial clerks, and practicing attorneys from other Federal agencies and the private sector. Outstanding academic performance, analytical ability, writing skills, special honors, or achievements, professional experience, publications, and relevant extracurricular activities are important considerations in all selections. International legal training or experience and knowledge of a foreign language are not mandatory. The Office encourages applications from persons with an interest or experience in general government work.
FTC:
Every fall the Bureau of Competition recruits students in their final year of law school and judicial clerks for 8 entry-level attorney positions. We accept applications from August 1 through September 15. Positions are highly competitive: we typically receive over 700 applications and many positions are filled through offers made to law students from the Bureau’s Summer Program.
CFPB:
Applicants will be evaluated for minimum qualifications, as well as program eligibility. We will further evaluate your application by reviewing your résumé, transcript, and letter. The program is highly selective, and successful candidates should have a distinguished academic and professional record, which may include membership in Order of the Coif (or similar honor society), graduation with honors, high class rank, law review or moot court experience, judicial clerkships or other post-graduate legal experience, and a demonstrated commitment to public service and/or consumer protection.
HUD:
[Candidates must] Meet at least one of the following additional criteria:
- Have at least a B average; OR
- Be in the top 50% of their class; OR
- Have relevant past work experience (including summer jobs); OR
- Have special training; OR
- Have engaged in significant extracurricular activities, e.g., law review, moot court, or participation in a clinical program.
Nuclear Regulatory Commission:
Be in the upper thirty percent (30%) of your law school class and/or have an overall grade point average (GPA) of 3.25 based on a scale of 4.0. (These criteria may be waived if your school utilizes a non-traditional grading system or you have unusual compensating qualifications, such as other academic degrees or pertinent work experience.)
FCC:
Selection for the Honors Program is highly competitive. Before making a selection, the FCC reviews many facets of a candidate's background, including academic achievement, writing skills, law review and/or moot court experience, clinic or other extracurricular activities, and demonstrated interest in government service and/or the communications industry. Graduating students and judicial clerks with strong qualifications are encouraged to apply.
US Army Corps of Engineers:
Generally, only those students who are in the top one-third of their law school class will be considered. However, this criterion may be waived for applicants who demonstrate unusual compensating qualifications, such as significant pertinent public service experience, technical background, or other academic degrees. Candidates must also exhibit excellent oral and written communication skills. Demonstration of academic excellence such as law review, Order of the Coif or similar honors, or competitive participation in moot court is highly desirable.
EPA Office of General Counsel:
The 2014 OGC Honors Legal Fellowship Program is open to highly-qualified applicants with outstanding academic records who are graduating law school (May 2014) or have completed a judicial clerkship or have prior law experience within 2 to 3 years of graduation from an ABA-accredited law school. OGC is seeking applicants with excellent analytical and writing abilities, a strong commitment to public service, effective "people" skills, and an ability to take on significant responsibility.
[However, the AZ Honors Handbook also notes as requirements: "Applicants should possess excellent analytical and writing abilities, a strong commitment to public service, effective “people” skills, and an ability to take on significant responsibility. Top 10% or 3.0 GPA preferred."]
USPS: according to the AZ Handbook, "Applicants must possess outstanding analytical, advocacy, and writing skills, and at least one of the following: membership on a law journal; standing in the top 20%; min. GPA of 3.5 (or 3.0 if graduating from a “top 25 law school”); completion of at least 1 year of a federal or state Supreme Court clerkship. U.S. citizenship or permanent resident alien status required, as well as successful completion of pre-employment drug and background security screening." (The job postings on the USPS website are fairly barebones.)
Dept of the Interior:
Applicants should possess significant academic achievement (i.e., a GPA of 3.0 or higher) and/or legal or programmatic work experience as described in at least one of the areas below:
High Academic Achievement (graduated top 25% of class)
Law journal or other relevant writing experience
Moot court competition, legal aid, or legal clinic experience
Law Clerk or Legal Intern experience
Natural Resources, Indian or Environmental law interest as demonstrated by course work, professional experiences, etc.
(CIA doesn't really say anything about grades...but it's the CIA.)
And this is only honors programs - not suggesting anything about other agency hiring. And who knows how exactly all this translates into practice.
. Yeah, the fact that so many hiring positions are limited to honors attorneys is the reason I'll still give it a shot even if the grades aren't amazing. Gotta at least throw my hat in.