2024-2025 Honors Attorney Program (BigFed, Non-DOJ) Forum

[Anonymous User]

Any OCC updates? Any offers go out yet?

Starting to count myself out and bummed about it :/

Any OCC updates? They had said their target was Veterans Day but I’m betting they got slowed down at least a little?

Has anyone reached out about whether they’re done making offers? I saw someone did that in one of the previous year threads on here.

I've reached out, waiting to hear back

Any update?

Sorry, I'm the person who said they'd reach out--I heard 5 slots to be filled and they're unlikely to move before Thanksgiving. I will also say that I was not given Veteran's Day as a timeline by them in my interview.

[Anonymous User]

Are people “hearing” things from OCC acquaintances or did one of the honors program contacts give out that info?

Interesting that not everyone was told Veterans Day

[Anonymous User]

I've gotten my references checked by the FDIC. This + all the info in this thread checks out with the timeline they provided in my interview me so I imagine offers will be going out late this week/early next week before Thanksgiving or possibly the week after Thanksgiving.

With that being said, I am somewhat concerned with the agency becoming politicized and was wondering if others waiting on a fin reg program are feeling the same. On the one hand, FDIC's work seems to be fairly apolitical and they operate more under Skidmore than Chevron so that's nice. On the other hand, should I be offered the role, I'm worried that I'll just get fired after month 14 or something of the 2 years or funding will be totally cut or there will be some purging going on and I will be targeted as I have work experiences with lib politicians on my resume and linkedin. Would being a part of the Trump Administration screw me in the future if I want to lateral to big law?

I definitely don't think that Musk will succeed in achieving his cutting goals because they feel impossible, but Fed Honors Programs seem like a really easy line item to slash or substantially alter unfortunately. Am I appropriately concerned or am I being hyperbolic?

You might find some comfort in the fact that the FDIC isn’t funded by taxpayer $$ from Congress. It’s funded by FDIC-insured institutions. So it’s extremely unlikely that you would be cut just because it’s “a really easy line item to slash”

[Anonymous User]

Just got the offer from FDIC this morning

[Anonymous User]

Anyone heard anything from Dept. of Transportation Honors yet?

[Anonymous User]

Would being a part of the Trump Administration screw me in the future if I want to lateral to big law?

I think everyone can distinguish between going into government work because you’re interested in the work, and going into government work because you support a particular candidate. Line positions like honors program entry level jobs aren’t political positions and everyone knows that. You mentioned having visibly liberal activities on your resume, you’ll be fine. You will/won’t be attractive as a lateral to big law based on the work you do and the experience you get, not your political beliefs (plus, there are even people in big law who support Trump!).

[Anonymous User]

Heard that some FDIC offers are out. Good luck to all.

[Anonymous User]

Heard that some FDIC offers are out. Good luck to all.

Also heard that FCC is reaching out to people but I can’t confirm this

[Anonymous User]

Offers have started going out for OCC (comptroller)

[Anonymous User]

Has anyone received an offer from the IRS National Office?

[Anonymous User]

Offers have started going out for OCC (comptroller)

I have a friend who said they just accepted their OCC (comptroller) offer a few days ago!

[Anonymous User]

Has anyone received an offer from the IRS National Office?

Update: offer received

[Anonymous User]

Posting for posterity that I received an offer for FEMA earlier this week!

It was one panel interview in November. They said they were only taking 2 people.

[Anonymous User]

Has anyone gotten an offer from DHS OGC? Had my second round interview on October 28.

[Anonymous User]

Has anyone heard from DHS OGC? Had my second round interview on October 28.

[Anonymous User]

Anyone heard anything from Dept. of Transportation Honors yet?

I haven't. Haven't heard anything since October so kind of assuming I didn't make the cut. Curious if anyone else has though

[Anonymous User]

Someone said they will let you know this month

[Anonymous User]

Has anyone gotten an offer from DHS OGC? Had my second round interview on October 28.

Also interviewed around that time and haven't heard back. Sent a follow-up email two weeks ago but no response.

[Anonymous User]

Has anyone heard from the CFTC?

[Anonymous User]

Anyone heard back from HUD?

Emailed a field office, no response. Called USAJobs yesterday and the person on the phone said many spots still open for the position, so she believes app review is still ongoing.

[Anonymous User]

Has FCC started interviewing?

[Anonymous User]

How long do suitability determinations/background investigations typically take?

I did not foresee this part of the process being so lengthy and stressful. I’m unsure how to apartment hunt without a firm offer in hand and my partner needs to let her firm (not law) know she needs to move offices sooner rather than later, for example.

[Anonymous User]

Depends on what kind of background check they’re doing and whether you have any complications in your background (like international family or similar). 6-8 weeks?

But if this is an honors program entry level position, they may not anticipate needing to let you know until much closer to the time you’re about to start next fall. I went through this for DOJ, so a different agency, but I was never informed of actually “passing” the background check. And my official confirmation of a start date at the end of September didn’t come until the beginning of September (there was a little bit of confusion and I had to negotiate it, so say sometime in August originally?). I’m pretty sure I got an offer letter that was contingent on passing background check when I first got the offer, but nothing after.

Partly this is because assuming you will be starting in the fall as is typical of an honors position, it’s way too early to start looking for an apartment right now. Obviously your partner’s need to switch offices is a different matter.

You might want to figure out what your personal preferred timeline looks like and reach out to HR at your agency and ask them about all this. That’s what they’re there for.

[Anonymous User]

Depends on what kind of background check they’re doing and whether you have any complications in your background (like international family or similar). 6-8 weeks?

But if this is an honors program entry level position, they may not anticipate needing to let you know until much closer to the time you’re about to start next fall. I went through this for DOJ, so a different agency, but I was never informed of actually “passing” the background check. And my official confirmation of a start date at the end of September didn’t come until the beginning of September (there was a little bit of confusion and I had to negotiate it, so say sometime in August originally?). I’m pretty sure I got an offer letter that was contingent on passing background check when I first got the offer, but nothing after.

Partly this is because assuming you will be starting in the fall as is typical of an honors position, it’s way too early to start looking for an apartment right now. Obviously your partner’s need to switch offices is a different matter.

You might want to figure out what your personal preferred timeline looks like and reach out to HR at your agency and ask them about all this. That’s what they’re there for.

This is very helpful, thank you. Agree that it's much too early to look for a place in January, but I'm slighlty worried about the apartment search impacting bar studying and what not.

[Anonymous User]

Is there any chance the Trump EO on freezing hiring affects incoming honors hires? I accepted a TJO but have not heard much since then.