DOJ Honors Program Guide: 2026-27 Timeline and Openings Forum

Post by **TLS** » Tue Oct 27, 2026 7:39 am

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DOJ Honors Program 2026-27: Eligibility, Components, Interviews and Offers

Short answer: The Attorney General's Honors Program is DOJ's entry-level hiring program for graduating law students and recent graduates in clerkships, fellowships or LL.M. programs (DOJ). The 2026-27 application ran Aug. 28 to Sept. 8, 2026 through CORA (DOJ). Invitations go out mainly Oct. 7 to 23, virtual interviews run Oct. 26 to Nov. 13, and offers start in November (DOJ) (DOJ). DOJ lists over 180 openings this cycle (DOJ Honors posting).

Fast facts

Who can apply (2026 cycle): J.D. graduates between Oct. 1, 2026 and Sept. 30, 2027, or recent graduates in a qualifying clerkship, fellowship or LL.M. (DOJ).
Cutoff: J.D. received before Oct. 1, 2023 means you are not eligible (DOJ).
Start: you must be able to start in the calendar year after you apply (2027 for this cycle) (DOJ).
Bar: pass a bar and join any U.S. bar within 14 months of starting; some USAOs require the local state bar (DOJ).
Application: transcript and three references; no resume, writing sample or letters at the application stage (DOJ).
Selection factors: commitment to government service, grades, leadership, journal, moot court, clinics and related work (DOJ).

Timeline for the 2026-27 cycle

Aug. 28 to Sept. 8, 2026: application window; the deadline was 11:59 p.m. ET (DOJ).
Sept. 30, 2026: last day to transfer an Honors application to SLIP if you commit to a clerkship or LL.M. (DOJ).
Oct. 7 to 23, 2026: main interview invitation window. Accept or decline within 7 days, and send the scheduling form within 3 days of your first invitation (DOJ).
Within 5 days of an invitation: most components want a writing sample and an updated resume (DOJ).
Oct. 26 to Nov. 13, 2026: virtual interviews, most one hour long (DOJ).
November and later: offers (DOJ).

Participating components and openings (formal)

Antitrust Division: 22 permanent positions in D.C., Chicago, New York and San Francisco (DOJ).
Civil Division: 32 permanent positions in D.C., including 6 in Federal Programs and 5 in the Office of Immigration Litigation (DOJ).
Criminal Division: 4 permanent trial attorneys plus 4 three-year Asset Forfeiture Fellowships (DOJ).
Environment and Natural Resources Division: 15 permanent positions in D.C.; hires are asked to commit two years (DOJ).
Executive Office for Immigration Review: 32 positions in Falls Church, Va., including two-year judicial clerkships; U.S. citizens only (DOJ). EOIR guide.
U.S. Attorneys' Offices (formal): 42 positions, led by D.C. (20), S.D. Fla. (6), C.D. Cal. (4) and S.D. Cal. (4) (DOJ). AUSA guide.
National Fraud Enforcement Division: 2 to 5 three-year positions in D.C. (DOJ).
U.S. Trustee Program: 5 permanent positions; U.S. citizens only (DOJ).
Gaye L. Tenoso Indian Country Fellowship: 1 three-year position in a USAO with an Indian Country mission (Alaska, Arizona, Montana, E.D. Okla. or South Dakota) (DOJ).

Informal participants include FBI Office of General Counsel (3), Bureau of Prisons (5), Office of the Pardon Attorney (2), U.S. Marshals Service OGC (2), Office of Legal Policy and Office of Legislative Affairs (1 to 2 each), and several USAOs such as E.D. Tex. (3) and Alaska (2). Some USAOs, including Arizona, N.D. Tex. and Alaska, do not take current law students (DOJ).

Clerks and the Honors Program

Qualifying clerkships include local, state, federal and tribal courts, executive-branch administrative law judges, and time-limited court staff attorney jobs (DOJ).
The first qualifying activity must start within nine months of graduation, and each should generally last at least 12 months (DOJ).
Gaps between activities cannot exceed 120 days, and eligibility can last up to three cycles after graduation (DOJ).
If your clerkship starts one to three years after graduation, you may apply only for time-limited positions you can finish first (DOJ).
TLS discussion: DOJ Honors and Clerking and the federal clerkship guide.

Summer Law Intern Program (SLIP)

Paid summer internships; you need one full semester of law school by the deadline, and most interns work after 2L (DOJ).
SLIP-Law Clerk is for students graduating Oct. 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027 who are committed to a clerkship, fellowship or LL.M. (DOJ).
Summer 2027 hiring includes the Civil Division (18), ENRD (15) and BOP (7) on the Pathways side, and 2 Phillips Fellowships in the Solicitor General's office (DOJ). See the Bristow guide.
TLS thread: DOJ SLIP 2021-22.

Competitiveness

DOJ does not publish acceptance rates, so they are n.a. here. TLS members compare components in DOJ Honors Least Competitive and share results in the yearly threads.

Discuss on TLS

FAQ

Q: When is the DOJ Honors deadline?
The Tuesday after Labor Day; for 2026 it was Sept. 8 (DOJ).

Q: Can clerks apply?
Yes, if the clerkship started within nine months of graduation and runs through at least Dec. 1 of the application year (DOJ).

Q: Are interviews in person?
No. All 2026 Honors interviews are virtual (DOJ).

Q: How many positions are there?
DOJ lists over 180 for 2026-27 (DOJ); the component list gives the breakdown (DOJ).

Related guides

Last verified: September 26, 2026, against the official agency, court and program pages linked in this guide (older or secondary sources are labeled). Hiring status changes often, so confirm on the court or chambers page before you apply. Spot an error? Reply in the linked discussion thread or PM a moderator.