This is a news release from the U.S. Department of Labor, Secretary Tom Perez talks about the Honors Program in the Office of the Solicitor at the Labor Department on July 14, 2014.

Opportunities for graduating law students now available through
Honors Program in the Office of the Solicitor at the US Labor Department

Secretary Perez talks about the Honors Program

WASHINGTON — The application period for the fall 2015 Honors Program in the Office of the Solicitor at the U.S. Department of Labor is underway. The program provides challenging professional opportunities for outstanding law school graduates with a passion for public service. The approximately 550 attorneys in the Department of Labor's solicitor's office enforce and interpret labor standards,occupational and mine safety and health laws, civil rights laws, pension and health benefit laws, and more on behalf of workers.

"The Solicitor of Labor's Honors Program is a truly exceptional opportunity for the very best of the best," said U.S. Secretary of Labor Thomas E. Perez. "You can put your skills to work quickly and make a huge difference."

Honors Program attorneys work in the solicitor's office either at the department's headquarters in Washington, D.C., or in one of its regional offices, gaining exposure to a broad range of substantive legal work in one of the government's preeminent legal offices. Upon completion of the two-year program, Honors Program attorneys may continue their careers in public service in one of the solicitor's national or regional offices.

The department currently plans to hire approximately 10 attorneys to begin the Honors Program in the fall of 2015. Applicants must graduate from law school in spring or summer of 2015 or finish a fellowship or judicial clerkship in time to start the Honors Program in September 2015. Selection is highly competitive and candidates will be considered based on academic achievement, writing skills, law review or moot court experience, clinic or extracurricular activities, as well as demonstrated interest in government service or public interest law.

To find out more about the program and submit an application, please visit http://www.dol.gov/sol/honorsprogram/. Applications must be received by 11:59 p.m. EDT on Oct. 10, 2014.