The US Army Corps of Engineers Legal Services System is an integrated network of Counsel offices that spans the globe -- 51 Offices in the Continental United States, as well as offices in Hawaii, Alaska, Korea, Japan, Germany and Iraq. These offices employ over 500 attorneys and support staff. We are counselors to decision-makers and play a critical role in the planning and execution of Corps projects.

Our goal is to practice preventive law -- to get out in front in the planning and design phases of Corps' projects to facilitate smooth and effective execution.

The Corps legal services organization is respected as a leader in the Partnering and Alternative Dispute Resolution Programs. As attorneys, our mission is to represent the Corps' legal position and rights as an organization in such areas including contract law, environmental law, fiscal law, torts and admiralty claims, personnel law and EEO.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Office of the Chief Counsel selects a limited number of graduating law students and judicial law clerks to participate in the Civilian Honors Program.  Through the Honors Program, we place highly qualified graduating students and judicial clerks in positions throughout our over 50 offices worldwide. The program provides new attorneys challenging work, significant responsibility, and unparalleled development opportunities to serve the public.

For more detailed information, please see our Civilian Honors Program Brochure.

Please Note: Students are considered to have applied by participating in on-campus screening interviews with USACE recruiters or by submitting a resume, transcript and writing sample to the Honors Program Inbox. Applicants should submit a single application in PDF format in the following order: (1) cover letter; (2) resume, not to exceed two pages, single spaced; (3) official or unofficial law school transcript; (4) legal writing sample, no more than 10 pages double spaced; and (5) geographic preferences form.  The submitted PDF should be a single file titled in the following order with underscores between each part: (1) applicant last name, (2) applicant first name, (3) application year, and (4) CHP Application (for example: Doe_Jane_20XX_CHP Application).

The Civilian Honors Program recruits qualified candidates for attorney positions that may be available in any of the USACE offices in the United States and worldwide. We generally cannot identify specific vacancies at the time of initial application. Applicants may indicate their geographic preferences in their applications or by separate email to CECC-HON@usace.army.mil. Applicants who do not indicate an interest in a particular location may not be considered for positions that may be available at that location. A list of USACE office locations is available here.

Veterans who served on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces and were separated under honorable conditions may be eligible for veterans' preference. To claim preference, please provide a copy of your DD-214, "Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty", or other acceptable documentation with your application. Applicants claiming 10 point preference will need to submit Form SF-15, "Application for 10-point Veterans' Preference." Such applicants should note that veterans' preference has only limited applicability to excepted service positions. Please contact us for further details.

All application materials must be e-mailed or postmarked by October 15 of the academic year in which the applicant graduates or of the final year of judicial clerkship.

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