Tennessee Department of Agriculture Legal Internship, Office of General Counsel

The Tennessee Department of Agriculture, Office of General Counsel is seeking an intern for the summer of 2027, from May 17 through Aug. 13, 2027. The chosen candidate will work under the supervision of the General Counsel and Associate Counsels and gain practical experience in government legal practice while working on matters affecting Tennessee's agricultural industry, consumer protection, natural resources, government regulation and state government operations.

Location:

Ellington Agricultural Center

Moss Administration Building

440 Hogan Road, Nashville, TN 37220

Major Duties

Legal Research and Analysis

• Conduct legal research on federal and Tennessee statutes, regulations, case law and administrative decisions.
• Research emerging legal issues affecting agriculture, forestry, food safety, animal health, environmental programs, consumer protection and administrative law.

Drafting and Document Preparation

• Draft legal memoranda, correspondence, policy documents and legal opinions for matters affecting TDA divisions or program areas.
• Assist in preparing exhibits and summarizing evidence for claims filed against the Tennessee Department of Agriculture.

Administrative Enforcement and Litigation Support

• Assist attorneys in preparing administrative enforcement actions, contested case proceedings and hearings.
• Support the Office of General Counsel by organizing documents and reviewing discovery materials.

Legislative, Rule, Contract, and Compliance Review

• Review proposed legislation, administrative rules, contracts, procurement documents, grants, cooperative agreements and memoranda of understanding.
• Assist with public records requests, subpoena responses and open meetings issues.

Other duties may be assigned as needed.

Education Requirements

• Applicants must possess a baccalaureate degree and currently be pursuing a Juris Doctor degree at an ABA- or state-accredited law school. Ideal candidates will have completed at least one year of legal studies.
• Applicants must be in good academic standing with a GPA of 2.5 or higher.

Essential Knowledge and Required Skills

• Strong legal research, writing and editing skills
• Excellent analytical, organizational and communication abilities
• Ability to plan and execute projects with limited supervision or instruction
• Familiarity with Microsoft Office and legal research platforms
• General knowledge of administrative law, agricultural law, environmental law, constitutional law, criminal law and contract law is preferred.

Comments

• This is a paid internship.
• Occasional travel may be required, and overnight travel may be necessary during the internship period.
• This internship is part of the TDA's central internship program. Interns may participate in program activities and must complete an improvement project within their assigned division, followed by a presentation to Executive Leadership at the end of the internship term.
• For more information on the Tennessee Department of Agriculture, please visit the TDA website.

Working Conditions

• This internship is primarily office-based at the Ellington Agricultural Center in Nashville, Tenn. Occasional travel may be required.

How to Apply

Applications will be accepted from Friday, Oct. 9, 2026, through Thursday, Oct. 29, 2026. Applications must be submitted through the Formstack application available on the Tennessee Department of Agriculture's careers page. To be considered for this internship opportunity, you must have the following documents prepared:

• Resume
• Letter of intent
• Most recent transcript
• Two professional letters of recommendation
• DD214 (veteran candidates only)

Questions about this application or any internship opportunity may be directed to Jamye Freeman at Jamye.Freeman@tn.gov.

ALL APPLICATIONS MUST BE SUBMITTED BY THURSDAY, OCT. 29, 2026.