Staff Attorneys, Northeast Regional Office

Earthjustice is accepting applications for two Staff Attorneys to join our Northeast Regional team. Both staff attorneys will play leading roles in our office’s litigation and other advocacy efforts to safeguard the health and environment of the Northeast Region and its communities. One of the Staff Attorney positions will initially focus on the office’s climate and energy docket.

Earthjustice is the nation’s premier nonprofit environmental law organization. We have approximately 140 attorneys working in fourteen regional offices around the country. Founded in 1971, we have a distinguished track record of using litigation and legal advocacy to achieve lasting environmental progress. We wield the power of law and the strength of partnership to protect people’s health, to preserve magnificent places and wildlife, to advance clean energy, and to combat climate change. We partner with thousands of groups, supporters, individuals and communities to tackle the critical environmental issues of our time, and bring about positive change. We are here because the earth needs a good lawyer.

Earthjustice’s Staff Attorneys are experienced attorneys who develop, file, and litigate cases on behalf of our clients that align with the programmatic goals and regional needs of the office in which they work. We compensate our Staff Attorneys in lockstep based on their geography and years of legal experience; some have as few as six years of litigation experience and others have been with us for decades, and many are nationally-recognized leaders in their fields.

Earthjustice’s Northeast Regional team is based in New York City. The team focuses on carrying out Earthjustice’s mission in the Northeast Region and beyond to address climate change and protect environmental health. In recent years, Staff Attorneys from the office have secured victories that led to a state-level ban on fracking, won a groundbreaking lawsuit requiring EPA to improve its dust lead hazard standards, prevailed in a legal challenge to a weak state water permit for industrial dairies, and obtained an order requiring EPA to timely rule on discrimination complaints after it had ignored some for decades. Attorneys in the office currently are pursuing a wide range of cases to leverage the momentum in the region to slash greenhouse emissions by stopping the development of costly and dangerous fossil fuel infrastructure and pushing for an equitable transition to a zero-emissions future. The Northeast regional team also is fighting to protect the health of local communities from threats such as dangerous chemicals in drinking water, lead in household dust, and air pollution from incinerators and gas plants. In partnership with environmental and social justice groups, the team seeks to further develop its representation of communities to better serve overburdened populations in the Northeast region. The Office also has increased its New York State legislative advocacy efforts.

We expect the Staff Attorneys we hire for this position to play a leading role developing and litigating cases and seeking regional legislative opportunities to further the Office’s work. Both Staff Attorneys will play an integral part in shaping the Northeast Office’s strategic plan for fulfilling our regional mission. Both Staff Attorneys also will play an important part in helping our less-experienced attorneys and professional staff grow and develop in their careers.

The Staff Attorneys’ time will be spent on substantive case/matter work (70%), supervision/mentoring (20%), and administrative tasks (10%). 

Responsibilities

• Develop cases and legal advocacy strategies to support organization and office goals.
• Litigate cases from beginning to end, taking the lead on all aspects of litigation.
• Work with Earthjustice lobbyists and coalition partners to advance legislative and other advocacy strategies.
• Supervise the work of associate attorneys, interns, and litigation assistants.
• Cultivate new allies and engage in partnerships with and representation of community groups.
• Collaborate and manage relationships with co-counsel, clients, and coalition partners.
• Serve as spokesperson for Earthjustice and, where appropriate, clients.
• Work collaboratively and effectively with colleagues throughout Earthjustice, including Litigation, Communications, Development, and Policy and Legislation.

Qualifications

• Law school graduate admitted, or willing to apply for admission, to the New York State Bar.
• At least seven years of litigation experience, including top-notch legal research, writing and oral advocacy skills.
• The ideal candidate will have experience working with community groups, including those representing communities of color, low-income communities, and environmental justice communities.
• For the climate and energy-focused position, knowledge and experience in energy and climate law is preferred, but not required.
• Initiative, good judgment, and a strong work ethic.
• A commitment to public interest work and a passion for Earthjustice’s mission.
• Ability to work both independently and in collaboration with others.
• Demonstrated awareness and sensitivity to the needs and concerns of individuals from diverse cultures, backgrounds and orientations.
• Commitment to help create a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workforce and culture that encourages and celebrates differences.

We offer a mission- and employee-focused work environment and a competitive compensation package, including excellent benefits.  Earthjustice is an equal opportunity employer and highly values diversity.

Salary is based on number of years of litigation experience and location.
Salary range in New York, NY: $145,000+

To Apply

Interested candidates should submit a:

• Resume
• One or two page cover letter that addresses why you want to work at Earthjustice and/or what life experiences draw you to Earthjustice’s mission.
• Writing sample, preferably a legal brief, that primarily reflects your work
• List of three professional references

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.

Please reach out to jobs@earthjustice.org if you are having technical difficulties submitting your application. No phone calls, drop-ins, or hard copies.

Earthjustice is driven by a passion for justice, partnership, and excellence. Our core values lead us to seek a broad range of perspectives and backgrounds to achieve our mission and to maintain an inclusive environment where all staff are valued and respected. As an equal opportunity employer, we are committed to employment practices that ensure that employees and applicants for employment are provided with equal opportunities without regard to race, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, age, religion, physical or mental disability, medical condition, veteran status, marital status, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, or any other factor that is not related to the position.

For positions located within the City and County of San Francisco:  Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment-qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.