Deputy Managing Attorney, Coal Program

Earthjustice is now accepting applications for a Deputy Managing Attorney to join our team of lawyers and advocates who are working to end the U.S.’s dependence on coal-fired power, stop the growing rush to replace coal with new gas plants rather than clean energy, and ensure that the toxic legacy of coal ash pollution is cleaned up.  We seek an attorney with strong interests and skills in management and at least ten years of litigation experience to work with the Coal Program’s Managing Attorney and other Deputy to ensure effective management of a growing team of lawyers and professional staff, and litigate cases relevant to the Coal Program’s goals in federal courts, state public utility commissions, and other forums.  The position will preferably be based in our Northeast Regional Office in New York City or our Coal Program Office in Philadelphia, though other locations where Earthjustice has an office will also be considered for the right candidate. 

Founded in 1971, Earthjustice has a distinguished track record of achieving significant, lasting environmental protections. We achieve this by hiring people who share a passion for justice and a healthy environment. Our headquarters are in San Francisco with offices in Anchorage, Juneau, Los Angeles, Tallahassee, Honolulu, New York, Philadelphia, Denver, Seattle, Bozeman, Chicago, Miami, and Washington, DC.

The Coal Program uses hard-hitting litigation and administrative advocacy to work to end our nation’s reliance on dirty, expensive, and outdated coal-fired power, to challenge a growing rush to gas in the utility industry, and to transform our country’s energy sector into one that is clean, renewable, and modern.  Our docket includes litigation to secure, defend, and strengthen stringent environmental standards for power plants, lawsuits challenging government or industry failure to implement such standards, and challenges to utility proposals to spend hundreds of millions of dollars or more on aging coal plants rather than investing in clean energy.  Pursuant to our goal of a swift and equitable transition to 100% clean energy, the Coal Program is also increasingly challenging proposals for new gas-fired power plants, which are often proposed to replace retiring coal plants. The Coal Program has staff based in Philadelphia, Chicago, New York, Washington D.C., San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Boston.  For more information about the Coal Program, please visit http://earthjustice.org/about/offices/coal

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Management (approximately 60%-70%)

• Assist the Managing Attorney, other Deputy, and other staff in developing program direction and strategy.
• Serve as direct supervisor of six to seven program attorneys and professional staff.
• Assist direct reports in career advancement by identifying and encouraging training and professional development opportunities appropriate to role and working with direct reports to create development plans for all direct reports.
• Provide direct reports with consistent performance feedback – both positive and constructive – and act as a coach and mentor.
• Create a learning culture, by encouraging debriefing after completion of significant stages of projects
• Ensure that any direct reports who have supervisory responsibility are properly executing those functions.
• Create a respectful and inclusive work environment for the team, and model respectful and inclusive behavior.
• Promptly address micro-aggressions and other concerns brought to their attention.
• Resolve interpersonal conflict among team members and brings in outside facilitators as needed.
• Communicate regularly with existing employees and encourage staff to raise concerns and to provide ongoing feedback.
• Create or identify strategic opportunities for team building and individual and overall staff engagement with one another in order to strengthen teamwork, interaction and collaboration.
• Value and use individual differences and talents to improve employee satisfaction and the quality of collective work.
• Celebrate successes and help team members to understand and manage setbacks
• Work with the Managing Attorney and other staff to recruit, evaluate, and hire qualified candidates for open positions.
• Help ensure the advancement of Earthjustice’s diversity, equity, and inclusion goals and values.
• Work with Legal Practice Manager to implement internal operational policies and procedures.

Litigation (approximately 30%-40%)

• Work with the Managing Attorney, other Deputy, and other staff to help develop and lead the program’s growing body of work challenging coal plants, gas plants, and coal ash pollution.
• Develop cases and legal advocacy strategies to support program goals.
• Litigate cases from beginning to end, performing all aspects of litigation.
• Cultivate new and diverse allies and coalition partners in support of our program goals, and that advance our efforts to ensure that social justice considerations inform every aspect of our work.
• Collaborate and manage relationships with co-counsel, clients, and coalition partners.
• Serve as spokesperson for Earthjustice, clients, and partners.
• Work effectively with other departments within Earthjustice, including Communications, Development, and Policy and Legislation.

Qualifications

•  A minimum of 10 years of litigation experience.
• Admitted, or willing to apply for admission, to the state bar where position is located.
• Ability to effectively manage and lead a diverse team with emotional intelligence (self-awareness and understating of the impact of one’s behavior) and cultural humility (an understanding of the need for additional learning about different cultures, backgrounds and orientation and implementation of that learning in daily management practices).
• Excellent management skills including delivering constructive performance feedback, promoting the career development of staff, and fostering effective communication, collaboration, decision-making, and mutual respect.
• Ability to give and receive regular formal and informal feedback in a timely, constructive, respectful, and consistent manner and to incorporate debriefing into the team’s operations.
• Experience and interest in coaching, guiding, and mentoring staff.
• Strong capacity for strategic thinking, including in designing and implementing effective advocacy.
• Ability to manage a litigation docket effectively, lead a litigation team, and work collaboratively with colleagues and partner organizations.
• Proficient at working with technical experts.
• Strong skills in communicating litigation and advocacy goals and messages to the media and supporters.
• Ability and willingness to travel as needed.
• Commitment to serving the public interest, and a passion for the role of Earthjustice and its mission.
• Demonstrates an awareness and sensitivity to the needs and concerns of individuals from diverse cultures, backgrounds and orientations.
• Contributes to the creation of a diverse, equitable, and inclusive work culture that encourages and celebrates differences.

Management (Essential Skills)

• Ability to manage and lead a diverse team in a diverse environment with emotional intelligence and cultural competency.
• Has self-awareness and understands the impact of behaviors and emotional intelligence in the workplace. Also understands teams strengths and areas for development.
• Commitment to and experience in developing team skills and talents to meet the evolving needs of an organization.

Salary depends on location.

Salary for Philadelphia, PA: $170,900

Salary for New York, NY: $189,900

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.

To Apply:

Interested candidates should submit a: 

• Resume.
• One- to two-page cover letter that explains your interest in the Deputy Managing Attorney position, and describes your approach to effective management.
• Writing sample, preferably a legal brief or memorandum that primarily reflects your work.
• List of three references.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled. 

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.

For positions located within the City of Los Angeles:  We will consider qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with the Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring.