Associate Attorney, Oceans

Earthjustice’s Oceans Program seeks an Associate Attorney to assist with our international legal advocacy and litigation to protect our planet’s oceans. This position will begin between April, June, or September 2023.  The position will be based preferably in our San Francisco, CA office; although applicants seeking to work in other Earthjustice office locations will also be considered.

Earthjustice is the premier nonprofit environmental law organization. We take on the biggest, most precedent-setting cases across the country. 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 to engage on the critical environmental issues of our time and bring about positive change. We are here because the earth needs a good lawyer.

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, Bozeman, Chicago, Denver, Honolulu, Houston, Juneau, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, Seattle, Tallahassee and Washington, D.C.

The Oceans Program works to protect oceans and ocean wildlife from threats such as overfishing, oil and gas drilling, and habitat degradation. Our team currently consists of nine full-time attorneys and a litigation paralegal. In the United States, we litigate cases primarily in federal court aimed at protecting ocean resources. We also work to protect marine ecosystems and marine biodiversity outside our borders by combatting Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) fishing, and fighting offshore drilling in partnerships with advocates across the globe. The person in this position would work on international oceans matters.

For more information about the work of the Oceans Program, visit https://earthjustice.org/about/offices/oceans

The Associate Attorney position is a three-year position with the potential opportunity for extension. Many Associates have gone on to other positions within Earthjustice and with other public interest organizations. The Associate Attorney program is designed to help attorneys who are in the early stages of their careers to develop into thoughtful, professional, and effective advocates skilled in the various phases of public interest advocacy. As Associate Attorneys gain experience, they gradually take on more independent responsibility for their cases and projects, but Associates work throughout their tenure under the supervision of a Senior Attorney or the Managing Attorney.

Staff in the Oceans Program are currently in a hybrid work model, with some working several days a week in the office, and some staff working remotely.

Responsibilities

Associate attorneys perform a range of litigation and advocacy-related tasks that can include:

• Working closely with Earthjustice attorneys, professional staff, and international partners to build cases and support policies that serve a diverse set of clients.
• Participating in relationship building with international partner organizations, clients, and experts from a wide range of cultural, linguistic, and legal backgrounds.
• Participating in the full range of tasks involved in administrative advocacy, complex litigation, and advocating for legislation, including factual investigation, legal research, memo writing, briefing, and oral advocacy.
• Interacting with clients and partners, and work with experts to develop a clear understanding of the facts involved in each matter and, ultimately, to support our advocacy goals.
• Participating in development of parallel strategies to support both domestic and international advocacy.
• Representing Earthjustice on calls and at meetings with clients, partners, co-counsel, and experts.
• Developing skills required to serve as spokesperson with print and other media.
• Assisting with hiring and supervision of student law clerks.

Qualifications

• Law school graduate admitted to, or qualified and willing to apply for admission to the California or other relevant state bar.
• 0-4 years of post-law school legal experience.
• Ability and commitment to contribute to the creation of a diverse, equitable, and inclusive work culture that encourages and celebrates differences.
• Demonstrated awareness of and sensitivity to the needs and concerns of individuals from diverse cultures, backgrounds, and orientations.
• Excellent legal research, writing, analytical, and communication skills.
• Strong work ethic, good judgment, initiative, and creativity.
• Ability to work independently and as a collegial team member.
• Commitment to public interest work and a passion for the oceans as well as the role of Earthjustice and its mission.
• Experience or ability to work in cross-cultural settings.
• Ability and willingness to travel internationally as needed.

The ideal candidate will have knowledge of environmental or international law, experience working in a country other than the United States, and/or professional fluency in a language other than English.

We offer a competitive salary and excellent benefits that are comprehensive and competitive. We also offer a congenial work environment and a casual dress code.  As a 501(c)(3) organization, Earthjustice is a qualifying employer for purposes of the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program.

Compensation is based on experience and location.

**Salary range in San Francisco, CA: $92,700 - $112,000

Additional Salary Ranges are based on geographic market.**

To Apply

Interested applicants should submit via Jobvite:

• One-page cover letter that addresses at least the following subjects: (1) your legal skills; (2) your interest in Earthjustice’s mission and any particular international or domestic legal, environmental, social justice, or oceans issues; and (3) aspects of your background that show competence to work with diverse clients and colleagues.
• Writing sample, preferably a legal brief or memorandum that is either unedited or lightly edited by someone other than you. Please include a cover sheet explaining the extent of editing by someone else.
• Unofficial Law school transcript; and
• List of three professional or academic references.

For this position, we are seeking a candidate who is available to start in April, June, or September 2023. Preference will be given to candidates who apply by February 26, 2023. After that, applications may be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled.

Earthjustice brings our associate attorneys on board on a quarterly schedule, during the months of January, April, June, and September.

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 given 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.