Spring 2023 Legal Externship – California Regional’s San Francisco Office

Earthjustice’s San Francisco location of the California Regional Office is accepting applications for full- or part-time legal externs for spring 2023. We are seeking current 2Ls and 3Ls who share a passion for justice and a healthy environment, and who are eligible to receive academic credit or fulfill a graduation requirement through this externship. This is a remote role, but the successful candidate may have the opportunity to visit the Earthjustice office nearest them.

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 combat climate change. We partner with thousands of groups, supporters, individuals, and communities to engage the critical environmental issues of our time and bring about positive change. We are guided by a passionate, ambitious vision for the future for people and our planet: until justice stands for all, we will never rest. 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, Juneau, Bozeman, Chicago, Denver, Honolulu, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, Tallahassee, New York, Philadelphia, Seattle, and Washington, DC.

The California Regional Office currently works to promote clean energy and zero-emissions transportation policies; to rein in oil and gas extraction, particularly in locations that threaten frontline communities; to improve air and water quality for residents in the Central Valley; to preserve lands and biodiversity in the Sierra Nevada, Bay Delta, and elsewhere; and to protect state residents and sensitive ecosystems from pesticides and other toxic substances. Our attorneys bring lawsuits under a mix of state and federal environmental laws and engage in administrative and other forms of advocacy to protect the environment and promote environmental justice.

Responsibilities:

Under the supervision of an attorney:

• Work with attorneys on case development and litigation.
• Perform legal and factual research, and develop case strategy and legal theories.
• Assist attorneys with preparing briefs and motions and meet with clients and experts.
• Participate in moots of oral arguments and attend court proceedings and conferences with opposing counsel.

Qualifications:

• Currently enrolled in law school and a current 2L or 3L.
• Must be eligible to receive academic credit or fulfill a graduation requirement through this externship.
• Commitment of at least 15 hours per week.
• Interest in environmental protection or environmental justice is a plus.

Compensation:

Legal externs are unpaid and must receive academic credit or fulfill a graduation requirement for their work with Earthjustice.

**To Apply:
**
Interested candidates should submit the following materials by September 11, 2022 via Jobvite. Incomplete applications will not be considered. Applications may be reviewed on a rolling basis.

• Resume.
• Cover letter – In one page, (1) Address why you want to work for the California Regional Office’s San Francisco location and any information about yourself that is not apparent or fully explained in the resume; (2) Note if you are interested in part-time or full-time work hours and specify the number of hours, or a reasonable estimate, you will be able to work each week; (3) Confirm that you can earn academic credit from your law school or that you will fulfill a graduation requirement through this externship; and (4) Indicate any applicable deadlines or requirements that are relevant to your submission or ability to accept an offer.
• Recent writing sample, preferably a legal brief or memorandum of no more than 10 pages that primarily reflects your work.
• Unofficial law school transcript.
• List of 2-3 references, including at least one law professor or legal employer.

Please note that this job posting for a legal externship does NOT cover summer positions; there is a separate application process for applicants interested in summer clerkships with Earthjustice.

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 only considers applications submitted for current openings via Jobvite. Unsolicited resumes or resumes for posted positions that are not submitted via Jobvite will not be reviewed or retained.

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.

#LI-Remote