2025 Northeast Regional Program Clerkship

The Northeast Regional Program works to address the serious health and environmental threats associated with climate change, toxic chemicals, and other sources of pollution. We partake in efforts to ensure that New York state and local authorities faithfully implement innovative new environmental laws including the 2022 Environmental Rights Amendment and the landmark 2019 Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act. In addition, we fight to protect drinking and surface waters from pollutants including PFAS in Cayuga Lake and cyanotoxins in Owasco Lake through administrative advocacy and state and federal litigation. The Northeast Office approaches many of its cases and projects with an environmental justice lens working with partners in frontline communities to help ensure that some of the most vulnerable residents in our region are no longer disproportionately burdened by pollution of their air and water. 

ABOUT US

Founded in 1971, Earthjustice is now the premier nonprofit environmental law organization in the U.S. with approximately 575 staff nationwide and 15 offices located strategically across the country. We wield the power of law and the strength of partnership to protect people’s health; preserve magnificent places and wildlife; advance clean energy; and combat climate change. We partner with thousands of groups and supporters to take on the biggest, most precedent-setting cases across the country and have a distinguished track record of achieving significant, lasting environmental protections. We are here because the earth needs a good lawyer. 

  Earthjustice’s work is currently divided into three major areas: 

• Lands, Wildlife, and Oceans focuses on cases that protect endangered species, national forests, national parks, other public lands, water resources, and the oceans. 

• Healthy Communities focuses on cases that protect public health, prevent air and water pollution, and curb exposures to toxic chemicals, particularly in disproportionately impacted communities. Recently, our healthy communities work has also begun to promote sustainable food and agriculture and the rights of farm workers. 

• Climate and Energy focuses on cases that encourage the swift and just transition to clean energy while challenging the reliance on coal, oil, and other dirty fuels. 

  We welcome all interested law students from across the country to apply for a summer law clerk position.  We expect that students will work proximate to or in an office where the program is located.  In some limited instances, an office may hire clerks to work in an area that is outside that team’s geographic area, but still proximate to an Earthjustice office.    RESPONSIBILITIES Summer Law Clerks will have the opportunity to work with several attorneys on case development and litigation strategy. Students may draft pleadings and briefs, do legal research, develop strategy and legal theories, gather evidence, and attend client meetings and court proceedings. Earthjustice’s summer law clerk program also includes various programmatic offerings, such as in-person and virtual seminars with attorneys and guest speakers on current environmental issues, interactions with other local and regional environmental groups, and a job interview workshop.    COMPENSATION Earthjustice summer law clerkships are paid positions. The total stipend amount will be dependent on any external funding a student secures, such as through their law school’s summer funding program. Earthjustice will provide a one-time stipend at the start of the clerkship in the amount of $1,319.00 per<