Associate Attorney, California Regional Office

We are seeking an Associate Attorney to conduct legal advocacy, including litigation and administrative advocacy, with the California Regional Office. The hybrid work position requires 0-3 years post-law school legal experience. The attorney selected for this position will play a key role in legal actions that can make a real difference to people’s health and well-being and protect important environmental values.   With staff in San Francisco and Los Angeles, Earthjustice’s California Regional Office fights for the rights of all to a healthy environment, including: protecting communities and public lands from oil and gas development, safeguarding ecosystems and imperiled species, advancing clean energy innovation, clearing the air in Los Angeles and the Central Valley, and fighting dangerous pesticide use. This position will entail a combination of litigation in state and federal courts and advocacy work before administrative agencies. For more information about the office’s work, visit https://earthjustice.org/office/california.   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, communities, and individuals to engage the critical environmental and environmental-justice 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 Associate Attorney position is a three-year position with the possibility of an additional three years as a Senior Associate Attorney. Earthjustice’s Associate Attorney program is designed to help attorneys who are in the early stages of their careers develop into thoughtful, professional, and effective advocates skilled in the various phases of public interest litigation and administrative advocacy. The level of duties and responsibilities for an Associate Attorney will vary depending on experience. Many Associates have gone on to other positions within Earthjustice and with other public interest organizations.   Responsibilities:  Associate Attorneys perform a range of work, in partnership with Senior Attorneys and professional staff, to investigate, develop, and pursue litigation in court and advocacy before administrative agencies.   As Associate Attorneys gain experience, their dockets may include cases for which they have primary responsibility under the supervision of a Senior Attorney in addition to matters on which they work in a supporting role with Senior Attorneys. Specific responsibilities include:   

• Working closely with Earthjustice attorneys, scientists, professional staff, and clients to build cases and support policies that serve a diverse set of clients. 
• Participating in the full range of tasks involved in litigation and administrative advocacy, including factual investigation, legal research and analysis, memo writing, negotiation, discovery, briefing, and oral advocacy. 
• Participating in cultivating relationships with new clients, allies, and coalition partners. 
• Integrating communications and legislative advocacy into litigation and other legal strategies. 
• Supporting efforts to ensure a diverse, equitable, and inclusive work culture that encourages and celebrates differences. 
• Representing Earthjustice at remote and in-person meetings with clients, partners, co-counsel, and experts. 
• Developing skills required to serve as spokesperson in media. 
• Participating in hiring and supervision of student law clerks and externs.  

Required Qualifications:   

• Law school graduate with 0-3 years of legal experience and admitted to, or willing and eligible to apply for admission to, the California State Bar. 
• Strong research, analytic, writing, and communication skills. 
• Strong and demonstrated work ethic, good judgment, initiative, and creativity. 
• Strong desire to fight for the right of all to a healthy environment. 
• Strong interpersonal skills, including the ability to work well collegially. 
• Commitment to serving the public interest and a passion for the role of Earthjustice and its mission. 
• Demonstrated awareness and sensitivity to the needs and concerns of individuals from diverse cultures, backgrounds, and orientations.