Staff Attorney

DEFENDERS OF WILDLIFEPOSITION DESCRIPTIONJOB TITLE: Staff Attorney (CO) CLASSIFICATION: Professional 5 SALARY: $108,000 - $110,000FLSA: ExemptDEPARTMENT: Conservation Law LOCATION: Denver, CO REPORTS TO: Senior AttorneyNUMBER OF DIRECT AND INDIRECT REPORT(S): 0LAST REVISED: June 2021POSITION SUMMARYThis position requires working knowledge of federal environmental and natural resources law and significant litigation experience.  Primary emphasis is on litigating cases under federal wildlife and natural resources laws to conserve biological diversity, drafting comments on proposed rulemakings, working with and advising field and program staff on legal and policy matters, and helping to develop and advance Defenders’ conservation policies. ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Develop and litigate cases under various federal statutes to protect imperiled wildlife species, to conserve wildlife, habitat, and ecosystems in the face of global warming, and to ensure conservation of wildlife and habitat on federal public lands;
• Draft public comments on proposed rulemakings;
• Advise Defenders’ field and program staff on conservation law and policy matters;
• Review and analyze legislation;
• Actively participate in the development and advancement of Defenders’ conservation policy goals;
• Perform all other related duties as assigned

QUALIFICATIONSEducation: JD or equivalent; appropriate state bar license requiredExperience: 3+ years of litigation experienceApplication Requirement: CV or resume, cover letter, and a legal writing sample (10 pages or less.) Please submit all three documents in your application to be considered.An equivalent combination of education and experience may be accepted as a satisfactory substitute for the specific education and experience listed above.Knowledge, Skills, Abilities for All Defendershttps://defenders.org/knowledge-skills-and-abilitiesKnowledge, Skills, Abilities for Professional 5Administrative

• Ability to accurately maintain electronic and physical records
• Anticipate and meet the needs of internal and/or external stakeholders delivering excellent service

Communication

• Ability to clearly and accurately communicate with internal and external stakeholders
• Ability to articulate complex ideas clearly, accurately and concisely
• Ability to convey effective messages to broad and diverse constituencies
• Ability and willingness to effectively represent Defenders’ interests in external environments
• Ability to exert influence and build consensus with internal and external stakeholders

Critical Thinking

• Ability to handle sensitive and confidential matters with discretion
• Strong research and data analysis skills, including ability to gather and synthesize information from multiple sources to produce high quality work products in a consistent, efficient, accurate, and timely manner
• Creative problem-solving and troubleshooting skills with willingness to experiment and innovate new methods.
• Facilitate and promote the integration of diversity, equity and inclusion strategies into Defenders’ work
• Ability to independently exercise appropriate judgment in response to complex and/or fluid environments
• Strategic thinker with the ability to take high-level strategy and translate into relatable points and action steps.

Project Management

• Ability to work well under pressure and tight deadlines while balancing competing assignments
• Ability to remain flexible and adaptable to shifting priorities while remaining responsive to urgent requests
• Ability to take ownership of a project or process and to use problem solving skills to resolve issues
• Ability to manage deadlines on multiple cross-functional projects in a dynamic environment
• Demonstrated ability in managing competing interests on complex issues
• Ability to independently initiate project and initiative ideas; managing projects and initiatives through to completion

Coalition and Community Engagement

• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to form effective working relationships with diverse constituencies including federal/state agencies; elected officials and their staff; Defenders’ members and donors; private landowners; hunters and anglers; community leaders; religious, scientific, and academic communities; and /or the general public.
• Ability to lead diverse stakeholders in collaborative activities, to anticipate issues impacting Defenders’ mission and make recommendations within Defenders, other organizations, and coalitions.
• Networking skills to engage with leaders in the conservation community, federal and state agencies, NGOs, and other organizations.

Conservation Knowledge

• Expert-level knowledge of Defenders’ l