Senior Counsel, Litigation Strategy

Overview

NRDC is a non-profit environmental advocacy organization. We use law, science, and the support of 3.1 million members and online activists to protect the planet's wildlife and wild places and to ensure the rights of all people to clean air, clean water, and healthy communities. NRDC was founded in 1970 and our people helped write some of America's bedrock environmental laws, including the Clean Water Act and many of the implementing regulations. Today, our team of more than 700 lawyers, scientists, economists, policy advocates, communications experts, and others work across the United States and the globe from our offices in Beijing; Chicago; New Delhi; New York; San Francisco; Santa Monica; and Washington, D.C.

POSITION SUMMARY  

The Senior Counsel, Litigation Strategy, will lead the development of NRDC’s capacity, strategy, and collaborations to address salient doctrinal developments, including those that affect NRDC’s access to the courts, regulatory agencies’ authority and discretion, and the relative balance of power among the several branches and levels of government. The Senior Counsel will also litigate significant cases on behalf of NRDC and outside partners, leading case teams and supervising the litigation work of others, with a focus on appellate practice. The Senior Counsel will participate in other Team-development or institutional work, as needed. The Senior Counsel reports to NRDC’s Chief Litigation Officer or Senior Director, Litigation, and will collaborate with litigators throughout NRDC. 

 

The position you are applying for is part of the bargaining unit represented by The Washington Baltimore News Guild (WBNG / The Newsguild-CWA Local 32035).  

Responsibilities

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the following essential functions: 

 

Litigation strategy (~50%) 

• Identify significant emerging legal doctrinal trends that may threaten or provide opportunities to advance NRDC’s advocacy. 
• Lead NRDC’s development of litigation strategies to protect and advance the public’s rights of access to the courts, the power of regulatory agencies and other branches of government to effectively protect the public interest, the relative balance of power among the several branches and levels of government, and other cross-cutting legal issues. 
• Build capacity among NRDC litigators to identify and consistently address cross-cutting legal issues of concern, using tools ranging from informal consultation, to formal trainings, to the collection and dissemination of significant legal research. 
• Support NRDC lawyers on specific matters that implicate doctrinal threats, including through support on specific issues and briefs. 
• Collaborate and build relationships with other, allied organizations to develop shared strategies around doctrinal threats or opportunities and to inform Supreme Court practice. 
• Supervise the work of other staff when they assist the Senior Counsel.

Active litigation and assistance with Team litigation (~45%)  

• Litigate cases on behalf of NRDC and outside partners, with a focus on appellate practice and cases involving critical matters that implicate key doctrinal concerns or likely Supreme Court review. 
• Manage all aspects of the case from initial development through briefing, oral argument, other court hearings, and appeals. 
• Model and teach excellence in litigation on behalf of NRDC and outside partners. 
• Supervise support staff and attorneys on case teams, providing guidance and support to achieve excellence while fostering growth and development. 
• Collaborate with NRDC’s experts to refine a litigation strategy that aligns with non-litigation advocacy. 
• Develop and nurture relationships with NRDC’s advocacy staff and outside allies to identify and develop potential litigation. 

Other team collaboration or institutional engagement (~5%) 

• Support other institutional efforts, including public communications around significant jurisprudential developments, judicial nominations, access to the courts, and the rule of law.  
• Contribute to the life of the Litigation Team and the enhancement of NRDC’s litigation capacity by serving on relevant institutional committees, presenting to NRDC members or staff, and engaging in development outreach. 

The above list of duties is not comprehensive but generally demonstrates the types of matters under this position’s responsibility. Other duties may be assigned. 

Qualifications

Minimum Education & Experience:   

• Juris Doctorate deg