Associate Attorney, California Regional Office

Earthjustice seeks 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. This attorney’s emphasis area will be our Right to Zero priorities. The Right to Zero program is working to transform the way we use energy and transport goods, services and ourselves across the country. From our power grid to ports, buses to garbage trucks, the Right to Zero team works to ditch fossil fuels and lead the shift to zero-emissions. The attorney will primarily focus on California-specific Right to Zero litigation and advocacy, and may also work on Right to Zero issues that are either federal or outside California, or on other California Regional Office priorities.  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 to engage on the critical environmental 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, Juneau, Los Angeles, Tallahassee, Honolulu, New York, Philadelphia, Denver, Miami, Seattle, Bozeman, Chicago, Houston, and Washington, D.C.   Earthjustice’s California Regional Office was the first of the now fifteen Earthjustice offices. With offices in San Francisco and Los Angeles, the California Regional Office covers almost all areas of our work. We fight for the rights of all Californians to a healthy environment. Earthjustice’s work in California is particularly important given California is both a health and climate leader and yet has some of the worst air in the country, is still one of the largest producers of oil in the country, faces some of the most challenging water issues, and is seeing its unique biodiversity face unprecedented threats. Learn more about the California Regional Office and its work at - https://earthjustice.org/about/offices/california.   The Associate Attorney position is a three-year position with the potential for extension, designed to develop thoughtful, professional, and effective advocates skilled in the various phases of public interest litigation.  As Associate Attorneys gain experience, they gradually take on more independent responsibility for their cases but work throughout their tenure under the supervision of Senior Attorneys, Deputy Managing Attorneys, or the Managing Attorney.  Many Associates have gone on to other positions within Earthjustice and with other public interest organizations. This is a hybrid position based in our California Regional Offices and requires regular in-person attendance.    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.