Staff Attorney (Administrative/Environmental Law)

Position Title: Staff Attorney (Administrative/Environmental Law)

Location: Washington, DC

Reports To: Senior Attorney

Application Deadline: Until filled

Start Date: As soon as possible.

Minimum Years of Relevant Experience: 5 years

Salary: EarthRights’ attorney salaries are set according to demonstrated years of experience:

• The salary range for the staff attorney role (for those with 5 to 10 years of experience) is $120,000 to $130,000

Summary Description

EarthRights seeks an experienced U.S.-licensed litigator and expert in federal administrative law regimes, especially federal environmental law, to advise and lead litigation strategies relating to methane and other climate/fossil fuels work.

The Attorney must have extensive experience working with U.S. administrative law, preferably litigation under federal environmental statutes and regulations, and a keen understanding of how to use that body of law to help communities and combat climate change.

Over the past 20 years, EarthRights has built a reputation as one of the leading legal organizations representing communities and individuals from around the world whose rights, livelihoods, and homelands are harmed by corporations, financial institutions, and governments. EarthRights lawyers have worked for decades to help frontline communities around the world shift power and disrupt systems of impunity by centering community struggles against powerful actors and channeling the accountability goals of the community into litigation strategy. Our cases have set legal precedents, brought millions of dollars of compensation to survivors of human rights violations and industrial pollution, and changed the behavior of corporations, governments and international institutions. More recently, EarthRights has begun litigating on behalf of communities in the United States primarily with respect to the harms of climate change.

Under the supervision of EarthRights General Counsel and a Senior Attorney, the Administrative Law Attorney / Senior Administrative Law Attorney will help develop and implement EarthRights legal strategies on climate change and its impacts on U.S. communities, especially with respect to methane emissions. The Attorney will be based out of EarthRights’ Washington, D.C., office, where we are currently working a hybrid schedule with 2 in-office days per week.

The Administrative Law Attorney may also support other EarthRights litigation, especially during periods when other legal team members are on leave. The Attorney will also coordinate with EarthRights’ campaigns and communications teams to amplify community voices and advocate for community priorities.

Roles and Responsibilities

• Develop and litigate cases to expand EarthRights’ U.S. legal work on climate change and oil and gas industry accountability, especially with respect to methane emissions
• Identify and carry out opportunities to advance industry accountability, reduce carbon and methane pollution and support marginalized communities through litigation and other advocacy
• Advocate for administrative and legislative policies through scientific and legal comments, oral testimony, policy analysis and petitions for rulemaking
• Draft and edit briefs, motions, memos, briefing documents, written comments, and other written materials for submission to federal and state courts, as well as administrative agencies
• Conduct and supervise discovery activities including propounding discovery, document review, and depositions
• Represent EarthRights and our clients in court appearances, hearings, negotiations, public meetings, workshops, and other processes
• Conduct fact-finding and consultation trips to potential and existing client communities as relevant to advance litigation goals, and to assess needs and community priorities and goals
• Contribute to strategic discussions as part of a collaborative legal team.
• Collaborate with the EarthRights Campaigns Team and Communications Team to amplify community voices and identify advocacy strategies that could complement litigation to meet community needs and goals
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with relevant co-counsel, NGOs, and personnel of partner organizations
• Manage deliverables on relevant EarthRights grants, and assist Development Team to provide timely and compelling reports, proposals and updates to funders, including representing EarthRights at donor meetings and conferences

Responsibilities may also include

• Contribute to EarthRights’ corporate accountability and climate litigation generally
• Supervise interns, legal fellows, and other attorneys, and coordinate programmatic activities
• Work with staff in other programs and offices to facilitate information flow, maintain collaborative work relationships across the organization and to ensure consistency and integration in support of EarthRights’s strategic priorities

Qualifications and Experience:

• Licensed to practice law in U.S. with D.C. bar membership or the ability to waive into the D.C. bar
• Significant U.S. administrative law research and litigation experience, of at least five years (for Staff Attorney level) or 10 years (for Senior Attorney level)
• Knowledge of legal and policy issues relating to environmental law and climate change
• Excellent legal research, analysis, writing and communication skills
• Ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously, handle a heavy workload, and manage time efficiently to meet relevant deadlines
• Ability to manage up to obtain guidance when necessary and ensure others on team are meeting deadlines
• Ability to work well with clients and partners from a diverse range of ethnic, geographic, and cultural backgrounds
• Commitment to anti-bias and nondiscrimination

Desirable skills and experience:

• A passion for and commitment to justice and representing clients fighting powerful adversaries
• Experience working with civil society organizations and a diverse range of people and groups
• General civil litigation experience, including tort litigation
• Media, advocacy, and/or campaign experience
• Experience coordinating movements, coalitions or networks
• Experience with external fundraising to support project goals
• Ability to work in multiple languages, especially Spanish

Work Authorization

• United States (required; EarthRights will cooperate in obtaining or maintaining work authorization where necessary, but applicants must have authorization or eligibility to obtain authorization immediately)

Benefits

• Employer-sponsored medical insurance (dependent coverage available)
• 100% employer-paid dental and vision insurance coverage (dependent coverage available)
• 14 weeks paid maternity/paternity leave for eligible employees
• 15 days of vacation & 12 sick days per year
• 12 paid federal holidays; office closed from December 24 – January 1
• Flexible Spending Plan (FSA)
• Generous employer non-elective retirement contribution
• Employee wellness benefits and transportation benefits
• A casual work environment

****This position may be included in the EarthRights International Bargaining Unit - United / SIEU Local 500.

Send application to: https://earthrights.org/careers/

Application materials:

Candidates should submit the following materials:

• Resume or CV (no longer than 2 pages)
• Cover letter
• Brief (<10 pages) legal writing sample

References may be requested later in the process. Due to the volume of applications, only short listed candidates may be contacted.

Once your application has been submitted, please go to this link and fill out the demographic survey questions: https://forms.gle/gJFvaz73GkQGSNr18

This information will not be linked to your individual application in any way, but helps EarthRights evaluate our efforts at recruiting a diverse set of candidates.

EarthRights International is an equal opportunity employer that does not discriminate in its hiring practices, and actively encourages people of color, women, people with disabilities, and LGBTQI people to apply.

For more information on the work of EarthRights International visit www.earthrights.org