Post-Grad Legal Fellowship, Fall 2021

San Francisco, CA, USA
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Job Description

Earthjustice has temporarily closed offices and transitioned staff to remote work during the COVID-19 pandemic. We continue to accept applications for our Fall 2021 legal fellowship positions. 

Earthjustice is accepting applications for candidates interested in seeking a post-graduate legal fellowship funded through Equal Justice Works (EJW), funded by their law school, or funded from other sources. We are also accepting applications from individuals who are not seeking external funding. 

Earthjustice is the premier nonprofit environmental law organization. We take on the biggest, most precedent-setting cases across the country. In the United States and around the world, 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, supporters, individuals and communities to engage the critical environmental issues of our time, and bring about positive change. We are here because the earth needs a good lawyer. 

We invite you to learn more about who we are and what we do. 

The following Earthjustice offices/programs are accepting fellowship applications: 

Alaska Regional Office – Anchorage or Juneau 

Coal Program– Philadelphia, Chicago or New York

Fossil Fuels Program- San Francisco or New Orleans

Midwest Regional Office - Chicago

Sustainable Food & Farming Program- New York

Toxic Exposure & Health Program – New York or Washington DC

Tribal Partnerships – Location TBD

Washington DC Regional Office – Washington DC

The Work: Earthjustice uses the power of the law and partnership to advance public health, environmental protection, and equity in federal courts, state public utility commissions, and before federal and state administrative agencies.

Over the span of their fellowship, legal fellows will work closely with experienced Earthjustice attorneys, policy and communications staff, and clients to develop and implement litigation and advocacy strategies, and may participate in the full range of tasks involved, such as factual investigation, legal research, discovery, briefing, witness preparation, and oral advocacy. Please visit the links listed above to learn more about the litigation dockets of each of our offices and programs that are interested in sponsoring a legal fellow.   

Fellowship Projects: Earthjustice does not require fellowship applicants to have a specific project; legal fellows may work on litigation and advocacy strategies that are in place or in development. However, some law schools or other funding sources require fellows to develop specific projects. For example, the Equal Justice Works fellowship requires applicants to develop a project with the help of a sponsoring organization. For more information about Equal Justice Works fellowships, click here. If your law school or other funding source requires you to identify a specific project, we will consider applicants who already have ideas for projects or who would like to develop a project with Earthjustice’s help. Project proposals must be consistent with Earthjustice’s mission and the subject matter of the particular program or office to which you are applying. Proposals that advance Earthjustice’s interest in serving communities carrying disproportionate health, climate, or energy burdens are of particular interest. 

Who We Are Looking For: Earthjustice seeks highly qualified candidates whose backgrounds reflect our world’s rich diversity. We want candidates who possess outstanding legal research and writing skills, are emotionally intelligent, and are capable of working with diverse colleagues, clients, and partners. Applicants should be third-year law students, judicial clerks, or other recent law school graduates. Applicants should have a strong academic record, strong work ethic and sense of initiative, sound and creative judgment, and an ability to work well in a collegial setting. 

Fellowship Funding: Candidates seeking outside funding should identify potential sources of funding before applying but do not need to have secured such funding at the time of their application. The organization will fund a limited number of fellowship positions for selectees who do not receive funding from EJW, a law school, or some other funding source.   

To Apply please submit the following application materials: 

Cover letter that addresses: (1) why you are drawn to Earthjustice and whether there are particular legal, environmental, or justice issues that inspire you, (2) the offices and/or programs that you are interested in – this should appear in the subject line of your cover letter, and (3) if your fellowship will necessitate identifying a specific project proposal, please note whether you have developed such a proposal (optional to include a short description, no longer than 1 page) or would prefer to develop a project jointly with Earthjustice. 

Resume

Writing Sample, preferably a legal brief or memorandum

Law school transcript

Application Deadline:

For Equal Justice Works, applications are due by August 1, 2020 

For fellowships funded through a law school or other sources, and applicants who do not have outside funding, applications are now being accepted and will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

Please reach out to jobs@earthjustice.org if you are having technical difficulties submitting your application. No phone calls, drop-ins, or hard copies. Hiring may be subject to change and are contingent upon management needs.

Earthjustice is driven by a passion for justice, partnership and excellence. Our core values lead us to seek a broad range of perspectives and backgrounds to achieve our mission and to maintain an inclusive environment where all staff are valued and respected. As an equal opportunity employer, we are committed to employment practices that ensure that employees and applicants for employment are provided with equal opportunities without regard to race, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, age, religion, physical or mental disability, medical condition, veteran status, marital status, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information or any other factor that is not related to the position. 

For positions located within the City and County of San Francisco: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records. 

For positions located within the City of Los Angeles: We will consider qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with the Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring.