2015 Legal Fellowship Program
September 30, 2014
San Francisco, CA or Portland, OR
Overview: Center for Food Safety (CFS) is the nation’s leading nonprofit public interest and environmental advocacy organization that addresses the impacts of the industrial food production system on human health, animal welfare, and the environment. CFS represents over 500,000 farmer and consumer members nationwide. CFS works to achieve its goals through litigation, legislation, scientific reports, public education, grassroots campaigns, market pressure, and media outreach. CFS’s legal team manages an active docket of impact litigation and high-profile cases on issues related to genetic engineering, factory farms, food safety and food labeling, pollinators, pesticides, organics, aquaculture, soil and climate, seed diversity, and nanotechnology. Learn more at centerforfoodsafety.org.
Position Description: The Legal Fellowship is a paid, one-year appointment beginning in September 2015, with the possibility of an additional year if both parties agree. Legal fellows may be based in the San Francisco or Portland office and work alongside the legal team on litigation in federal and state courts, including appeals courts. Their work includes performing legal research, investigating and developing cases, drafting pleadings, participating in discovery, and supporting the legal team as needed through all stages of litigation. Legal fellows also participate in CFS’s policy initiatives by, among other things, submitting rulemaking petitions and comments to federal agencies and assisting in drafting state and federal legislation and local ordinances. Legal fellows are also expected to do necessary administrative tasks.
Qualifications: CFS is seeking motivated recent law school graduates interested in doing meaningful litigation and policy work on behalf of the public and the environment. The fellowship is open to students who graduated law school in 2013 or 2014, or who will graduate in 2015, including those completing judicial clerkships. The ideal candidate would have:
an interest in and experience with administrative and environmental law or another relevant area (including relevant coursework);demonstrated commitment to practicing public interest environmental law or food and agriculture law; excellent legal research, writing, and communication skills;self-motivation and the ability to work independently;a willingness to work closely with others and perform administrative tasks in a small, team‑oriented office environment; andtimely admission to the California or Oregon bar.
To Apply: Please email a cover letter, resume, list of three references (two may be from law school; one must be a legal employment supervisor), and non-academic writing sample to clerkships@centerforfoodsafety.org. Please indicate your preferred location by stating “2015 Legal Fellowship (San Francisco)” or “2015 Legal Fellowship (Portland)” in the subject line. Applicants will be considered on a rolling basis until December 31, 2014.
CFS is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate based on race, color, nationality, ancestry, gender, sexual orientation, age, religion, or any other characteristic protected by state or federal law.
CFS salaries are competitive and based on experience, and include a strong benefits package.