FARM & FOOD LEGAL FELLOW
The Yale Environmental Protection Clinic (EPC) and Yale Community and Economic
Development Clinic (CED), in collaboration with the Conservation Law Foundation (CLF), seek
to hire a Farm and Food Legal Fellow to begin in September 2017.
The Legal Fellow will work under the supervision of the EPC director, CED director, CLF’s
Director of Farm and Food, and other program staff. The Legal Fellow will spend approximately
half of their time establishing and coordinating CLF’s Legal Food Hub program in Connecticut,
and the remaining time on clinical projects and independent research within the EPC and CED.
The Legal Fellow’s primary responsibilities will include developing and overseeing a direct legal
assistance pro bono network (the new Connecticut branch of CLF’s Legal Food Hub program),
conducting outreach and trainings on farm and food legal issues, communicating with the press
and the public, supervising or supporting student projects related to farm, food, sustainability,
and developing community-based connections and relationships. The position requires a creative
and outgoing self-starter with the confidence to forge new paths.
The Legal Fellow will be based at Yale Law School in New Haven, CT. The position will be
full-time for one year with a second year preferred depending on funding.
Organizational Background
The Environmental Protection Clinic is an interdisciplinary clinic that addresses environmental
law and policy problems on behalf of client organizations such as environmental groups,
government agencies, and international bodies.
The Community and Economic Development Clinic provides transactional legal services to
clients seeking to promote economic opportunity and mobility.
Conservation Law Foundation is a non-profit, member-supported law and policy advocacy
organization based in Boston with several offices throughout New England. Founded in 1966,
CLF’s mission is to advocate on behalf of the region's environment and communities.
The Legal Food Hub program is a free legal services clearinghouse that provides pro bono legal
assistance, workshops, and trainings to for farmers, food entrepreneurs, and related organizations
in order to foster a sustainable, resilient, and just food system. The Legal Food Hub also has the
dual goal of providing content-specific training to lawyers to enable the legal community to
better serve farmers and food businesses. The Legal Food Hub currently operates in Maine,
Massachusetts, and Rhode Island; the Legal Fellow will develop the Connecticut branch. You
The ideal candidate will:
• Have a J.D. and be a member of or an applicant to a state bar prepared to apply for admission
to the Connecticut bar (candidates may qualify for admission without examination);
• Have experience working with issues relating to agriculture, aquaculture, and other elements
of the food system;
• Have experience with transactional law issues;
• Have interest in policy advocacy;
• Have experience working in coalitions with both public and private sector actors;
• Have strong interpersonal skills, including the proven ability to work with people from
different backgrounds and communities;
• Have excellent organizational skills;
• Have exemplary oral and written communication skills;
• Be able to manage multiple projects at once and report to multiple supervisors;
• Be a mature self-starter, able to work both independently and as a productive team member;
• Be a persuasive, credible, well-prepared advocate; and
• Have the capacity to develop expertise in relevant non-legal technical or policy areas.
Expected responsibilities include the following:
• Conduct outreach to a diverse set of Connecticut food-system stakeholders to identify
common legal issues;
• Build alliances and coalitions among community groups, public officials, business interests,
and advocacy organizations;
• Develop and oversee a direct legal assistance pro bono network serving farmers,
aquaculturists, food businesses, and food organizations (the Legal Food Hub);
• Develop trainings to advise food-system stakeholders, pro bono attorneys, community groups,
and other advocacy groups on legal and policy matters;
• Write public educational materials, articles, and opinion pieces;
• Educate and advocate before local, state, and federal legislatures and administrations;
• Engage in public outreach and speaking on advocacy initiatives;
• Work effectively with administrative support staff;
• Work with other EPC, CED, and CLF attorneys and communications and policy specialists;
• Work with the media to amplify and disseminate work;
• Work with and supervise clinical students; and
• Assist in preparing funder reports and related materials as needed.
Salary and Benefits
Yale Law School offers a competitive salary and extensive benefits plan, and an open, inclusive,
and accepting work environment where differences are highly respected.
To Apply
Send a cover letter and resume to EPC director Josh Galperin at Joshua.Galperin@yale.edu.
Yale University is an Equal Opportunity Employer
Yale University considers applicants for employment without regard to, and does not
discriminate on the basis of, an individual’s sex, race, color, religion, age, disability, status as a
veteran, or national or ethnic origin; nor does Yale discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation
or gender identity or expression. Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 protects people
from sex discrimination in educational programs and activities at institutions that receive federal
financial assistance. Questions regarding Title IX may be referred to the University’s Title IX
Coordinator, at TitleIX@yale.edu, or to the U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil
Rights, 8th Floor, Five Post Office Square, Boston MA 02109-3921. Telephone: 617.289.0111,
Fax: 617.289.0150, TDD: 800.877.8339, or Email: ocr.boston@ed.gov.