Staff Attorney
We are now accepting applications for a Staff Attorney to work with the Sustainable Food and Farming Program to be based in Earthjustice’s Washington, DC, New York, or San Francisco office. We seek an experienced and skilled attorney to join our growing team to develop and deploy legal strategies to reform the industrial food system, ensure safe food, promote sustainable agriculture, and reduce agriculture’s climate, environmental, and social impacts.
Earthjustice is expanding its work on sustainable food and farming, building on its vast experience litigating to protect the environment and public health, and its successes reducing pesticide use, toxic food additives, and water pollution. Agriculture and food issues represent the next frontier for more sustainable production to satisfy human needs while minimizing environmental, worker and consumer harm. We represent environmental organizations and consumer watchdogs as well as farmworkers and sustainable producers, grassroots organizations and environmental justice communities. We focus on three areas: safer food -- protecting people from toxic chemicals in foods and minimizing diet-related disease; sustainable farming -- limiting reliance on agricultural chemicals, reducing agricultural pollution, and fostering responsible methods of crop and animal production; and climate-friendly farming -- reducing the food system’s contribution to climate change and increasing farms’ resilience to climate shocks. The Staff Attorney will work closely with the rest of the sustainable food and farming team based in NYC to develop and deploy new strategies in all these areas.
RESPONSIBILITIES
- Develop cases and legal advocacy strategies to support program goals.
- Litigate cases from beginning to end, performing all aspects of litigation.
- Conduct administrative and legislative advocacy, including comments, testimony, petitions, media, and coalition building.
- Supervise the work of Associate Attorneys.
- Collaborate with colleagues and coalition partners.
- Manage relationships with co-counsel, clients, and coalition partners.
- Serve as spokesperson for client partners and for Earthjustice.
- Work effectively with other departments within Earthjustice, including Communications, Development, and Policy and Legislation.
QUALIFICATIONS
- Juris Doctor (JD) degree.
- A minimum of 8 years of litigation experience.
- Licensed to practice law in New York, Washington DC, California, or willingness to apply for admission in that jurisdiction within one year of employment.
- Excellent litigation skills, including top-notch legal research, writing and oral advocacy skills, with a strong preference for affirmative litigation experience.
- Initiative, good judgment, and a strong work ethic.
- Knowledge and experience in environmental law are strongly preferred; experience in food and agriculture law also preferred.
- Proficient at working with technical experts.
- Ability to work independently and in collaboration with client partners and staff.
- Ability and willingness to travel as needed for case work, court appearances and presentations (approximately 10% of the time).
- Commitment to serving the public interest.
- Demonstrated awareness and sensitivity to the needs and concerns of individuals from diverse cultures, backgrounds and orientations.
- Demonstrated commitment to the creation of a diverse, equitable and inclusive workforce and culture that encourages and celebrates differences.
We offer a mission- and employee-focused work environment and a competitive compensation package, including excellent benefits. Earthjustice is an equal opportunity employer and highly values diversity.
TO APPLY
Interested applicants should submit a:
- Resume
- Cover letter
- Writing sample (please indicate the extent to which others had input)
- List of 3 references
Please reach out to jobs@earthjustice.org if you are having technical difficulties submitting your application.
No phone calls, drop-ins, or hard copies.