One Justice: Healthy Nonprofits Staff Attorney; San Fran CA

HEALTHY NONPROFITS STAFF ATTORNEY (SAN FRANCISCO)

San Jose - San Francisco - Oakland, CA 

ONEJUSTICE

http://www.one-justice.org

Date Posted: 02/24/2015
Job Type: ATTORNEY
Schedule Type: Full Time

Practice Areas: Non-Profit, Nonprofit Management/Administration

Job Description

Healthy Nonprofits Staff Attorney (San Francisco)

OneJustice is a nonprofit legal organization that brings life-changing legal assistance to low-income Californians.  We support a statewide network of 100+ nonprofits, as well as law firms, corporate legal departments, and law schools, in delivering free civil legal assistance to low-income and underserved Californians, including veterans, seniors, families, children and youth, and low-wage workers.  We have two core program areas: (1) Healthy Nonprofits, which provides coaching, consulting and resources on nonprofit management to the boards, executives and leaders of legal services nonprofits, and (2) Pro Bono Justice, which builds innovative and effective pro bono projects with law schools, firms, and businesses around the state. 

Position Description: The Staff Attorney is part of the Healthy Nonprofits team which provides training, resources, coaching and consulting to the boards and leadership of legal services nonprofits.  Based in the San Francisco office, the Staff Attorney reports to the Healthy Nonprofits Program Director and works closely with the Healthy Nonprofits Program Associate.  This position is well-suited for someone who is interested in nonprofit management and policy advocacy on civil legal services issues and who hopes to gain exceptional work experience in a busy and active work environment.

Key Responsibilities (percentages are approximate and may change as needed):

Provide Consulting Services & Trainings to Legal Services Organizations (40% FTE)

·         Serve as a key member of the Healthy Nonprofits Team on a wide variety of nonprofit management consulting projects in OneJustice’s areas of substantive expertise.  These projects serve the boards and leadership of legal services nonprofits throughout the state and include strategic planning processes, facilitating Board retreats, delivering coaching and trainings on board governance, fundraising, program evaluation, executive director evaluation, and more.

·         Research and develop written and other training resources on nonprofit management topics for the leaders and board members of legal services organizations.  This includes both producing resources and vetting and curating resources produced by other entities.

Federal Policy Advocacy on Legal Services Issues (20% FTE)

·         OneJustice is the key liaison to the National Legal Aid Defenders Association (NLADA) and the American Bar Association (ABA) on federal policy and communications issues relating to federal legal services issues.  This Staff Attorney is the primary staffer assigned to federal policy advocacy, which includes at a minimum:

o    Tracking and managing relationships with the California delegation;

o    Legal research and writing on key policy issues, including drafting letters and public comment documents;

o    Communicating OneJustice’s policy positions to legislators, stakeholders, and supporters;

o    Serving on at least one subcommittee of the NLADA Civil Policy Group; and

o    Participating in other national advocacy strategies and collaborations on issues relating to civil legal services as needed.

Key Staff for the Project Directors Association (20% FTE)

·         The California Project Directors Association (PDA) consists of the executives and senior management from the 11 legal services nonprofits in California that receive federal Legal Services Corporation (LSC) funding.  OneJustice serves as the staff to the PDA, and the Healthy Nonprofits Staff Attorney is the primary staff to the PDA on their substantive and convening needs, which include:

o    Managing the schedule, content, and logistics for 3-4 PDA in-person meetings per year, including:

§  Working with the PDA Executive Committee on development of content for the meetings;

§  Serving as liaison to key stakeholders such as the NLADA, Legal Aid Association of California (LAAC), and the State Bar Office of Legal Services;

§  Working with the Healthy Nonprofits Program Associate to manage all meeting logistics;

§  Attending the meetings, providing support to the Co-Chairs, and producing meeting minutes; and

§  Providing staffing support to PDA leadership between meetings and on other special projects as needed.

Manage OneJustice’s “Support Center” Role on Key Substantive Areas (20% FTE)

·         As the statewide support center on key nonprofit management areas, OneJustice provides resources, trainings, and one-on-one technical assistance to legal services leaders and staff in a wide variety of legal and business content areas.  The Staff Attorney will manage OneJustice’s support center role in tracking and responding to requests for assistance by legal services organizations in key areas including Human Resources (employment), Ethics, Nonprofit Governance and Accountability, and more. Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

o    Managing the statewide Human Resources info listserv, both to ensure strong peer-to-peer support and to identify issues that warrant additional research and the creation of new resources (either in-house or working with pro bono counsel at law firms);

o    Working with the Healthy Nonprofits Team to conduct the first-ever comprehensive survey of human resources and employment practices at California’s legal services nonprofits, culminating in a report and white papers on best practices; and

o   Working closely with experienced pro bono Of Counsel on ethics for legal services organizations while also developing and institutionalizing OneJustice’s support center function in this area.

Qualifications

You need:

·         J.D. and California Bar Membership

·         1-3 years of legal experience (preferably with a civil legal aid or civil rights nonprofit)

·         Strong attention to detail and problem-solving skills

·         Demonstrated ability to concurrently manage, prioritize, and complete multiple projects

·         Demonstrated ability to communicate professionally with a diverse audience

·         Demonstrated experience as a self-starter, with a history of independently managing projects

·         An affinity for improving processes, creating efficient systems, and institutionalizing knowledge

·         Travel within California is required; some travel nationally is also required

Salary

We offer:

·         Competitive salary ($47,000 - $55,000 DOE) and generous benefits

·         Ongoing performance evaluations and organizational culture of professional development

·         Supportive team-based environment within a high-volume workplace

·         Exceptional, dedicated, and quirky colleagues

Application Instructions:

Application: please send (1) a cover letter with a detailed explanation of your qualifications and why you are a match for this position; (2) your resume; (3) three references; and (4) a writing sample of no more than 3 pages via email to careers@one-justice.org. Please include “HNP Staff Attorney” in the email subject header. Applications will be considered and interviews scheduled on a rolling basis. The preferred start date for this position is March 16, 2015.

Columbia Legal Services: 2015 Summer Internship; WA

2015 SUMMER INTERNSHIPS

Seattle, WA
Yakima, WA
Wenatchee, WA
Olympia, WA 

COLUMBIA LEGAL SERVICES

http://www.columbialegal.org

Date Posted: 01/07/2015
Job Type: INTERNSHIP - Unpaid
Schedule Type: Internship

Practice Areas: Children's Rights, Employment/Labor, Farm Worker/Migrant Worker, Immigration, Legislative/Policy Issues, Litigation, Public Benefits/Social Security, Racial Justice Issues

Job Description

Columbia Legal Services (CLS) is a statewide legal aid program in Washington State representing low-income people and vulnerable groups with critical civil legal needs. We represent clients in a wide variety of civil cases including class actions and legislative rulemaking advocacy from five statewide offices: Seattle, Olympia,  Wenatchee, Yakima and Kennewick.

We offer several summer internship opportunities for law students. Summer Interns are expected to commit to full-time work for a minimum of 10 weeks. The following positions are offered for 2015:

Location	Project Group	Notes
Seattle	Basic Human Needs	Preference given to Seattle University or Gonzaga Students
Seattle	Children and Youth Project
Seattle	Institutions Project
Yakima, Wenatchee, or Olypmia	Laurel Rubin Farmworker Justice Internship	Paid position
Olympia	Working Families Project Foreclosure Work Group	Policy Intern
Seattle	Working Families Project Foreclosure Work Group
Seattle	Working Families Project Foreclosure Work Group

Summer interns are given the opportunity to participate in systemic advocacy on behalf of low-income people by engaging in legal research, writing, and community outreach and education.

Actual examples of the types of cases and projects that CLS has worked on causing systemic change and affecting the lives of many client communities in Washington State include protecting the health and safety of farm workers and their families working in Washington orchards; improving the foster care system for thousands of children; improving access to and quality of healthcare for prisoners, disabled individuals, seniors, and low-income people from public housing and mobile home communities.

Project Descriptions:

1. BASIC HUMAN NEEDS PROJECT
   Seattle location
   Law student interns working with the Basic Human Needs Project will focus on legal research and writing related to safeguarding essential benefits and rights for all low-income people. This intern will undertake larger projects and individual case work, likely including factual investigation, legal research, drafting memos and pleadings, client outreach, and litigation support. Legal topics may include the basic human needs of undocumented persons, and access to food, health care, and emergency financial assistance. Bilingual in Spanish and English preferred but not required.
2. CHILDREN AND YOUTH PROJECT
   Seattle location
   Law student interns working with the Children and Youth Project will focus on legal research, writing, and advocacy related to children and youth who are homeless, in foster care, immigrants, as well as advocacy related to the collateral consequences of juvenile justice involvement. Strong research and writing skills as well as experience working with at-risk children or youth are preferred.
3. INSTITUTIONS PROJECT
   Seattle location
   Law student interns working with the Institutions Project will focus on legal research and writing related to the treatment of youth in the adult criminal justice system, conditions of confinement in Washington’s jails and prisons, as well as participation in our efforts related to providing legal assistance to people reentering society after periods of incarceration. Strong research and writing skills as well as an interest in the criminal justice system are preferred.
4. WORKING FAMILIES PROJECT: IMMIGRANT WORKER GROUP
   Seattle location
   Law student interns working with the Working Families Project Immigrant Worker group will assist in litigation and policy advocacy on behalf of farm workers and other low wage. Duties will likely include legal research, investigating, and assisting with discovery and motions. Desired qualities include proficiency with legal research and writing consistent with experience and proficiency in Spanish. 
5. Laurel Rubin Farmworker Justice Interns
   Yakima, Wenatchee, or Olympia
   The Laurel Rubin Farm Worker Justice interns are $5,500 funded positions. Interns must speak Spanish. Interns will support litigation and policy efforts through research, writing and related assignments. Interns will also participate in outreach to the farmworker community in labor camps and migrant daycare centers.
6. WORKING FAMILIES PROJECT: FORECLOSURE WORK GROUP
   Seattle location
   Columbia Legal Services (CLS) seeks a summer intern to work on foreclosure and consumer rights litigation in its Foreclosure Work Group. The work will involve factual investigation, client counseling, legal research and writing, pre-trial discovery and motion practice, appellate briefing, and legislative and policy work and advocacy. The intern will be supervised by a CLS attorney in Seattle, and may also work with CLS attorneys in Olympia.
7. Policy Intern
   Olympia location
   Columbia Legal Services (CLS) seeks a summer intern to focus on policy work regarding consumers and housing.

Qualifications

-

Salary

 Most positions are for school credit, are paid under work-study, or are fellowship/public interest grant funded. 

Language(s): For those interested in working in our Yakima, Wenatchee, and Kennewick offices, it is strongly preferred that candidates have the ability to communicate in Spanish.

Application Instructions:

If you are interested in a summer internship with Columbia Legal Services, please send a cover letter, resume, two references, and a three page writing sample to jobs@columbialegal.org with Summer Internship 2015 in the subject line. 

Director of Program Administration
Trisa Kern
Columbia Legal Services
101 Yesler Way, Suite 300
Seattle, WA 98104
jobs@columbialegal.org

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis and will not be reviewed before February 6, 2015. 

Columbia Legal Services is committed to a policy of pluralism and equal opportunity in an environment free of barriers and discriminatory practices for its client communities, Board and staff. Pluralism refers to the active promotion of mutual respect, acceptance, teamwork and productivity among people who are diverse in work background, experience, education, race, color, national origin, sex, age, religious preference, marital status, sexual orientation, sensory, mental and physical abilities, veteran status, or any other perceived differences. The resulting diversity is both a source of program strength and a matter of fundamental human fairness.

Conservation Law Foundation: Legal Fellows; Boston, MA

LEGAL FELLOWS

Boston, MA 

CONSERVATION LAW FOUNDATION

http://www.clf.org

Date Posted: 01/08/2015
Job Type: Post-Graduate Position – Uncompensated/Independently Funded
Schedule Type: Full Time

Practice Areas: Environmental, Legislative/Policy Issues

Job Description

CLF seeks to sponsor two or more candidates for public interest law fellowships supported by outside funding. Funding for public interest law fellowships is available from various sources, including some law schools, Skadden, Equal Justice Works, foundations, and others. Candidates are encouraged to come prepared with ideas for funding sources, but CLF will work with selected candidates to identify appropriate sources of funding and develop proposals. A fellowship at CLF gives an entry-level lawyer the opportunity to spend 1-2 years as a staff attorney at a highly-respected environmental non-profit. Each position commences in the fall of 2015. Each fellow would be located at one of our five offices (Boston, MA; Providence, RI; Portland, ME; Concord, NH; and Montpelier, VT).

These legal fellow positions are in CLF’s Healthy Communities and Environmental Justice (HCEJ) program. CLF’s HCEJ program works to ensure that New England’s communities, both urban and rural, are thriving, healthy places for all people.  Legal fellows will contribute to all areas of work in CLF’s HCEJ program, and in particular will provide support to CLF’s Farm and Food Initiative as well as CLF’s transportation and environmental justice advocacy.  CLF’s Farm and Food Initiative uses law and policy tools to support sustainable agriculture efforts in New England, helping to shape and foster a robust and healthy local food system. CLF’s transportation advocacy uses law and policy to support deployment of cleaner, more efficient, and socially just transportation alternatives, like transit, bicycling, and pedestrian access. CLF serves as an ally to environmental justice communities, offering our law and policy skills to help communities achieve their goals.

Qualifications

Ideal candidates are third-year law students, judicial clerks, or recent law graduates with a demonstrated interest in environmental protection and healthy communities. Applicants should be interested in public policy work as well as litigation.  Applicants must be admitted to a state bar or planning to take the bar exam for the appropriate CLF state, as applicable, in February or July of 2015. Applicants must have excellent legal advocacy and writing skills, and must be willing to interact and build effective working relationships with community organizations and government agencies.

Salary

CLF staff will work with selected candidates to fully develop fellowship proposals, including specific projects, if appropriate. Salary and benefits will be determined by the terms of the fellowship.

Application Instructions:

Send your resume titled “your last name-first initial-resume” (e.g. “SMITH J RESUME”) and a detailed cover letter titled “your last name-first initial-cover” (e.g. “SMITH J COVER”) to careers@clf.org.  Please make “Legal Fellow” the subject of your e-mail. In your application, please indicate whether you have a location preference and whether you have identified specific sources of funding.  Applications must be filed with CLF in a timely manner that allows sufficient preparation before fellowship applications are due (e.g., Equal Justice Works due September 17, Skadden due October 6).  No phone calls please.

CSPI: Summer Litigation Internship; Wa. D.C.

CSPI SUMMER LITIGATION INTERNSHIP

Washington, DC 

CENTER FOR SCIENCE IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST (CSPI)

http://www.cspinet.org

Date Posted: 02/02/2015
Job Type: INTERNSHIP - Unpaid
Schedule Type: Internship

Practice Areas: Consumer Protection/Debt/Bankruptcy, Food & Drug Law, Litigation, Non-Profit

Job Description

The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) is a non-profit health-advocacy group based in Washington, D.C., that focuses on nutrition and food safety.  CSPI publishes Nutrition Action Healthletter, the nation’s largest?circulation health newsletter.  CSPI provides valuable, objective information to the public; represents citizens’ interests before legislative, regulatory, and judicial bodies; and ensures that advances in science are used for the public’s good.  CSPI is supported largely by the 850,000 U.S. and Canadian subscribers to its Nutrition Action Healthletter and by foundation grants.

The Litigation Project uses state and federal courts to help correct corporate misbehavior. The project brings its own advocacy lawsuits, working with private lawyers across the country. CSPI's legal filings have produced binding settlements resulting in more honest labeling of artificial ingredients and halting deceptive marketing. Many of the legal matters in these cases are developing issues with many interesting questions of both law and social policy. 

The internship is open to first and second year law students.  Applicants should have a strong interest in consumer and regulatory law, excellent legal research and writing skills, and a commitment to public interest work.

Qualifications

See description.

Application Instructions:

This is an unpaid internship.  CSPI offers a collegial work environment and flexible schedule to accommodate your academic responsibilities and work-life balance.  If your school offers academic credit for internships, we will work with you to meet your school’s requirements.  We will also reimburse you up to $5/day for commuting expenses. 

 To apply, please email a cover letter indicating dates of availability, resume, and legal writing sample, tohr@cspinet.org.  Please include “PSJD-Lit” in the email subject line.   

Center for Science in the Public Interest: Food Law Internship; Wa. D.C.

CENTER FOR SCIENCE IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST FOOD LAW INTERNSHIP

Washington, DC
Application Deadline: 03/16/2015

CENTER FOR SCIENCE IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST (CSPI)

http://www.cspinet.org

Date Posted: 02/02/2015
Job Type: INTERNSHIP - Unpaid
Schedule Type: Internship

Practice Areas: Consumer Protection/Debt/Bankruptcy, Food & Drug Law, Government/Regulatory Affairs, Non-Profit

Job Description

The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) is a non-profit health-advocacy group based in Washington, D.C., that focuses on nutrition and food safety.  CSPI publishes Nutrition Action Healthletter, the nation’s largest?circulation health newsletter.  CSPI provides valuable, objective information to the public; represents citizens’ interests before legislative, regulatory, and judicial bodies; and ensures that advances in science are used for the public’s good.  CSPI is supported largely by the 850,000 U.S. and Canadian subscribers to its Nutrition Action Healthletter and by foundation grants.

CSPI’s food-regulation team, working with staff scientists, led efforts to win passage of the Nutrition Labeling and Education Act and Food Allergen Consumer Protection Act; restrict the use of unsafe food additives; stop numerous deceptive ads and labels; and reduce amounts of sodium and trans fat in processed food.  The Food Law and Regulatory project leads CSPI’s efforts to use regulation, legislation, and other strategies to promote smarter government policies and better corporate practices to improve the public’s health. 

We’re searching for a bright, hardworking law student to work closely with the Chief Regulatory Affairs Attorney on food labeling and misbranding, food additives and government oversight of the food supply before federal agencies and in Congress. The work involves legislative analysis and regulatory filings as well as litigation over principles of administrative law and food law. Projects may involve research for policy analysis and development, op-ed pieces, reports, tracking regulation and legislation and assisting in ongoing policy advocacy. Applicants should have a strong background in public interest advocacy and must submit a non-technical writing sample (i.e., not a legal memo) as part of their application.

Qualifications

See description.

Application Instructions:

This is an unpaid internship.  CSPI offers a collegial work environment and flexible schedule to accommodate your academic responsibilities and work-life balance.  If your school offers academic credit for internships, we will work with you to meet your school’s requirements.  We will also reimburse you up to $5/day for commuting expenses. 

 To apply, please email a cover letter indicating dates of availability, resume, and legal writing sample, tohr@cspinet.org.  Please include “PSJD-Food Law” in the email subject line.   

Application Deadline: 03/16/2015

NY State Attorney General Office: Social Justice Ass. AG; N.Y. New York

ASSISTANT ATTORNEY GENERAL - DIVISION OF SOCIAL JUSTICE

New York, NY 

OFFICE OF THE NEW YORK STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL

www.ag.ny.gov

Date Posted: 02/09/2015
Job Type: ATTORNEY
Schedule Type: Full Time

Practice Areas: Employment/Labor, Government/Regulatory Affairs, Human Rights, Litigation

Job Description

The Labor Bureau in the Office of the New York State Attorney General is seeking an attorney to serve as an Assistant Attorney General (AAG) in the New York City office. TheLabor Bureau brings civil and criminal prosecutions for violations of minimum wage, overtime, prevailing wage, and other critical labor laws. The bureau has been nationally recognized for enforcing labor standards in low-wage industries. Current initiatives include investigations concerning fast food restaurants, car washes, housing developers and taxi cab fleet owners, among others. The Labor Bureau also represents the New York State Department of Labor in its enforcement of state labor laws.

The position offers a unique opportunity to enforce core workplace laws in industries with highrates of violation. Among other things, the AAG will interview witnesses, analyze data and documents (including electronically-stored information), draft pleadings and legal briefs, argue motions, take depositions, and negotiate settlements.

Qualifications

The ideal candidate will have complex litigation experience; knowledge of major state and federal wage and hour laws; superior writing, editing, organizational and interpersonal skills; and a demonstrated commitment to public service. Familiarity with communities of low-wage workers in New York State is a plus, as are foreign language skills. Five or more years of litigation experience is preferred.

Applicants must reside in (or intend to soon become a resident of) New York State, be admitted to practice in New York State, and have a minimum of two years of practice experience.

Applicants from diverse backgrounds are encouraged to apply. The Office of the Attorney General is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to workplace diversity.

Language(s): Foreign language skills are a plus.

Application Instructions:

Please submit a cover letter, resume, writing sample, law school transcript if less than five (5)years post-graduate, and three (3) references, including email addresses, to:

Sandra Jefferson Grannum, Esq., Bureau Chief, Legal Recruitment,

Office of the New York State Attorney General,

120 Broadway,

New York, NY 10271

or

recruitment@ag.ny.gov.

Applicants must indicate Reference No. LAB_NYC_AAG_2015 and the position for which they want to be considered in their cover letter. Submission via email is preferred.

Public Justice Foundation: Food Safety Attorney; Oakland, CA

Food Safety Attorney

Washington, DC
Oakland, CA
Application Deadline: 02/28/2015

PUBLIC JUSTICE FOUNDATION

http://www.publicjustice.net

Date Posted: 02/10/2015
Job Type: ATTORNEY
Schedule Type: Full Time

Practice Areas: Animal Rights, Environmental, Food & Drug Law, Impact Litigation, Litigation

Job Description

Public Justice, a national public interest law firm dedicated to pursuing justice for the victims of corporate and government abuses, seeks to hire a litigator with at least five years of relevant experience.  The attorney will work exclusively on our Food Safety and Health Project, which uses litigation to reform harmful practices employed by industrial animal agriculture and to support a more sustainable and humane food production system.  The Project principally focuses on using environmental and tort law actions to force large-scale animal agribusiness to internalize the true cost of the way they do business—costs now shifted to neighboring communities, consumers, and the environment.  The position is funded by way of a three-year grant and open immediately.

The Food Safety Attorney will primarily be responsible for developing and prosecuting precedent-setting and socially-significant lawsuits against agribusiness actors nationwide.  The attorney should be prepared to develop new legal theories outside of environmental law, and think holistically about how to reform the industry.  Other duties will include networking with attorneys and other public interest groups; helping to develop and define strategic goals; and supporting fundraising and communication efforts for the organization.  The right candidate will be a top-notch litigator with environmental and tort law experience, who is a creative and strategic thinker able to work both independently and within teams.    

The Food Safety Attorney will work closely with Food Safety & Health Attorney Jessica Culpepper and report to the Executive Director.  He or she will work collaboratively with Public Justice’s attorneys, outside lawyers who support Public Justice’s work, and other public interest groups in order to develop and bring precedent-setting food safety cases.  He or she will also use traditional and social media networks to publicize our work, develop speaking engagements to educate the public about Public Justice’s food safety cases and the issues they represent, and assist with donor and foundation relations and communications. 

Qualifications

• A law degree and at least five years of litigation experience;
• Superb analytical, legal research, and legal writing skills;
• Excellent communication and public speaking skills;
• Experience in environmental law;
• Experience in tort law, and specifically nuisance cases;
• Ability to develop a case from the ground up with little supervision;
• Willingness to undertake significant business travel;
• Ability to juggle multiple tasks at a time and work in a fast-paced environment;
• Self-motivation and proven ability to work independently;
• Ability to work well with others and diverse groups; and
• Healthy sense of outrage and desire to change the world for the better.

Salary

Salary commensurate with experience. Excellent benefits. 

Application Instructions:

Public Justice is an equal opportunity employer with a non-smoking environment.  Diversity valued.  Applications invited without regard to race, gender, national origin, sexual orientation, age, or disability. 

Your application should consist of two electronic files:

1. your cover letter, resume, and references in a single .pdf file; and
2. a writing sample in another .pdf file, comprised of a legal brief for which you were the primary author (please note the contributions of others). 

Please send both files to staffattorney@publicjustice.net.  Applications will be considered on a rolling basis.  For more information, please visit our website at www.publicjustice.net.

Contact Information:

Leslie Brueckner
Phone: 510-622-8150
Fax: 510-622-8155
lbrueckner@publicjustice.net
DC 94607

Application Deadline: 02/28/2015

Public Justice Foundation: Food Safety Attorney; Wa. D.C.

Food Safety Attorney

Washington, DC
Oakland, CA
Application Deadline: 02/28/2015

PUBLIC JUSTICE FOUNDATION

http://www.publicjustice.net

Date Posted: 02/10/2015
Job Type: ATTORNEY
Schedule Type: Full Time

Practice Areas: Animal Rights, Environmental, Food & Drug Law, Impact Litigation, Litigation

Job Description

Public Justice, a national public interest law firm dedicated to pursuing justice for the victims of corporate and government abuses, seeks to hire a litigator with at least five years of relevant experience.  The attorney will work exclusively on our Food Safety and Health Project, which uses litigation to reform harmful practices employed by industrial animal agriculture and to support a more sustainable and humane food production system.  The Project principally focuses on using environmental and tort law actions to force large-scale animal agribusiness to internalize the true cost of the way they do business—costs now shifted to neighboring communities, consumers, and the environment.  The position is funded by way of a three-year grant and open immediately.

The Food Safety Attorney will primarily be responsible for developing and prosecuting precedent-setting and socially-significant lawsuits against agribusiness actors nationwide.  The attorney should be prepared to develop new legal theories outside of environmental law, and think holistically about how to reform the industry.  Other duties will include networking with attorneys and other public interest groups; helping to develop and define strategic goals; and supporting fundraising and communication efforts for the organization.  The right candidate will be a top-notch litigator with environmental and tort law experience, who is a creative and strategic thinker able to work both independently and within teams.    

The Food Safety Attorney will work closely with Food Safety & Health Attorney Jessica Culpepper and report to the Executive Director.  He or she will work collaboratively with Public Justice’s attorneys, outside lawyers who support Public Justice’s work, and other public interest groups in order to develop and bring precedent-setting food safety cases.  He or she will also use traditional and social media networks to publicize our work, develop speaking engagements to educate the public about Public Justice’s food safety cases and the issues they represent, and assist with donor and foundation relations and communications. 

Qualifications

• A law degree and at least five years of litigation experience;
• Superb analytical, legal research, and legal writing skills;
• Excellent communication and public speaking skills;
• Experience in environmental law;
• Experience in tort law, and specifically nuisance cases;
• Ability to develop a case from the ground up with little supervision;
• Willingness to undertake significant business travel;
• Ability to juggle multiple tasks at a time and work in a fast-paced environment;
• Self-motivation and proven ability to work independently;
• Ability to work well with others and diverse groups; and
• Healthy sense of outrage and desire to change the world for the better.

Salary

Salary commensurate with experience. Excellent benefits. 

Application Instructions:

Public Justice is an equal opportunity employer with a non-smoking environment.  Diversity valued.  Applications invited without regard to race, gender, national origin, sexual orientation, age, or disability. 

Your application should consist of two electronic files:

1. your cover letter, resume, and references in a single .pdf file; and
2. a writing sample in another .pdf file, comprised of a legal brief for which you were the primary author (please note the contributions of others). 

Please send both files to staffattorney@publicjustice.net.  Applications will be considered on a rolling basis.  For more information, please visit our website at www.publicjustice.net.

Contact Information:

Leslie Brueckner
Phone: 510-622-8150
Fax: 510-622-8155
lbrueckner@publicjustice.net
DC 94607

Application Deadline: 02/28/2015