Context: Sierra Club enforces environmental laws and targets the nation’s most pressing environmental issues through strategic legal advocacy at the federal, state, and local levels. Attorneys in the Environmental Law Program litigate cases in support of Sierra Club’s national campaigns. For more information, visit us at http://www.sierraclub.org/environmental law.
Scope: The Sierra Club Environmental Law Program seeks an associate attorney to work at Sierra Club national headquarters in Oakland, California, or at our legislative office in Washington, DC. Working with senior and staff attorneys, the associate attorney will track and analyze state and local climate policy initiatives, focusing on legal defensibility, equity, and effectiveness; provide legal and strategic advice regarding the adoption and implementation of such policies to Sierra Club chapters throughout the country; and serve as counsel in regulatory proceedings involving such policies. This position involves close coordination with Sierra Club’s climate policy experts and analysts, as well as staff focused on community partnerships, environmental justice, and labor. The associate attorney will also participate as counsel in climate litigation matters.
- Track and analyze state and local climate policy initiatives, focusing on legal defensibility, equity, and effectiveness.
- Advise Sierra Club chapters on the adoption, implementation, and defense of state and local climate policies.
- Serve as counsel in regulatory proceedings involving state and local climate policies.
- Serve as a core member of Sierra Club’s climate law and policy team and coordinate closely with environmental justice, community partnerships, and labor staff members.
- Litigate climate lawsuits under the supervision and mentorship of senior and staff attorneys.
- Help develop and execute work in a manner that promotes equity, justice, and inclusion, and intentionally addresses the history of inequitable environmental and economic burdens carried by communities overburdened by pollution and harmed by climate change.
- 0–3 years of post-law school graduation experience.
- Excellent writing and analytical skills.
- Strong interpersonal and consensus-building skills, including the ability to work collaboratively with clients and colleagues from diverse backgrounds.
- Passion for the Sierra Club’s mission to protect and restore the quality of the natural and human environment.
- Demonstrated commitment to equity, inclusion, and justice.
- Knowledge of environmental law or climate policy.
The Sierra Club offers competitive salary package commensurate with skills and experience plus excellent benefits that include medical, dental, and vision coverage, and a retirement savings 401(k) plan.
This is a category 5 exempt position.
Sierra Club is a 501(c)(4) non-profit organization. Sierra Club employees are not eligible to participate in the Federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program. Sierra Club does not sponsor H1B visas.