Fall 2024 Legal Externship – Washington, DC Regional Office
Earthjustice’s Washington, DC Regional Office is accepting applications for one full- or part-time legal extern for fall 2024 with a preference for those who can work full-time hours. We are seeking current law students who share a passion for justice and a healthy environment, and who are eligible to receive academic credit or fulfill a graduation requirement through this externship. The successful candidate may work remotely or on a hybrid schedule from one of Earthjustice’s offices.
Earthjustice is the premier nonprofit environmental law organization. We take on the biggest, most precedent-setting cases across the country. We wield the power of law and the strength of partnership to protect people’s health; preserve magnificent places and wildlife; advance clean energy; and combat climate change. We partner with thousands of groups, supporters, individuals, and communities to engage in the critical environmental issues of our time and bring about positive change. We are guided by a passionate, ambitious vision for the future for people and our planet: until justice stands for all, we will never rest. We are here because the earth needs a good lawyer.
Earthjustice's Washington, DC office serves both as a regional office for issues arising in the mid-Atlantic states, and as a center for litigation on important national environmental issues. The DC office's docket currently includes litigation to protect public health and the environment from air pollution; prompt the regulation and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions; protect streams, wetlands, and other waters from pollution and outright destruction; and advance energy efficiency.
Responsibilities:
Under the supervision of an attorney, responsibilities may include:
- Work with attorneys on case development and litigation.
- Perform legal and factual research and develop case strategy and legal theories.
- Assist with preparing briefs and other legal documents for administrative proceedings and meet with clients and experts.
Qualifications:
- Enrolled in law school as a 2L or 3L during fall 2024.
- Must be eligible to receive academic credit or fulfill a graduation requirement through this externship.
- Commitment to environmental protection and environmental justice.
- Excellent research, analytic and writing skills.
- Strong work ethic.
- Initiative, creative thinking and the ability to work collegially with others.
- Significant knowledge of environmental and administrative law is a plus.
- Commitment of 15-20 hours per week, if part-time.
- Commitment of 37.5 hours per week, if full-time.
Compensation:
Legal externs are unpaid and must receive academic credit or fulfill a graduation requirement for their work with Earthjustice.
To Apply:
Interested candidates should submit the following materials by 5:00pm PT on Tuesday, April 30, 2024. Incomplete applications will not be considered. Applications will be reviewed beginning May 1 with offers extended no later than June 21.
- Resume.
- Cover letter - In one page, (1) Address why you want to work with the Washington, DC Regional Office and any information about yourself that is not apparent or fully explained in your resume; (2) Note if you are interested in part-time or full-time work hours and specify the number of hours, or a reasonable estimate, you will be able to work each week; (3) Confirm that you can earn academic credit from your law school or that you will fulfill a graduation requirement through this externship; and (4) Indicate any applicable deadlines or requirements that are relevant to your submission or ability to accept an offer.
- Additional Documents (select “Add Files” in Jobvite):
- Recent writing sample, preferably a legal brief or memorandum of no more than 10 pages that primarily reflects your work. Please include a cover page indicating the extent to which your writing sample reflects edits and feedback from others.
- List of courses taken in law school.
- Finalists will be asked to provide 2 references, including one law professor and one employer.
Information about our hiring process and tips for success can be found at https://earthjustice.org/about/jobs/hiring-process. Please reach out to [email protected] if you are having technical difficulties submitting your application. No phone calls, drop-ins, or hard copies. Earthjustice only considers applications submitted for current openings via Jobvite. Unsolicited resumes or resumes for posted positions that are not submitted via Jobvite will not be reviewed or retained.
As an equal opportunity employer, Earthjustice is committed to employment practices that ensure that employees and applicants for employment are provided with equal opportunities without regard to race, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, age, religion, physical or mental disability, medical condition, veteran status, marital status, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, or any other factor specified under applicable laws that is not related to the position.
For positions located within the City and County of San Francisco: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.
For positions located within the City of Los Angeles: We will consider qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with the Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring.