Earthjustice Careers

Earthjustice is the nation’s largest, oldest, and most active public-interest environmental law organization. Our team of more than 550 staff — including more than 200 lawyers — wields the power of law and the strength of partnership to protect public health, address environmental injustice, defend and restore magnificent places and irreplaceable ecosystems, and transition our economy to 100% clean energy while working to protect people and the planet from climate change. We partner with thousands of groups, tribes, individuals, and communities to address the environmental crises of our time. We are here because the earth needs a good lawyer.   

Founded in 1971, Earthjustice has a distinguished track record of achieving significant, lasting environmental protections. We achieve this by hiring excellent staff who share a passion for justice and a healthy environment. Our headquarters are in San Francisco with offices in Anchorage, Juneau, Los Angeles, Tallahassee, Miami, Chicago, Honolulu, Houston, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, Denver, Seattle, Bozeman, and Washington, D.C.  

Earthjustice seeks a Managing Attorney for its Community Partnerships Program (CPP). This program works together with frontline communities fighting for a safe, just, and healthy environment. The Program provides community-led movements with legal and advocacy resources to help challenge polluters and ensure access to environmental benefits.  We also provide frontline communities with multifaceted support including litigation, legislative advocacy, policy analysis, and administrative challenges. We act collectively with our community partners to transform social and political structures that stand in the way of equal access to a healthy environment. Community Partnerships Program staff are based in Earthjustice’s offices in Los Angeles, New York, Washington, D.C., and remotely in Sacramento.   

The Managing Attorney will provide support, guidance, mentorship, and strategic thought partnership for members of the team in connection with litigation, legislative and administrative advocacy, strategy development, communications, and partnership building. The MA will also oversee the day-to-day operations of the program, develop and maintain relationships with clients, partners, and funders, and serve as a primary public face of the Community Partnerships Program. The Managing Attorney will coordinate closely with the VP of Litigation for Healthy Communities on substantive strategy and management, engage with other offices and programs and with the communications and policy departments, and represent the Program on internal advisory bodies and in organizational strategic planning.  

The Managing Attorney will be based in one of the following Earthjustice offices: Los Angeles, CA; New York, NY; Washington, D.C. This is not a remote work position. Earthjustice teams are working hybrid. 

The Managing Attorney will report to the Vice President of Healthy Communities, who is based in Washington, DC. 

Responsibilities 

Program (Essential Functions) 

• Lead the Program in shaping its litigation and administrative and policy advocacy docket and related strategies, considering institutional priorities and strategic plan objectives, and participate directly in related litigation. 
• Provide support, guidance, thought partnership, and mentorship to Program team members in connection with strategic legal and policy advocacy. 
• Build and maintain effective, trust-based working relationships with community-based clients and partners, organizational partners, government agencies, and coalitions. 
• Work collaboratively with the Policy and Legislation, Development, and Communications teams, and with Earthjustice’s regional and program offices, as necessary, to advance programmatic and institutional goals.  
• Cultivate and maintain relationships with key funders to support the work of the Program, working in partnership with our Development department. 
• Serve as a primary public face of the Program, including by working effectively with government officials, with the news media, and with donors (with support from our Policy and Legislation, Communications, and Development teams). 
• Actively collaborate with the VP of Litigation for Healthy Communities on vision, strategy, goals, priority setting, metrics, management, and administrative matters.   
• Ensure that the Program team maintains a top-notch litigation and advocacy program that is consistent with the values, policies, and priorities of Earthjustice. 
• Serve as an active member of the Managing Attorneys group to help provide institutional leadership and set broader institutional priorities and direction.  

Management (Essential Functions)  

• Manage and lead a diverse team in a diverse environment with an emphasis on emotional intelligence, cultural competency, and maintaining a positive, supportive, and cohesive team dynamic. 
• Directly supervise staff and oversee the administrative functions of the program. 
• Manage, mentor, and develop the professional and administrative staff, helping them to hone their legal and professional skills to reach their full potential. 
• Effect and manage organizational and program change through strategic thinking, transparent communication, and inclusive leadership, consistent with the objectives of an evolving organization. 
• Communicate institutional vision, policies, objectives, and initiatives to staff within the program, to keep them abreast of organizational changes and developments. 
• Develop practices and policies within the Program that promote a respectful and inclusive workplace, and that foster community and teamwork among a diverse group of lawyers and non-lawyers. 
• Recruit and hire qualified candidates to support and grow a diverse and highly effective team.   
• Provide staff with consistent and ongoing performance feedback, and act as a coach and mentor, while providing career development opportunities with appropriate training, encouragement, and supervision. 
• Promote an inclusive work environment and model inclusive behaviors for the Program and for cross-organizational teams. 
• Other duties as assigned.  

Qualifications 

• Highly effective litigator with substantial experience in environmental or public interest law, and 10+ years of litigation experience. 
• JD required.
• Admitted to the CA, NY or D.C. bar, or able to accomplish admittance within one year of employment. 
• Excellent management skills with at least 5 years of experience managing litigation or legal advocacy teams in a diverse and inclusive environment.  

Program (Essential Skills) 

• Outstanding litigation skills, including the ability to supervise a complex litigation docket and to guide litigation across a range of subject matters, while nurturing the development of multi-faceted legal and policy advocates. 
• Demonstrated ability to successfully develop and implement strategic vision for litigation or advocacy programs that deploy multifaceted approaches to achieve identified goals.  
• A deep understanding of community-centered advocacy and experience working in close partnership with community-based organizations. 
• Outstanding written and verbal communication skills with experience working with political and community leaders and the media. 
• Litigation experience under federal or state environmental statutes, or deep familiarity and experience with public interest litigation that requires comparable legal and technical expertise.  
• Commitment to making Earthjustice a highly effective, cutting-edge litigation and legal advocacy shop. 
• Entrepreneurial approach with proven ability to identify new opportunities that have lasting impact while also working collaboratively with other subject matter, regional, and national teams.  
• Experience and comfort dealing with technical issues, data, and other science-based materials in the advocacy context.  
• Proven ability to maintain positive long-term relationships with clients, partners, and agencies.  
• Commitment to fundraising and developing ongoing relationships with donors, especially individual donors and foundation representatives. 
• Proven ability to manage operations, including budgets and programs. 
• Willingness to travel as needed.  

Management (Essential Skills) 

• Experience in and commitment to managing diverse staff by fostering mutual respect, effective internal communication, cross-organizational collaboration, inclusivity, and transparent decision-making. 
• Understanding of how implicit and institutional bias regarding characteristics like race, sex, gender, disability, and cultural identity, affects the present-day legal systems, and how dynamics around power and difference can impact supervisory relationships and organizational culture.
• Demonstrated history of successful leadership that embodies inclusive values and justice. 
• Demonstrated experience and interest in coaching, guiding, and mentoring a diverse workforce (including attorneys and non-attorneys) at different stages of their careers to continuously improve their effectiveness and reach their full potential. 
• Deep appreciation for and meaningful experience in cultivating a diverse workplace that lives the values of justice and inclusivity, that provides the support needed for all team members to thrive, and that is sensitive to the needs and concerns of individuals from diverse cultures, backgrounds and orientations. 
• Significant experience recruiting, hiring, developing and retaining a diverse and inclusive workforce. 
• Self-awareness and understanding of the impact of behavior and emotional intelligence in the workplace.  

We offer a competitive salary and excellent benefits that are comprehensive and competitive. Salary is based on number of years of relevant experience and location.    

Salary range in New York City: $225,900 - $251,000  

Salary range in Washington, D.C. or  Los Angeles, CA: $214,700 - $238,500  

To Apply: 

Please apply online via Jobvite by January 21, 2024. Applications received after that date will be reviewed on a rolling basis. 

Interested candidates should submit the following online via the Jobvite system:  

• Cover letter addressing: 
  1. your interest in, and qualifications for, serving as a Managing Attorney
  2. why you are drawn to Earthjustice’s mission and the Community Partnerships Program
  3. your leadership and management experience
  4. aspects of your background that demonstrate competence to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion in work and with clients and colleagues.
• Resume
• Three professional references 
• Writing sample, preferably a legal brief or memorandum that primarily reflects your work. 

Please reach out to [email protected] if you are having technical difficulties submitting your application. No phone calls, drop-ins, or hard copies. 

Earthjustice is driven by a passion for justice, partnership, and excellence. Our core values lead us to seek a broad range of perspectives and backgrounds to achieve our mission and to maintain an inclusive environment where all staff are valued and respected. As an equal opportunity employer, we are 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, gender expression, genetic information, or any other factor 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. 

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