Associate Attorney, California Regional Office

Earthjustice seeks an Associate Attorney to conduct legal advocacy, including litigation and administrative advocacy, with the California Regional Office. The hybrid work position requires 0-3 years post-law school legal experience. The attorney selected for this position will play a key role in legal actions that can make a real difference to people’s health and well-being and protect important environmental values. This attorney’s emphasis area will be our Right to Zero priorities. The Right to Zero program is working to transform the way we use energy and transport goods, services and ourselves across the country. From our power grid to ports, buses to garbage trucks, the Right to Zero team works to ditch fossil fuels and lead the shift to zero-emissions. The attorney will primarily focus on California-specific Right to Zero litigation and advocacy, and may also work on Right to Zero issues that are either federal or outside California, or on other California Regional Office priorities.

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; to preserve magnificent places and wildlife; to advance clean energy; and to combat climate change. We partner with thousands of groups to engage on the critical environmental issues of our time and bring about positive change. 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 people who share a passion for justice and a healthy environment. Our headquarters are in San Francisco with offices in Anchorage, Juneau, Los Angeles, Tallahassee, Honolulu, New York, Philadelphia, Denver, Miami, Seattle, Bozeman, Chicago, Houston, and Washington, D.C.

Earthjustice’s California Regional Office was the first of the now fifteen Earthjustice offices. With offices in San Francisco and Los Angeles, the California Regional Office covers almost all areas of our work. We fight for the rights of all Californians to a healthy environment. Earthjustice’s work in California is particularly important given California is both a health and climate leader and yet has some of the worst air in the country, is still one of the largest producers of oil in the country, faces some of the most challenging water issues, and is seeing its unique biodiversity face unprecedented threats. Learn more about the California Regional Office and its work at - https://earthjustice.org/about/offices/california.

The Associate Attorney position is a three-year position with the potential for extension, designed to develop thoughtful, professional, and effective advocates skilled in the various phases of public interest litigation. As Associate Attorneys gain experience, they gradually take on more independent responsibility for their cases but work throughout their tenure under the supervision of Senior Attorneys, Deputy Managing Attorneys, or the Managing Attorney. Many Associates have gone on to other positions within Earthjustice and with other public interest organizations.

This is a hybrid position based in our California Regional Offices and requires regular in-person attendance.

Responsibilities:

Associate Attorneys perform a range of work, in partnership with Senior Attorneys and professional staff, to investigate, develop, and pursue litigation in court and advocacy before administrative agencies.

As Associate Attorneys gain experience, their dockets may include cases for which they have primary responsibility under the supervision of a Senior Attorney in addition to matters on which they work in a supporting role with Senior Attorneys. Specific responsibilities include:

• Working closely with Earthjustice attorneys, scientists, professional staff, and clients to build cases and support policies that serve a diverse set of clients.
• Participating in the full range of tasks involved in litigation and administrative advocacy, including factual investigation, legal research and analysis, memo writing, negotiation, discovery, briefing, and oral advocacy.
• Participating in cultivating relationships with new clients, allies, and coalition partners.
• Integrating communications and legislative advocacy into litigation and other legal strategies.
• Supporting efforts to ensure a diverse, equitable, and inclusive work culture that encourages and celebrates differences.
• Representing Earthjustice at remote and in-person meetings with clients, partners, co-counsel, and experts.
• Developing skills required to serve as spokesperson in media.
• Participating in hiring and supervision of student law clerks and externs.

Qualifications:

• Law school graduate with 0-3 years of legal experience and admitted to, or willing and eligible to apply for admission to, the California State Bar.
• Strong research, analytic, writing, and communication skills.
• Strong and demonstrated work ethic, good judgment, initiative, and creativity.
• Strong desire to fight for the right of all to a healthy environment.
• Strong interpersonal skills, including the ability to work well collegially.
• Commitment to serving the public interest and a passion for the role of Earthjustice and its mission.
• Demonstrated awareness and sensitivity to the needs and concerns of individuals from diverse cultures, backgrounds, and orientations.
• Ability and desire to contribute to the creation of a diverse, equitable, and inclusive work culture that encourages and celebrates differences.
• High level of emotional intelligence.
• Ability and willingness to travel as needed, including for case work, court appearances, and meetings with clients and partners.
• Legal or non-legal experience supporting communities working to overcome injustice a plus.

We offer a competitive salary and excellent benefits that are comprehensive and competitive. We also offer a congenial, flexible, hybrid work environment and a casual dress code. As a 501(c)(3) organization, Earthjustice is a qualifying employer for purposes of the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program.

Salary depends on experience and location.

Salary range in Los Angeles, CA: $105,000 - $117,100

Salary range in San Francisco, CA: $110,500 - $ 123,300

To Apply:

Interested applicants should submit the following via Jobvite:

• Resume.
• Cover letter that addresses: 1) your interest in, and qualifications for, serving as an Associate Attorney: (2) why you are drawn to Earthjustice’s mission and whether there are particular legal, environmental, or social justice issues that inspire you; and (3) aspects of your background that demonstrate competence to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion in work with clients and colleagues. Also, please include the earliest date you would be available to begin work.
• Writing sample, preferably a legal brief or memorandum containing legal analysis. Please ensure that any confidential information is redacted and that you have permission to share any non-public memorandum written for another legal employer or client. We recognize that many legal work products are edited by multiple attorneys; at the same time, we expect that any writing sample be predominantly, if not exclusively, your own work. Please include a cover sheet explaining the extent of any editing by someone else, and any other details about the writing sample that you believe Earthjustice will find helpful.
• Law school transcript.

Candidates graduating from law school in 2025 will be considered.

For this position, we are looking to hire a candidate who is available to start in September 2025 or January 2026. Preference will be given to candidates who apply by July 17, 2025. After that, applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled.

Please reach out to jobs@earthjustice.org 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 given 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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