Associate Attorney, Rocky Mountain Office

Earthjustice•Denver, CO

3d•$107,200 - $118,700•Hybrid

About The Position

Earthjustice seeks an Associate Attorney to join our Rocky Mountain Regional Office based in Denver, Colorado. The position requires 2-5 years of post-law-school legal experience. Earthjustice's Rocky Mountain Office works primarily on issues in the Intermountain West and Southwest, dedicated to transitioning states from fossil fuels to clean, renewable energy; defending disproportionately impacted and tribal communities from pollution and other environmental harms; and protecting public lands and wildlife from threats. Earthjustice is the nation's leading environmental law organization, partnering with clients to protect biodiversity, wild places, avert climate disaster, and safeguard the right to a healthy environment. Founded in 1971, Earthjustice has a distinguished track record of achieving significant, lasting environmental protections by hiring passionate individuals. The Associate Attorney position is a three-year position with the potential for extension, designed to help early-career attorneys develop into effective advocates skilled in public interest litigation. Associates gradually take on more independent responsibility under the supervision of Senior Attorneys, Deputy Managing Attorneys, or the Managing Attorney. The Associate Attorney will advance the Rocky Mountain Office’s work to ensure a prompt and equitable transition to a clean energy future in Colorado and Arizona, using litigation and advocacy before state and federal energy regulators and courts to promote clean energy resources. The role also involves working to electrify buildings and transportation, challenging utility investments in fossil fuel power plants, and elevating environmental justice communities' voices in regulatory processes. While the focus is on climate and clean energy, the attorney may also work on other Rocky Mountain Office cases. This is a hybrid position based in our Denver office, requiring regular in-person attendance, with staff currently in the office a minimum of one day per week.

Requirements

Law school graduate with 2-5 years of legal experience and admitted to, or willing and eligible to apply for admission to, the Colorado State Bar.
Excellent 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.
Ability to work well independently and in a team-oriented atmosphere.
Commitment to serving the public interest and a passion for the role of Earthjustice and its mission.
Contributes towards an equitable and inclusive work culture that encourages partnership, active listening, and integrating diverse perspectives.
Supports Earthjustice’s core values of partnership, inclusion, justice and excellence.
High level of emotional intelligence and excellent interpersonal skills.

Responsibilities

Conducting legal and factual research.
Reviewing and analyzing administrative records and technical documents.
Drafting motions, briefs, and other legal and factual documents in support of litigation and administrative advocacy.
Participating in proceedings before federal and state courts and agencies.
Cultivating relationships with clients, experts, allies, and coalition partners.
Integrating media and legislative advocacy into litigation and other legal strategies.
Hiring and supervising law students as Earthjustice interns or clerks.