Associate/Sr. Associate Attorney-Appellate Focus

Environmental Law & Policy Center•Washington, DC

41d•$100,000 - $122,000•Hybrid

About The Position

The Environmental Law & Policy Center (ELPC) is the Midwest’s premier public interest environmental legal advocacy and eco-business innovation organization and is among the nation’s leaders. We develop and lead strategic environmental legal and policy advocacy campaigns to improve environmental quality and protect our natural resources. We are public interest environmental entrepreneurs who engage in creative business dealmaking with diverse interests to put into practice our sustainability principles that environmental progress and economic development can be achieved together. ELPC drives transformational environmental policy changes at the national and regional level. We advance climate solutions with a focus on clean energy and transportation alternatives. We protect the Great Lakes and defend the Midwest’s wild and natural places and resources, and we fight for safe, clean water and healthy clean air for all. We combine effective public interest litigation and strategic policy advocacy, sound science and economic analysis. ELPC produces strong results in the courtrooms, boardrooms, and legislative and administrative hearing rooms across the Midwest and in Washington, D.C. ELPC’s growing multidisciplinary staff of talented public interest attorneys, policy advocates, data scientists and communications specialists bring a strong and effective combination of skills to solve environmental problems and improve the quality of life in our communities. Our headquarters is in downtown Chicago, with additional offices and staff across the Midwest states and in Washington, DC. ELPC’s annual budget is about $15 million. Please visit www.ELPC.org. ELPC is proud to be honored by receiving the American Bar Association's 2023 Award for Excellence in Environmental, Energy, and Resources Stewardship. This prominent national award recognizes ELPC’s significant accomplishments and demonstrated leadership on sustainable environmental and energy advocacy. Come join our winning team of talented, mission-driven professionals, who passionately work together to protect the environment and natural resources in the Midwest and nationally during these extraordinary and challenging times.

Requirements

Juris Doctor degree
2 - 6 years of relevant litigation experience
Experience with an environmental or public interest advocacy organization a plus
Appellate or district court clerkship a plus
Excellent legal and persuasive writing skills, including drafting appellate briefs and motions
Keen legal research and analytical skills
Facility with highly complex legal issues that often arise in scientific or technical context
Ability to work independently and collaboratively across geographically dispersed multidisciplinary teams and manage multiple assignments with competing deadlines
Demonstrated commitment to environmental protection and public interest litigation
Knowledge/experience with the Administrative Procedure Act, Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, NEPA, and/or other federal land management, pollution control, natural resource, and energy regulatory laws is a strong plus

Nice To Haves

Experience with an environmental or public interest advocacy organization
Appellate or district court clerkship

Responsibilities

Work with ELPC Managing Attorneys and Senior Attorneys on appellate litigation before federal and state courts, and federal regulatory advocacy, including: Appellate brief-writing and motions practice, Drafting technical and legal comments to administrative agencies, Legal research and savvy analysis
Assist Senior Attorneys with litigating a range of cases to protect the Great Lakes, vital natural resources, public health and the environment, including: Factual and legal research to develop and support claims and legal arguments, Drafting pleadings, declarations, motions, and discovery/FOIA requests
Coordinate with experts and consultants
Engage with clients, and organizational and community partners
Collaborate with communications team and engage with the media on key cases
Oversee legal interns as applicable
Other duties, as assigned