Managing Attorney, Alaska Regional Office

Earthjustice

11d•Hybrid

About The Position

Earthjustice is the nation’s 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, supporters, individuals and communities to engage 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. 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, Miami, Chicago, Honolulu, New York, Philadelphia, Denver, Seattle, Bozeman, and Washington, DC. Earthjustice’s Alaska Office works to defend Alaska’s globally important lands, waters, and wildlife and the health and well-being of its diverse inhabitants. Strategic priorities include protecting America’s Arctic from expanded oil and gas leasing, exploration, and development; safeguarding the roadless areas and old growth stands of the Tongass National Forest from large-scale commercial logging; and preventing damaging hard-rock and other mining projects, particularly those that threaten healthy salmon-producing streams and ways of life of Alaska Native and other residents. POSITION SUMMARY The Managing Attorney leads and oversees the work of the Alaska Office, providing leadership for a team currently comprised of thirteen staff members, including ten attorneys. The Managing Attorney manages, develops, and implements regional strategies that align with organization-wide strategic plans and programmatic and litigation priorities. They also drive efforts to build and maintain effective working relationships with clients and partners, as well as with the news media, government officials, and donors. The Managing Attorney will be based in either Anchorage or Juneau, where we follow a hybrid in-office schedule, and will report to a Vice President of Litigation based in San Francisco, CA. OPPORTUNITY This is a significant opportunity for a dynamic leader to use their skills, the power of law, and the strength of partnership to deliver meaningful results for the environment, health, and communities in Alaska and across the nation. The Managing Attorney will lead a gifted team of attorneys and other staff, and work with them to chart a course for a key regional office of the largest public interest environmental law firm in the country. Litigation and management are equally important skill sets for this position, and the successful candidate will be committed to excellence in both areas.

Requirements

Excellent management skills, including the ability to foster effective communication, collaboration, decision-making, and mutual respect.
Effective litigator with 10+ years’ experience in environmental and/or public interest law. Experience litigating in Alaska and/or knowledge of Alaska-specific laws a plus.
Contributes towards an equitable and inclusive work culture that encourages partnership, active listening, and integrating diverse perspectives
Demonstrated commitment to Earthjustice’s values of Justice, Excellence, Inclusion, and Partnership.
Strong capacity for strategic thinking, including in designing and implementing advocacy that consistently obtains high-quality results. An entrepreneurial approach with the ability to identify and develop new opportunities, combined with the capacity to work well collaboratively as part of regional and national teams.
Experience and interest in coaching, guiding, and mentoring staff at different levels of their career development to continually improve their effectiveness.
Excellent interpersonal skills that show the ability to build and maintain effective working relationships with a diverse set of clients and other partners.
Outstanding written and oral communication skills, with the ability to write and speak clearly and persuasively.
Experience working productively with the news media and with political and community leaders.
The ability and desire to participate effectively in fundraising efforts by developing and maintaining relationships with donors; experience with fundraising in a professional or volunteer capacity is a plus.
Ability to manage operations, including budgets, and general office and administrative matters.
Willingness to travel as necessary.
Ability to effectively manage and lead a diverse team with emotional intelligence (self-awareness and understanding of the impact of their behavior) and cultural humility (an understanding of the need for additional learning about different cultures, backgrounds, and orientation, and implementation of that learning in daily management practices).
Understands individual and team strengths and areas for development and develops plans accordingly.
Commitment to and experience in developing team skills and talents to meet the evolving needs of an organization.
Ability to give and receive regular formal and informal feedback in a timely, constructive, respectful, and consistent manner and to incorporate debriefing into the team’s operations.
Strong team mentorship and communication skills.

Nice To Haves

Experience litigating in Alaska and/or knowledge of Alaska-specific laws a plus.
Experience with fundraising in a professional or volunteer capacity is a plus.

Responsibilities

Provides litigation leadership by litigating personally and working collaboratively with attorneys in the office to maximize the quality and impact of the office’s total litigation effort.
Manages, develops, and implements regional strategies that align with organization-wide strategic plans, core values, priorities, and other administrative policies and guidance.
Manages and guides the development of the staff of the office to ensure they have the training, resources, feedback, and support to maximize their performance and development.
Develops and embraces practices and policies that promote a respectful and inclusive workplace and that foster community and teamwork among a diverse group of staff.
Builds and maintains effective working relationships with clients and partners.
Serves as a primary public face of the office and the organization, including by working effectively with the news media, government officials, and donors.
Works closely and productively with Earthjustice’s policy, communications, and fundraising teams to advance programmatic and institutional goals.
Recruits and hires qualified candidates who fit position requirements and the work environment.
Effects and manages organizational change through strategic thinking and transparent communication.
Collaborates with the Alaska team to set clear direction aligned with Earthjustice strategy, mission, and vision.
Develops staff by identifying and encouraging training and professional development opportunities appropriate to role and creating development plans for all staff.
Provides staff with consistent performance feedback, both positive and constructive, and acts as a coach and mentor.
Creates a learning culture, including by encouraging debriefing after completion of significant stages of projects.
Ensures that any direct reports who have supervisory responsibility are properly executing those functions.
Creates a respectful and inclusive work environment for team and models respectful and inclusive behavior.
Promptly addresses micro-aggressions and other concerns brought to their attention.
Resolves interpersonal conflict among team members and brings in outside facilitators as needed.
Communicates effectively with staff and encourages them to raise concerns and provide ongoing feedback.
Creates or identifies strategic opportunities for team building and individual and overall staff engagement with one another in order to strengthen teamwork, interaction, and collaboration.
Values and uses individual differences and talents to improve employee satisfaction and the quality of collective work.
Celebrates successes and helps team members to understand, manage, and learn from setbacks.
Participates in organization-wide initiatives and trainings that contribute to the creation of a diverse, equitable, and inclusive work culture that encourages and celebrates differences.
Utilizes internal and external resources to support their personal and professional development in a way that increases awareness and sensitivity to the needs and concerns of individuals from diverse cultures, backgrounds, and orientations.