Staff Attorney

Save the Sound, Inc.•New Haven, CT

4d•Hybrid

About The Position

Save the Sound is seeking a staff attorney to join our Legal Team. This position is for individuals passionate about the environment and the Long Island Sound region who wish to defend it before courts, agencies, and the legislature. Save the Sound has been a leader in environmental action for over 50 years, focusing on building resilient communities, fighting climate change, saving endangered lands, protecting the Sound, and restoring its rivers and coastlines through legislative advocacy, legal action, engineering, environmental monitoring, and volunteer efforts. The Legal Team, composed of four attorneys, works to ensure clean water and thriving ecosystems in Long Island Sound, rivers, and lakes; mitigate climate change and promote clean air; protect endangered open spaces and habitats; and promote environmental justice. The staff attorney's role will center on legal advocacy, with a primary focus on litigation. Reporting to the Senior Legal Director, this full-time position will be based in New Haven, Connecticut, and will concentrate on Connecticut and Federal matters. We are looking for a hard-working, energetic, and creative attorney with outstanding writing skills and a demonstrated commitment to environmental protection. The job involves legal writing and advocacy in state and federal courts and administrative agencies, occasional attendance at evening/weekend meetings or hearings (potentially requiring limited regional travel), defining and executing litigation and advocacy strategies, representing Save the Sound in coalitions and with partners, providing legal counsel to Save the Sound programs, and supervising interns and students.

Requirements

A minimum of three years relevant experience in environmental or related litigation or advocacy; attorneys with two years of demonstrated and exceptional experience will be considered
An outstanding academic record
Strong communications and interpersonal skills
Exceptional writing ability
A J.D. degree
Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the United States at the time of hire and throughout employment
Save the Sound participates in E-Verify to confirm employment eligibility

Nice To Haves

A Connecticut and/or New York Bar admission is strongly preferred but not immediately required

Responsibilities

Legal writing and advocacy to represent Save the Sound before state and federal courts and administrative agencies
Occasional attendance at evening and weekend meetings or hearings as necessary, which may require limited travel throughout the region
Helping to define and execute Save the Sound’s litigation and advocacy strategies
Representing Save the Sound in coalitions and with partner organizations
Providing counsel to Save the Sound programs on legal and related policy issues
Supervising interns and students
Maintaining positive and productive working relationships with all Save the Sound staff members, including providing and receiving constructive feedback
Participating in building productive relationships with Save the Sound's members, external partners, policy makers, and the general public
Completing all administrative work on time, such as timesheets, purchase orders, project reports, and planning documents