U.S. Climate Resilience & Environmental Justice Fall Legal Intern
About The Position
EarthRights International (ERI), a nongovernmental, nonprofit organization dedicated to defending human rights and the environment through the combined power of law and people, is seeking fall legal interns for its U.S. Climate Resilience & Environmental Justice Project (CREJP). The CREJP aims to support marginalized communities on the frontlines of climate change and environmental harms, helping them build resilience and holding government, companies, and financial institutions accountable. ERI has a long history of working with marginalized communities globally, using innovative legal strategies to hold entities accountable for human rights and environmental abuses. The CREJP specifically focuses on assisting Black and Indigenous communities in the U.S. facing challenges such as climate-forced displacement, toxic industrial pollution, and lack of water access. Interns will engage in a structured educational program designed for hands-on learning and professional development in community-centered lawyering and advocacy. Under the guidance of experienced attorneys, interns will work on skill-building projects rather than routine tasks, including legal and factual research, assisting in advocacy strategy development, and participating in meetings with community leaders and civil society partners. Interns will not independently represent ERI or perform work typically assigned to regular staff.
Requirements
- Law students who can receive course credit for their internship from their law school.
- Must have at least one year of U.S. legal training by the time of the internship.
- Demonstrated commitment to using the U.S. legal system to serve frontline communities and/or to support environmental justice communities.
- Excellent legal research and writing skills.
- Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work in teams and coalitions.
- Ability to handle sensitive client relationships and protect the confidentiality of our work and our communications.
Nice To Haves
- Background or experience in environmental law, civil rights law, corporate accountability, and/or Indigenous peoples’ rights.
- Experience working with environmental justice communities, Indigenous communities, or grassroots organizations.
- Independent and creative thinking.
- A positive attitude.
Responsibilities
- Conduct legal research and writing.
- Conduct factual research.
- Observe and support advocacy strategy development.
- Participate in meetings with community leaders and civil society partners.
- Engage in projects that emphasize skill-building.
Benefits
- Course credit arrangement through law school.
- Stipend arrangement through law school.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Intern
Education Level
No Education Listed
