The Northern Rockies office of Earthjustice, located in Bozeman, Montana, has an opening for an Associate Attorney to begin work no later than the fall of 2016.

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 and citizens to engage the critical environmental issues of our time, and bring about positive change. 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 the best and brightest who share a passion for justice and a healthy environment. Our headquarters are in San Francisco with eleven regional offices across the United States.

In the Northern Rockies, we are engaged in litigation focused on protecting and preserving the iconic wildlife species and wild lands of this incomparable region. The Northern Rockies office has played a leading and long-standing role as the last line of defense for the ecosystems encompassing Yellowstone and Glacier national parks, as well as the grizzly bears, wolves, bison and other species that depend upon the integrity of these spectacular areas.

We are equally engaged in the battle to combat global warming by challenging coal mining and coal-fired power plants, and we are responding to a rapid natural gas development boom that is spreading and raising new environmental protection and human health issues across the Northern Rockies region.

In recent years, the work of the Northern Rockies office has increasingly touched on Native American interests and issues of Indian law, including work to restore wild bison to tribal lands; to oppose oil and gas exploration on public national forest lands of extreme cultural and spiritual importance to the Blackfeet people; and to halt a state proposal to open a massive new coal mine on lands significant to the Northern Cheyenne in southeast Montana.

We regularly litigate federal and state court cases in an effort to defeat the major threats to the region’s ecological integrity. Click here to learn more about our office’s work.

Responsibilities:

Associate Attorneys at Earthjustice perform a range of litigation-related tasks that can include:

Conducting legal research and preparing memoranda on issues relating to ongoing or potential litigation projects.
Drafting motions, briefs and other pleadings.
Preparing comments on proposed agency actions and environmental impact statements.
Developing oral advocacy and presentation skills.
Assisting with discovery.
Interacting with clients and working with experts to develop a clear understanding of the facts involved in each case and to ultimately support our litigation goals.
Engaging with a variety of news and social media regarding our work.

Requirements:

Law school graduates who are admitted, or willing to apply for admission, to the state bar of Montana.
0-5 years of litigation and/or clerkship experience.
Excellent research, critical thinking, writing and oral advocacy skills.
An excellent academic record.
Good judgment and a strong work ethic.
Commitment to environmental protection and justice.
Ability and willingness to work closely with others in a challenging legal environment.
A sense of humor.

Associate Attorney Program:

The Associate program is designed to help early-career attorneys develop into thoughtful, professional, and effective advocates skilled in the various aspects of public-interest litigation. The term for the Associate position is two to three years. Some Associates have gone on to other positions within Earthjustice, while others use the experience as a springboard to other career opportunities in environmental litigation or other areas.

Earthjustice’s compensation is based on experience, is competitive with other non-profit organizations, and includes an excellent benefits package.

How to apply

Using the Jobvite application tool, please submit a cover letter, resume, law school transcript, two legal writing samples, and three professional references. Click here to apply.

If you cannot attach one or more of the requested documents because of a technical difficulty, please contact nroffice_jobs@earthjustice.org.

Incomplete applications will not be considered. No telephone calls or drop-ins, please. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled. Early applications are strongly encouraged.

Earthjustice is driven by a passion for justice, partnership, and excellence. Our core values lead us to seek a broad range of perspectives and backgrounds to achieve our mission and to maintain an inclusive environment where all staff are valued and respected. As an equal opportunity employer, we are committed to employment practices that ensure that employees and applicants for employment are provided with equal opportunities without regard to race, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, age, religion, physical or mental disability, medical condition, veteran status, marital status, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, or any other factor that is not related to the position.