About ChangeLab Solutions

ChangeLab Solutions creates innovative laws and policies to ensure everyday health for all, whether that’s providing access to affordable, healthy food and beverages, creating safe opportunities for physical activity, or ensuring the freedom to enjoy smoke free air and clean water. Our solutions address all aspects of a just, vital and thriving community, like food, housing, child care, schools, transportation, public safety, jobs, and the environment.

For more information about how we create healthier communities for all through better laws and policies, see www.changelabsolutions.org. ChangeLab Solutions is a national nonprofit based in Oakland, California.

Position Description

ChangeLab Solutions seeks Legal Fellows for a one-year term, to support our dynamic team of planners, policy analysts, attorneys, and public health experts who develop innovative solutions to critical public health challenges. Legal Fellows will support our obesity prevention, tobacco control, and healthy and sustainable planning efforts, and will gain experience in a wide range of issues that impact the communities and institutions in which we live, work, play, and learn. Fellows will have opportunities to participate in staff professional development and will be assigned a mentor.

Duties & Responsibilities

Under the direction of staff attorneys, policy analysts, and urban planners, the work of Legal Fellows will include one or more of the following tasks:

Developing written products, including model legislation, easy-to-read fact sheets, technical assistance responses, and other resources for ChangeLab Solutions’ audience;
Contributing to peer-reviewed articles;
Partnering with program staff to expand areas of programmatic focus
Research and writing on a variety of cutting-edge public health legal and policy issues;
Assisting program staff with providing technical assistance to advocates in the field;
Cite checking;
Attending meetings or other events with program staff; and
Other duties as assigned.

Requirements

JD and licensed to practice (or awaiting bar results) in any state.

If already licensed, must be a member of a state bar in good standing.
Excellent research and writing skills, significant cite-checking experience, and excellent professional judgment.
Well organized and detail oriented.
Ability to translate complex legal doctrines into writing accessible to a lay audience.
Ability to multi-task.
A demonstrated interest in one or more of the following: public health law, municipal law, land use law, public finance, health equity, tobacco control, redevelopment law, housing law, constitutional law, environmental law, climate change, transportation policy, food systems, public policy, and/or social justice.

How to apply

To apply for the Legal Fellow position, please email all required information to jobs@changelabsolutions.org. Please include “2015 Legal Fellow” in the subject line.

The following are required to be considered for the Legal Fellow Program. Incomplete applications will not be considered.

Resume and cover letter
Writing samples – Please provide one writing sample in a relevant substantive area, (no more than 10 pages, excerpts are fine).
References – Please provide contact information (name, organization, email address, and phone number) for three references.

Applications will be considered on a rolling basis, until position is filled. No applications will be accepted after September 30, 2015.

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