Associate Attorney, Clean Energy Program

Earthjustice seeks an Associate Attorney with up to three years of litigation experience to join the Clean Energy Program and be based at our San Francisco headquarters. The Associate Attorney will support and collaborate with Earthjustice lawyers and analysts working in California to advance grid modernization, building decarbonization, and energy affordability.

The Associate Attorney position will primarily involve advocacy before the California Public Utilities Commission and energy-related work before other state and local government entities to accelerate the transition away from fossil fuels in California. This work involves the development of legal and technical arguments, coalition building, and the use of media and other strategies to elevate issues of concern before key decision-makers. At Earthjustice, you will learn how to cultivate relationships with clients and allies and learn how to build coalitions. You'll learn how to be part of media campaigns from our Communications staff, and legislative advocacy from our Policy & Legislation experts. Finally, you will gain supervisory experience by hiring, supervising, and mentoring law students who work at Earthjustice as interns or clerks. The duties and responsibilities for an Associate Attorney will vary depending on experience - as you gain experience, you will gradually take on more responsibility in your cases.

Earthjustice is the 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 to engage on 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 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, Honolulu, New York, Philadelphia, Denver, Miami, Seattle, Bozeman, Chicago, Houston, and Washington, D.C.

The Associate Attorney position is a three-year position with the potential for extension, designed to develop thoughtful, professional, and effective advocates skilled in the various phases of public interest litigation. As Associate Attorneys gain experience, they gradually take on more independent responsibility for their cases but work throughout their tenure under the supervision of Senior Attorneys, Deputy Managing Attorneys, or the Managing Attorney. Many Associates have gone on to other positions within Earthjustice and with other public interest organizations.

This is a hybrid position based at our San Francisco headquarters and requires regular in-person attendance.

Responsibilities:

Associate Attorneys perform a range of work, in partnership with Senior Attorneys and professional staff, to investigate, develop, and pursue litigation in court and advocacy before administrative agencies.

As Associate Attorneys gain experience, their dockets may include cases for which they have primary responsibility under the supervision of a Senior Attorney in addition to matters on which they work in a supporting role with Senior Attorneys.

The Associate Attorney will perform a range of litigation and advocacy-related tasks, focused on the three topics of grid modernization, building decarbonization, and energy affordability. Tasks can include:

• Working closely with Earthjustice attorneys, scientists, professional staff, and clients to build cases and support policies that serve a diverse set of clients.
• Participating in the full range of tasks involved in litigation and administrative advocacy, including conducting legal and factual research and preparing memoranda on issues related to ongoing or potential new cases.
• Reviewing and analyzing administrative records and technical documents.
• Working with expert witnesses to develop testimony.
• Participating in proceedings before federal and state courts and agencies. Complex energy litigation will include discovery, motion practice, briefing, preparation and cross-examination of expert witnesses, negotiations, and oral advocacy.
• Participating in cultivating relationships with new clients, allies, and coalition partners.
• Integrating communications and legislative advocacy into litigation and other legal strategies.
• Supporting efforts to ensure a diverse, equitable, and inclusive work culture that encourages and celebrates differences.
• Representing Earthjustice at remote and in-person meetings with clients, partners, co-counsel, and experts.
• Working with policy advocates to lobby appointed and elected officials.
• Developing skills required to serve as spokesperson in media.
• Participating in hiring and supervision of student law clerks and externs.

Qualifications:

• Law school graduate with 0-3 years of legal experience and admitted to, or willing and eligible to apply for admission to, the California State Bar.
• A demonstrated interest in clean energy litigation and practice before public utility commissions.
• Excellent research, analytic, writing and communication skills.
• Ability to work constructively and in a highly professional manner in a diverse, dynamic, and hard-working team-oriented atmosphere.
• Commitment to public interest work and a passion for the role of Earthjustice and its mission, including a desire to fight for the right of all to a healthy environment.
• Emotional intelligence and sensitivity to the needs and concerns of individuals associated with diverse cultures, backgrounds and orientations.
• Travel: The Associate Attorney will make in-person appearances largely in San Francisco with some travel to Sacramento and other parts of California.
• Strong research, analytic, writing, and communication skills.
• Strong and demonstrated work ethic, good judgment, initiative, and creativity.
• Strong desire to fight for the right of all to a healthy environment.
• Strong interpersonal skills, including the ability to work well collegially.
• Commitment to serving the public interest and a passion for the role of Earthjustice and its mission.
• Ability and desire to contribute to the creation of a diverse, equitable, and inclusive work culture that encourages and celebrates differences.
• Legal or non-legal experience supporting communities working to overcome injustice a plus.

We offer a competitive salary and excellent benefits that are comprehensive and competitive. We also offer a congenial, flexible, hybrid work environment and a casual dress code. As a 501(c)(3) organization, Earthjustice is a qualifying employer for purposes of the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program.

Salary depends on experience and location.
Salary range in San Francisco, CA: $110,500 - $ 123,300

To Apply:

Interested applicants should submit the following via Jobvite:

• Resume.
• Cover letter that addresses:
  • your interest in, and qualifications for, serving as an Associate Attorney;
  • why you are drawn to Earthjustice’s mission and whether there are particular legal, environmental, or social justice issues that inspire you; and
  • aspects of your background that demonstrate competence to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion in work with clients and colleagues. Also, please include the earliest date you would be available to begin work.
• Writing sample, preferably a legal brief or memorandum containing legal analysis. Please ensure that any confidential information is redacted and that you have permission to share any non-public memorandum written for another legal employer or client. We recognize that many legal work products are edited by multiple attorneys; at the same time, we expect that any writing sample be predominantly, if not exclusively, your own work. Please include a cover sheet explaining the extent of any editing by someone else, and any other details about the writing sample that you believe Earthjustice will find helpful.
• Law school transcript.

Candidates graduating from law school in 2025 will be considered.

For this position, we seek a candidate available to start in January 2026. Preference will be given to candidates who apply by November 9, 2025. After that, applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled.

Please reach out to jobs@earthjustice.org if you are having technical difficulties submitting your application. No phone calls, drop-ins, or hard copies.

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 given 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, gender expression, genetic information or any other factor that is not related to the position.

For positions located within the City and County of San Francisco: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

For positions located within the City of Los Angeles: We will consider qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with the Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring.

#LI-Hybrid #LI-Onsite