Lawyer, Environmental Democracy

European Movement International; Brussel Hoofdstad; Hybride; EUR 46 000 - 55 000; Plein temps

Avantages offerts par ce poste

Flexa accredited Employer

Flexible working

Résumé du poste

ClientEarth is seeking a fixed-term Legal Advocate to promote and defend the Aarhus Convention. The role focuses on improving access to justice in environmental matters across Europe, supporting strategic litigation and collaboration with NGOs and legal experts.

The post requires a law degree, UN/process experience, and strong legal research skills. The role is based in Brussels, hybrid work, and involves engagement with policy and implementation teams.

Qualifications

• Fluent English (CEFR C2).
• A degree in law.
• Experience working with UN processes or national environmental planning/permitting.
• Strong legal research and analytical skills for rigorous and creative analysis.

Responsabilités

• Engage in advocacy to promote and defend the Aarhus Convention with NGOs and partners.
• Identify barriers to access to justice in environmental matters at national level, focusing on Central/South Eastern Europe.
• Build relationships with NGOs, legal experts, academics to support the Aarhus Convention.

Connaissances

Fluent English

Legal research

Analytical thinking

Formation

Law degree

Description du poste

Application Deadline: 14 September 2026

Department: Global Impact

Employment Type: Fixed Term - Full Time

Location: Brussels

Reporting To: Sebastian Bechtel

Compensation: €4,521 / month

Workplace type: Hybrid

Description

The Environmental Democracy team works towards the correct implementation and enforcement of the ‘Aarhus Convention’, that is, the UNECE Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters – the most progressive international agreement for citizens’ rights to information, participation and access to justice in Europe. The team aims to advance the principles of accountability, transparency and responsiveness for the good governance of EU institutions and national public authorities.

This is a fixed-term role for two years. The post holder will contribute to the team’s work in promoting and protecting the Aarhus Convention as a strong legal framework for environmental democracy and civic space, in particular to ensure that its compliance mechanisms remain independent and function effectively. Additionally, the post-holder will support strategic litigation efforts of ClientEarth and other organisations in key European jurisdictions to set legal precedents that give broad access to justice.

Important dates to note:

• Deadline to submit an initial application: 14th of September
• If your profile passes initial screening, you will be asked to submit additional information in the form of three additional questions.
• The deadline to submit your answers is the 20 of September
• If we do not receive a response to these questions by the deadline we will assume you are no longer interested in the role.
• Interviews will take place the from the 1st of October

Please also review the “Our Hiring Process” section at the bottom of this advert to learn more about the stages involved for this specific role.

Main duties

• Engage in advocacy aimed at promoting and defending the Aarhus Convention, working closely with the line manager and NGO partners to advance agreed policy objectives;
• Identify and address barriers to access to justice in environmental matters on national level, with a focus on Central or South Eastern Europe, including by contributing to legal analysis and assisting with strategic litigation;
• Build and maintain effective working relationships with NGOs, legal experts, academics and other stakeholders to strengthen collaboration in support of the Aarhus Convention;

See the job description (below) for a full list of duties for this role.

Role requirements

• Fluent (CEFR level C2) in English
• A degree in law
• Relevant professional experience working in UN processes or in national environmental planning and/or permitting
• Strong legal research and analytical skills and ability in performing rigorous and creative legal analysis in support of impactful work

See the job description (below) for a full list of requirements for this role.

Note to candidates: We know that long lists of criteria can be daunting and that some candidates will not apply for a role unless they feel they are 100% qualified. If you feel you meet at least some of the essential criteria, we still encourage you to apply.

Further Information

Have a question about this job? Please visit our Careers site for advice on applying, FAQs, and more.

Flexible working: We are proud to be a Flexa accredited Employer. Visit our Flexa Employer page for more information on our approach to flexible working. Our flexible working policy allows our people the choice to decide to work from home/another location in the country where our contract of employment is issued for 80% of their month, with the other 20% of their month being office-based See our Benefits page for more as well as our flexible working FAQ.

ClientEarth values diversity and inclusion and the benefits this brings. We aim to appoint the most suitable candidate at all times and welcome applications from people from all different backgrounds. See our equity, diversity and inclusion journey page for more.

Please note that ClientEarth is only able to employ those who have the pre-existing legal right to work in the countries listed at the top of this job advert.

ClientEarth is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice or legal services to third parties.

About ClientEarth

We are a non-profit using the power of the law to bring about end-to-end systemic change: informing, implementing and enforcing the law, drafting and advising decision-makers on policy, building legal expertise, and ensuring citizens’ access to the laws that defend them.

We take governments to court – and win. We force polluting industries to shut down. We protect irreplaceable forests and vulnerable species. We empower people and NGOs with the legal rights to bring forward environmental battles of their own. Using the law means that we create real, long-lasting and embedded change.

We’re working to secure a lasting civilisation in which people and nature thrive together. We work in partnership across borders, systems and sectors, ingeniously using the law to protect life on Earth.