Environmental Justice Law Fellow - Staff Attorney / Staff Attorney Trainee

The Bay Area Air Quality Management District; San Francisco (CA); Hybrid; USD 69,000 - 96,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Limited CalPERS medical benefits

Paid sick leave

No holidays or vacation

Job summary

The Bay Area Air Quality Management District seeks an Environmental Justice Law Fellow to gain experience in equity and environmental justice work within the Legal Division. The Fellow will support matters in environmental justice and the Community Engagement Office, with placement into Staff Attorney upon bar admission.

Open to 3Ls and recent graduates not yet admitted to practice in California; positions include a 2-year term and hourly compensation, with limited CalPERS medical benefits and

Qualifications

• Entry-level attorney or recent graduate with admission to California bar in progress.
• Less than two years of legal experience at time of hire.

Responsibilities

• Conduct legal research and draft opinions, briefs, and other documents.
• Assist Air District attorneys on routine cases and regulatory matters.
• Support environmental justice initiatives and community engagement efforts.

Skills

Legal research

Regulatory compliance

Oral and written communication

Education

Juris Doctor (J.D.)

Job description

Description

The Bay Area Air District's Environmental Justice Law Fellowship Program provides new attorneys with experience in the Air District's equity and environmental Justice work. Full information about the program is available here. The program is intended for new attorneys with less than two years of experience at the time of hire. Current third-year students (3Ls) and recent graduates who are in the process of obtaining admission to the California bar are encouraged to apply. A successful applicant who is admitted to practice at the time of hire will be hired into the Staff Attorney position. A successful applicant who is still in the process of gaining admission at the time of hire may start work pending admission to practice; they will be hired into the Staff Attorney Trainee position and will be eligible for placement into the Staff Attorney position upon admission to the California bar within 12 months of hire.

About the Air District

The Air District is a regional government agency committed to achieving clean air to protect public health and the environment. The Air District accomplishes this goal through regulation and permitting of facilities, enforcement of those regulations and permit requirements, and various outreach and incentive programs designed to encourage clean air choices.

The Air District is governed by a Board of Directors, and its jurisdiction encompasses all of seven counties - Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara and Napa, and portions of two others - southwestern Solano and southern Sonoma. You can find more information about the Air District at www.baaqmd.gov

At the Air District, we take pride in our commitment to fostering a workplace that values diversity and promotes cultural awareness. We prioritize employee engagement by providing a collaborative and inclusive environment that encourages active participation and open dialogue. The Air District recognizes and values the contributions of every employee and works to sustain an environment where everyone is respected. We incorporate the principles of diversity, equity and inclusion within our decision-making strategies, policies, procedures, regulations, funding initiatives, public outreach, planning, and hiring. Join us in a dynamic and inclusive culture where your contributions are celebrated, and your growth is nurtured.

About the Fellowship

The Environmental Justice Law Fellowship Program provides new attorneys with experience in the Air District's equity and environmental justice work. Fellows work on matters in the Legal Division involving environmental justice issues, and they also provide legal support for the Air District's environmental-justice-focused work being undertaken through the Environmental Justice and Community Engagement Office.

Examples of the types of projects a fellow may work on include:

• Working with the Air District's AB 617 Community Emission Reduction Plan steering committees;


• Impact litigation in overburdened communities to enforce Air District regulations against chronic violators;


• Legal work supporting the Air District's Community Advisory Council;


• Implementing initiatives to address cumulative impacts, disparate impact analyses, and other elements of civil rights compliance in the Air District permitting program;


• Drafting CEQA comments on projects proposing to locate in overburdened communities.

The Air District is currently accepting applications for the Environmental Justice Law Fellow (Staff Attorney / Staff Attorney Trainee). This is an open recruitment for one (1) full-time position for a temporary 2-year term. The Air District is seeking to hire an Environmental Justice Law Fellow as a Staff Attorney (for applicants who are admitted to practice in California at the time of hire) or Staff Attorney Trainee (for applicants who are still in the process of gaining admission at the time of hire) for a 2-year term.

As this is a 2-year temporary position, it is paid on an hourly basis.

• eligible for limited medical benefits under CalPERS after exceeding 1,000 hours of work per fiscal year.


• The Air District will also provide paid sick leave in accordance with the City and County of San Francisco's statute regarding paid sick leave.


• As an hourly temporary position, this position does not include paid holidays or vacation leave.

Staff Attorney

Staff Attorney is the entry-level attorney position in the legal division. It is designed to allow a new attorney to gain specific environmental law experience. Incumbents receive direct guidance and supervision in the performance of their duties. Assignments at this level require the ability to handle routine matters under general supervision.

Staff Attorney Trainee

Staff Attorney Trainee is the position intended for recent law school graduates and others who are not yet admitted to practice who begin work while they are in the process of obtaining admission to the California bar. Positions in this class provide supervised assistance to Air District attorneys with work on routine legal assignments while learning the Air District policies and procedures and specialized legal knowledge relating to air quality. Positions follow existing guidelines and procedures. Works under supervision of an Air District attorney and does not engage in the practice of law. Eligible for placement to Staff Attorney upon admission to practice in California, which must be completed within 12 months of hire.

Examples of Duties for this Position

The following are examples of typical duties of the Staff Attorney / Staff Attorney Trainee position. Participants in the Environmental Justice Law Fellowship Program will perform duties of this nature, but with a specific focus on the Air District's equity and environmental justice work.

Staff Attorney

• Researches legal issues and prepares and reviews legal documents, including opinions, briefs, ordinances, resolutions, and contracts.


• Advises Air District departmental management regarding Air District authority, jurisdiction, functions and operational procedures.


• Attends Air District departmental, board and committee meetings and provides legal advice on a variety of matters.


• Investigates and prepares reports regarding claims by and against the Air District and recommends actions to be taken.


• Prepares and tries routine legal cases, often involving a specialized body of law.


• Represents the Air District in court and in administrative hearings before boards and commissions and state and federal agencies.


• Reviews ordinances, resolutions, contracts and other documents for legal sufficiency; recommends modifications as required.


• Maintains accurate records and files and compiles reports of work performed.


• Monitors legal developments, including proposed legislation and court decisions; evaluate their impact on Air District operations.


• Supports special projects as needed.


• Performs other duties as assigned.

Staff Attorney Trainee

• Conducts legal research and prepares legal memoranda for review by Air District attorneys.


• Assists Air District attorneys in the preparation of routine cases, often involving a specialized body of law.


• Assists Air District attorneys in reviewing air quality regulations and policies.


• Monitors legal developments, including proposed legislation and court decisions, considers their impacts on the Air District operations, and reports to supervising attorneys.


• Participates in Air District departmental, Board, and committee meetings.


• Maintains, organizes, and tracks accurate records and compiles reports of work performed.


• Supports special projects as needed.


• Performs related duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

Staff Attorney

Equivalent to a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university and a law degree from an accredited law school. Must be a member in good standing of the State Bar of California.

Staff Attorney Trainee

Equivalent to a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university and a law degree from an accredited law school. Must be in the process of gaining admission to the California bar (including studying for, taking, and passing the bar exam and fulfilling all related requirements for admission). Employees in the Staff Attorney Trainee position must obtain bar admission for placement to Staff Attorney within twelve months of hire.

The District is an Equal Opportunity Employer.