Environmental Justice Legal Fellow: Impact Litigation

Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC); Santa Monica (CA); On-site; USD 95,000 - 105,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Time off policy

Family leave

403b matching

Hybrid policy

Healthcare

Job summary

NRDC and Yale Law School are hiring an Environmental Justice Legal Fellow for a two-year fellowship starting in August 2027.

For the first year, the Fellow will work at NRDC within its Environment, Equity & Justice Center to provide legal support with and for environmental justice communities across the United States, including but not limited to scoping, shaping, and advancing litigation, as well as legal, policy, and coalition-building strategies to redress environmental harms and secure

Qualifications

• Juris Doctorate within the past three years, as of the start date of the fellowship.
• Admission to the Bar in the jurisdiction where the Fellow will be based, or willingness to complete admission requirements.

Responsibilities

• Develop relationships with communities and coalitions; engage in partnerships.
• Create project plans, track timelines, and manage workflows across staff.
• Facilitate meetings with agendas, notes, and next steps; ensure accountability.
• Screen and develop potential litigation; conduct factual investigations and legal research.
• Write briefs, motions, memoranda, FOIA/PR acts, and other legal filings.
• Review environmental documents and draft comments under CEQA/NEPA to identify deficiencies.
• Provide legal and policy updates to team and partners.
• Represent NRDC at hearings, conferences, and coalition meetings.

Skills

Legal writing

Legal research

Analytical

Team collaboration

DEI commitment

Education

Juris Doctorate

Job description

NRDC and Yale Law School are hiring an Environmental Justice Legal Fellow for a two-year fellowship starting in August 2027.

For the first year, the Fellow will work at NRDC within its Environment, Equity & Justice Center to provide legal support with and for environmental justice communities across the United States, including but not limited to scoping, shaping, and advancing litigation, as well as legal, policy, and coalition-building strategies to redress environmental harms and secure