Senior Attorney, Fossil Fuels

Earthjustice; New Orleans (LA); On-site; USD 147,000 - 189,000; Full time

Job summary

Earthjustice seeks a Senior Attorney to join the Fossil Fuels Program, focusing on oil and gas infrastructure in the U.S. Gulf region, especially Louisiana and Texas. The attorney will be based in our New Orleans office with a hybrid work arrangement.

Lead complex cases, develop legal theories, collaborate with clients and partners, and mentor junior attorneys while advancing environmental justice and equitable outcomes in climate-related litigation.

Qualifications

• 6+ years of litigation experience.
• Experience with environmental law statutes and issues related to oil and gas infrastructure preferred.
• Strong research, writing, and communication skills; trial skills a plus.
• Ability to build relationships and collaborate with diverse clients and partner organizations.

Responsibilities

• Lead complex cases and full range of litigation tasks (investigation, research, discovery, briefing, trials, oral advocacy).
• Develop cutting-edge legal theories and strategies.
• Work with clients, attorneys, and partners to investigate, develop, and litigate cases.
• Collaborate with media, policy, legislation teams to effect change and results.
• Train and mentor junior attorneys, developing their litigation skills.
• Build and maintain relations with diverse clients and partner organizations.
• Lead litigation campaigns and integrate legal, advocacy, communication, and organizing strategies.
• Engage with partners, funders, media, and communities to advance the organization's reputation.

Skills

Litigation experience

Legal research

Written communication

Interpersonal skills

Team leadership

Strategic thinking

Education

Louisiana Bar admission

Job description

Earthjustice seeks a Senior Attorney to join the Fossil Fuels Program. We use the power of the law to challenge the onslaught of new oil and gas infrastructure development that threatens climate, communities, and the environment. This position will focus on oil and gas infrastructure and related projects in the U.S. Gulf region, particularly Louisiana and Texas. The attorney in this position will be place-based in the New Orleans office.

This is a hybrid position that requires at least two days per week in-person at our New Orleans office.

Earthjustice is the nation's leading environmental law organization. We wield the power of law and the strength of partnership to protect people's health, preserve magnificent places and wildlife, advance clean energy, and combat climate change. We are here because the Earth needs a good lawyer.

Driven by a passion for justice, inclusion, partnership, and excellence, our core values lead us to seek a broad range of perspectives and backgrounds to achieve our mission and maintain an inclusive environment where all staff are valued and respected.

Our headquarters are in San Francisco with other offices in Anchorage, Bozeman, Chicago, Denver, Honolulu, Houston, Juneau, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Seattle, Tallahassee, and Washington, DC.

Earthjustice's Fossil Fuels Program uses the power of law to support communities fighting industry's aggressive plans to lock in new oil and gas infrastructure in the form of petrochemical facilities, pipelines, crude oil and gas export terminals and other projects that would dramatically increase pollution and increase damage to our climate. We're partnering with those communities to chart a path forward toward a healthy, sustainable climate - while working to advance equity and justice. For more information about the program's work, visit https://earthjustice.org/about/offices/fossil-fuels.

Responsibilities

• Lead complex cases and the full range of litigation tasks, including factual investigation, legal research, discovery, briefing, witness preparation, trials, and oral advocacy.
• Develop cutting-edge legal theories and strategies.
• Work with clients, other attorneys, and partners to investigate, develop, and litigate cases.
• Work with our media and policy and legislation teams, as well as clients and partners, to leverage legal advocacy to obtain positive change and results.
• Train and mentor junior attorneys, including building their litigation skills in the course of legal advocacy.
• Build and maintain effective working relationships with a diverse range of clients and other partner organizations.
• Develop and lead litigation campaigns and strategically integrate legal, advocacy, communication, and organizing strategies to achieve campaign goals.
• Engage in activities, including work with partners, funders, the media, and communities, that enhance the organization's reputation and the attorney's role as an "ambassador" of the organization.

Qualifications

• Admitted to, or eligible for admission to, the Louisiana Bar.
• 6+ years of litigation experience.
• Experience working with environmental law statutes and issues surrounding community and environmental health, oil and gas infrastructure, strongly preferred.
• Excellent research, analytic, writing, and communication skills required; trial skills a plus.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, including the ability to build relationships and work collaboratively with a diverse set of clients and partner organizations.
• Demonstrated commitment to Earthjustice's values of Justice, Excellence, Inclusion, and Partnership.
• Skill in leading diverse teams with emotional intelligence and cultural competence; fosters growth mentorship, effective communication, and constructive feedback while hiring and developing team talents to align with organizational needs.

We offer a mission- and employee-focused work environment and a competitive compensation package, including excellent benefits.

Earthjustice is an equal opportunity employer and highly values diversity.

Salary

Salary is based on experience and location.

Salary range in New Orleans, LA: $ 147,100-$189,400

Earthjustice is driven by a passion for justice, partnership, inclusion 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 specified under applicable laws that is not related to the position.