Senior Counsel: Appellate Environmental Enforcement (2-year)

Earthjustice; Washington (District of Columbia); Hybrid; USD 171,000 - 212,000; Full time

Job summary

Earthjustice seeks a Special Counsel to join our Enforcement Team to focus on legal issues in citizen suits brought under the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, Endangered Species Act, and other federal environmental statutes. The role involves counseling, research, amicus briefs, and litigation planning.

The two-year term position offers a hybrid in-office schedule across Earthjustice’s offices and opportunities to collaborate with partner organizations on high‑impact environmental litigation and

Qualifications

• J.D. and admitted or willing to seek admission to practice law anywhere.
• At least 7 years of legal experience with substantial experience as lead drafter of appellate briefs.
• Appellate argument experience and a state or federal appellate clerkship are strongly preferred.
• Familiarity with constitutional litigation and an interest in environmental litigation.
• Enforcement experience is not required.

Responsibilities

• Develop processes to track ongoing citizen suit litigation to identify cases of interest.
• Based on that tracking, identify areas of coordination or research for Earthjustice to pursue and carry out that work.
• In collaboration with partner organizations, draft amicus briefs in citizen suit appeals that implicate important or evolving doctrinal arguments.
• Advise trial teams — both internal and external — on case strategy, issue preservation, and record development relevant to appellate review, including potential stay proceedings.
• Provide capacity to serve, when requested, as counsel in appeals of citizen suit cases, including by participating in substantive motions practice briefing in the district court in cases where appellate proceedings are anticipated.
• Work with the Strategic Legal Advocacy Program to deepen their capacity to address constitutional challenges to citizen suits.

Skills

Appellate briefing

Appellate arguments

Trial team collaboration

Education

J.D. degree

Job description

Earthjustice seeks a Special Counsel to join our Enforcement Team to focus on legal issues in citizen suits brought under the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, Endangered Species Act, and other federal environmental statutes. The role involves counseling, research, amicus briefs, and litigation planning.

The two-year term position offers a hybrid in-office schedule across Earthjustice’s offices and opportunities to collaborate with partner organizations on high‑impact environmental litigation and