Senior Attorney, Public Lands, Wildlife, and Oceans

Earthjustice seeks a Senior Attorney to advance our organization’s legal work to protect public lands, wildlife, and oceans. 

Earthjustice is the nation’s leading environmental law organization. Wielding the power of law, Earthjustice partners with our clients to take on the most critical fights of our time—fights to protect the incredible biodiversity and wild places of the planet; to avert climate disaster by transitioning society away from fossil fuels toward clean energy; to safeguard the right of all people to a healthy environment. We are here because the earth needs a good lawyer.
 
Founded in 1971, Earthjustice has a distinguished track record of achieving significant, lasting environmental protections. We achieve this by hiring people who share a passion for justice and a healthy environment. Our headquarters are in San Francisco with offices in Anchorage, Bozeman, Chicago, Denver, Honolulu, Houston, Juneau, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, Seattle, Tallahassee, and Washington, D.C.

We seek an experienced attorney to help advance our portfolio of litigation aimed at protecting public lands, wildlife, and oceans. The attorney will be a member of our Biodiversity Defense Program, which works to protect wildlife species and their habitat and to challenge the biggest drivers of biodiversity loss, including habitat destruction. The program focuses on defending against looming threats to some of America’s foundational protections for wildlife and their habitats, including federal rules safeguarding roadless areas of our national forests, protecting imperiled species from harm in the form of habitat destruction, and ensuring the maximum possible protection for our nation’s streams and wetlands. The attorney will also have a wider remit that encompasses the full range of Earthjustice’s work to protect the natural world and may work with members of our Oceans team as well as with regional office staff in places like Alaska and the Rocky Mountain states to address issues such as overfishing, oil and gas development on public lands and waters, and forest protection. 

This position could be based in any of Earthjustice’s existing offices, and a remote work location may be considered in appropriate circumstances. It is available to start immediately.

Responsibilities

• Develop and lead litigation in federal and state courts to advance Earthjustice’s mission.
• Conduct administrative advocacy before federal agencies and state and local governments.
• Develop and execute other types of advocacy campaigns in collaboration with other Earthjustice attorneys as well as Earthjustice lobbyists and communications staff.
• Collaborate with co-counsel in other organizations and oversee the work of outside experts.
• Organize and coordinate with client coalitions to ensure effective legal representation and advance advocacy objectives.
• Join other Earthjustice staff in planning and strategy development as appropriate.
• Train and mentor colleagues and provide supportive and constructive feedback.
• Help create a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace, and work with colleagues, clients, and partners in a manner consistent with those efforts.

Qualifications

• Juris Doctorate (JD) degree from an ABA accredited law school.
• Active bar membership in working location.
• 6+ years of litigation experience preferred.
• Excellent legal research, writing, and oral advocacy skills.
• Initiative, judgment, a collegial work style and a strong work ethic.
• Ability and willingness to travel for case work and internal meetings.

Preferred

• Experience representing NGO, tribal, and frontline community clients.
• Expertise in relevant areas of law consistent with the portfolios outlined in the position summary.

Salaries at Earthjustice are determined by experience level and location. 

San Francisco and New York City: $173,100-$222,800 
Seattle, Honolulu, Washington, D.C., Chicago, Los Angeles: $164,400-$211,700
Anchorage, Juneau, Denver, Philadelphia: $155,800-$200,500
Houston, Tallahassee, Miami, Bozeman: $147,100-$189,400
Remote (remote salary depends on years of experience and remote location): $147,100-$222,800 

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. As a 501(c)(3) organization, Earthjustice is a qualifying employer for purposes of the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program.

For litigators and advocates committed to saving the planet and the people who depend on it, being a Senior Attorney at Earthjustice is the best job on the planet. Learn more about our Senior Attorney careers and work online here: https://earthjustice.org/about/jobs/senior-attorney 

Interested candidates should submit:

• Resume.
• Cover letter that addresses (1) your relevant experience working on public lands, wildlife, and or oceans issues, and (2) your strategic vision for defending these resources and values.
• Writing sample, preferably a legal brief or memorandum that reflects your own work.

Preference will be given to candidates who apply by July 27, 2026. After that, applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled.

Please reach out to [email protected] if you are having technical difficulties submitting your application. No phone calls, drop-ins, or hard copies. 

Earthjustice is 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 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 provided with 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 that is not related to the position.

For positions located within the City and County of San Francisco: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

For positions located within the City of Los Angeles: We will consider qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with the Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring.