Two-Year Project Attorney, Healthy States Project

Project Attorney - Healthy States Project

Earthjustice is seeking a two-year Project Attorney to join our Healthy States project. This role is ideal for a candidate with at least seven years of litigation or a combination of litigation and legal policy experience. The Project Attorney will collaborate with the Healthy Communities team and staff across Earthjustice's regional offices to identify and develop innovative litigation, legal advocacy, and regulatory strategies utilizing state and local laws in select jurisdictions. The primary objective is to advance state and local strategies aimed at enhancing protections against toxic exposure and ensuring polluters are held accountable.

About Earthjustice

Earthjustice is the premier environmental law organization in the nation. We leverage the power of law to partner with clients in addressing the most pressing environmental challenges of our time. Our work focuses on protecting the planet's biodiversity and wild spaces, averting climate disaster by transitioning to clean energy, and ensuring everyone's right to a healthy environment. Founded in 1971, Earthjustice has a proven history of securing significant and lasting environmental protections. We are driven by a shared passion for justice and a healthy environment, and we seek individuals who embody these values. Our headquarters are in San Francisco, with additional offices in Anchorage, Bozeman, Chicago, Denver, Honolulu, Houston, Juneau, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, Seattle, Tallahassee, and Washington, D.C. Our core values of justice, inclusion, partnership, and excellence guide us in seeking diverse perspectives to achieve our mission and foster an inclusive workplace where all staff are valued and respected.

Healthy Communities Team

Earthjustice's Healthy Communities team employs legal and policy strategies to mitigate or eliminate exposures that negatively impact public health and well-being. We operate within a broader progressive and social justice framework, ensuring our advocacy supports this movement and is informed by the experiences of those most affected by pollution and health burdens. We foster close collaborations with community and frontline groups, national and regional environmental justice advocates, civil rights organizations, tribes, worker and farmworker groups, and disability advocates.

Responsibilities

• Conduct comprehensive legal research across various fields, including environmental law.
• Identify and devise novel legal advocacy approaches.
• Support litigation in state courts to further Earthjustice's mission.
• Perform administrative analysis and advocate before state and local government bodies.
• Develop and implement toxics-focused advocacy campaigns in conjunction with Earthjustice attorneys, lobbyists, and communications staff.
• Collaborate with co-counsel from other organizations and manage external expert work.
• Partner with Earthjustice staff on communications initiatives, including drafting reports and blog posts.
• Assist Earthjustice staff in informing fundraising efforts.
• Participate in planning and strategy development sessions with Earthjustice staff as needed.
• Contribute to fostering a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace, engaging with colleagues, clients, and partners in alignment with these principles.

Qualifications

• Juris Doctor (JD) degree.
• Active membership in the bar of the relevant working location.
• Minimum of 7 years of litigation experience, or a combination of litigation and legal policy work.
• Demonstrated ability and willingness to learn new areas of law.
• Exceptional legal research, writing, and oral advocacy skills.
• Possess initiative, sound judgment, a collegial work style, and a strong work ethic.
• Ability and willingness to travel for case work and internal meetings.
• Strong preference for candidates with experience using legal frameworks to advance social and/or environmental justice.

Compensation and Work Arrangement

Earthjustice offers a competitive salary and excellent, comprehensive benefits, along with a casual and congenial work environment. As a 501(c)(3) organization, Earthjustice is a qualifying employer for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program. This is a full-time role (37.5 hours/week) with a two-year term, starting in summer 2026. The successful candidate can work remotely from the U.S. or on a hybrid schedule from our Chicago, New York City, or Washington, D.C. offices, and must be willing to travel as required.

Salaries are determined by experience level and location:

• New York: $175,500 - $217,100
• Washington, D.C. & Chicago, IL: $166,700 - $206,200
• Remote (US): $149,200 - $217,100

To Apply

Interested candidates should submit the following materials via Jobvite:

• Resume.
• Cover letter detailing: (i) reasons for interest in Earthjustice, (ii) preferred work location and arrangement flexibility, (iii) strengths, expertise, and interest in toxic exposure advocacy, and (iv) experience developing novel legal strategies.
• Two writing samples showcasing legal or policy analysis (primarily your own work), with at least one being a legal brief or motion, not exceeding 12 pages each. Include a cover note detailing the extent of external editing.

Our preferred application deadline is July 5, 2026. Applications received after this date may be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled. Incomplete applications will not be considered. For technical difficulties, please contact [email protected] No phone calls, drop-ins, or hard copies.

Equal Opportunity Employer Statement

Earthjustice is committed to fostering a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace. We are an equal opportunity employer dedicated to providing employment opportunities without regard to race, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, age, religion, disability, medical condition, veteran status, marital status, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, or any other protected characteristic unrelated to the position.

Key skills/competency

• Environmental Law
• Litigation
• Legal Policy
• Advocacy
• Regulatory Strategy
• Research Writing
• State Courts
• Toxic Exposure
• Social Justice
• Environmental Justice