Job o’ the Day: Litigation Attorney with the Natural Resources Defense Council in Chicago
Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) is a nonprofit environmental organization that uses science and the law to protect the environment and public health. Since 1970, NRDC has engaged in litigation, lobbying, scientific research and public education on air, water, public health, climate change, energy, public lands, wildlife protection, smart growth, international, urban, environmental justice, and nuclear issues. NRDC also employs more than 430 lawyers, scientists, economists, policy and communication experts in their offices in New York; Washington, DC; Chicago; San Francisco; Santa Monica, Calif.; Livingston, Montana; and Beijing, China.
The Chicago office is currently looking for a Litigation Attorney:
We seek an Attorney to investigate and litigate complex, innovative cases to protect public health and the environment, on behalf of and in collaboration with both NRDC and outside clients. The Attorney will be a member of the new Chicago branch of NRDC’s Litigation Team; the Team consists of approximately a dozen full-time litigators and four legal assistants who work out of NRDC’s New York, Washington, DC, San Francisco, and Chicago offices. The position is for a two-year commitment with an opportunity for permanent employment. The position will be open in early May, but the exact start date is negotiable.
The Attorney will litigate civil cases in collaboration with other NRDC Litigation Team lawyers and client representatives. Over time, the Attorney’s docket will likely include work in federal and state courts; it may also include work before state or federal administrative tribunals that handle evidentiary proceedings. The Attorney will be expected to serve as lead counsel for administrative record-review cases, under the supervision of a more senior Team attorney. The Attorney will also (depending on experience level and Team needs) either lead or support litigation of evidentiary cases that involve discovery, work with scientific experts, and trial preparation. In addition to supporting active cases, the Attorney will work with NRDC policy specialists and outside clients to develop new cases to help protect public health and the environment.
Although the Attorney will focus their time on developing and litigating cases, s/he will also be expected to assume some institutional responsibilities. Over time, these may include planning and leading in-house legal trainings; counseling NRDC staff on legal issues; hiring, supervising, and mentoring legal interns and fellows; serving on institutional committees; and representing NRDC at local fundraising, legal academic, and bar events.
For more information on qualifications and application instructions, view the full job listing at PSJD.org (log-in required).