Eugene, Oregon, United States · On-site
$70k–$85k/yr
Job Opening Announcement: Wildlands and Wildlife Program Staff Attorney Reports to: Wildlands and Wildlife Program Director Location: Portland, Oregon strongly preferred. Other WELC office locations may be considered for…
Skills: Environmental Law, Litigation, Legal Research, Legal Writing, Oral Advocacy
Eugene, Oregon, United States • On-site
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The Staff Attorney will lead strategic legal advocacy to protect public lands, waters, wildlife, and communities in the western U.S. This includes engaging in litigation, administrative actions, and federal or state-level policymaking and rulemaking.
Candidates must hold a law degree and be admitted to the Oregon state bar or be able to obtain membership. A minimum of two years of relevant attorney experience and a commitment to environmental justice and equity are required.
Job Opening Announcement: Wildlands and Wildlife Program Staff Attorney
Reports to: Wildlands and Wildlife Program Director
Location: Portland, Oregon strongly preferred. Other WELC office locations may be considered for an exceptional candidate in the right situation.
Timeline: Job opening posted July 9, 2026; we will review applications and interview candidates on a rolling basis and encourage early applications. The position is open until filled.
The Western Environmental Law Center is a leading nonprofit, public-interest environmental law firm rooted in the landscapes and communities of the western U.S. Founded in 1993, WELC has been celebrated as an Outside Magazine Best Place to Work for the final six years of the contest (it ended in 2024), Oregon Business Magazine Best Nonprofit, Law360 Environmental Group of the Year, and Better Business Bureau Torch Award winner for ethics.
We envision a thriving western U.S., abundant with protected and interconnected ecosystems, powered by renewable energy, and cared for by communities brought together in an ecology of kinship. We embrace a collaborative, team-based approach to foster the trust, belonging, and dignity essential to a healthy organization and to relationship-based advocacy that builds power for transformative change.
We seek to retain a Staff Attorney (2+ years of experience) to join our team. We strongly encourage people of color, persons with disabilities, women, LGBTQ+ applicants, and people of diverse lived experience to apply.
The Wildlands & Wildlife Program Staff Attorney is an exempt, full-time position. The central focus of this position is strategic legal advocacy centered on public lands, waters, wildlife, and communities in the western U.S. The position's responsibilities will be allocated among the following core areas:
Given the dynamic moment in which we find ourselves, this litigation position's focus and time allocations will necessarily evolve in response to changing political, scientific, social, and economic circumstances and opportunities consistent with specific organizational strategies. Further, the position may be somewhat flexible to accommodate a successful candidate's distinctive skills, experiences, and interests to further and complement WELC's strategic Wildlands and Wildlife focus. WELC's organizational and strategic direction is not "top down," but is informed precisely by the individual qualities of its staff. Moreover, the location of the successful candidate will play a role in their precise docket of work.
Accordingly, over time, the Staff Attorney will be encouraged and supported to identify and advance opportunities to shape WELC's organizational and strategic direction, to share perspectives, and to become a trusted and respected leader in their field and within their scope of work. The Staff Attorney will support and coordinate with WELC leadership, development, communications, and finance staff, as well as represent WELC in public and private settings. The Staff Attorney will also participate in retreats, trainings, and other organizational events.
To fulfill this position's responsibilities, the Staff Attorney may provide a full range of legal services on behalf of WELC, including primarily litigation, but also policy advocacy, and administrative action. To excel in these efforts, the Staff Attorney will stay apprised of relevant law, policy, social, and other developments. The Staff Attorney will work collaboratively with staff across the organization, as well as with partner organizations and clients.
The Staff Attorney is a normal 40-hour week position based out of WELC'S Portland office or, potentially for an exceptional candidate, another of WELC's offices, primarily working during Monday to Friday business hours, though some night and weekend hours may be required at times, depending on organizational and advocacy needs. Limited travel is required, averaging a total of 2-3 weeks per year, including some overnight and weekend travel. The position also involves standard office physical demands. WELC will provide all reasonable accommodations to the extent possible or required pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act.
We are keenly interested in considering a range of applicants with diverse lived experiences who approach the world with kindness, empathy, imagination, and vision. We will happily consider applicants who offer an equivalent or alternative set of qualifications to fulfill this position's responsibilities, apart from the first two qualifications set forth below, which are mandatory.
Western Environmental Law Center is an equal opportunity employer. We offer a flexible, friendly, team-based environment with immediate opportunities to shape organizational strategies, and competitive, transparent, and equity-based salaries as follows:
Please submit the following as a pdf attachment:
Cover letters should communicate applicants' commitment to WELC's mission and advocacy and their motivation to work in this position and in public interest environmental law generally. In your cover letter, please do not repeat information apparent from a review of your resume. Instead, applicants are very strongly encouraged to tell us who they are as human beings, why they care about this work, and why they want to work for WELC specifically.
For more information about WELC, please visit www.westernlaw.org
We defend the West.
We use the power of the law to foster thriving, resilient western U.S. lands, waters, wildlife, and communities in the face of a changing climate.
Offices: 120 Shelton McMurphey Blvd., Suite 340, Eugene, OR 97401, US · 208 Paseo del Pueblo Sur, #602, Taos, NM 87571, US · 103 Reeder’s Alley, Helena, Montana 59601, US
We defend the West.
We use the power of the law to foster thriving, resilient western U.S. lands, waters, wildlife, and communities in the face of a changing climate.
Offices: 120 Shelton McMurphey Blvd., Suite 340, Eugene, OR 97401, US · 208 Paseo del Pueblo Sur, #602, Taos, NM 87571, US · 103 Reeder’s Alley, Helena, Montana 59601, US