Oceans Legal Fellow

Overview

NRDC is a non-profit environmental advocacy organization. We use law, science, and the support of 3.1 million members and online activists to protect the planet's wildlife and wild places and to ensure the rights of all people to clean air, clean water, and healthy communities. NRDC was founded in 1970 and our people helped write some of America's bedrock environmental laws, including the Clean Water Act and many of the implementing regulations. Today, our team of more than 700 lawyers, scientists, economists, policy advocates, communications experts, and others work across the United States and the globe from our offices in Beijing; Chicago; New Delhi; New York; San Francisco; Santa Monica; and Washington, D.C.

NRDC is seeking a Legal Fellow to work with the Oceans team in our New York, Washington, D.C., or San Francisco office for a two-year term.

The position you are applying for is part of the bargaining unit represented by The Washington Baltimore News Guild (WBNG / The Newsguild-CWA Local 32035).  

Responsibilities

The Oceans Legal Fellow will support NRDC’s oceans-related federal litigation and regulatory advocacy, including helping to stop harmful industrial activities in the ocean, prevent rollbacks of marine protected areas and fisheries regulations, protect ocean wildlife, and defend against weakening of ocean conservation laws. The Fellow will join a team of experienced ocean conservation advocates and litigators as well as have the opportunity to collaborate with teams across NRDC, including with experienced attorneys in the NRDC’s Litigation Program and expert communications and campaign staff.

The Oceans Legal Fellow will serve a two-year term and be responsible for the following:

• Support NRDC in litigation, including identification of litigation opportunities, legal research and analysis, and briefing
• Monitor unlawful federal deregulatory actions and other threats to administrative agencies and the civil service
• Participate in regulatory proceedings, including for the purpose of developing prospective litigation
• Conduct research and analysis to advance NRDC’s oceans advocacy
• Draft comment letters, reports, factsheets, blogs and other social media, and other written advocacy tools

Qualifications

Required

• JD within the past three years
• Interest in ocean protection
• Strong legal writing and analytical skills, as well as oral and written communication skills
• Creativity and resourcefulness
• Commitment to NRDC’s mission, values, and DEI principles
• Comfort interpreting scientific and technical concepts
• Capacity to work hard, efficiently, and independently
• Collaborative spirit and ability to work within a team across a diverse set of perspectives
• Excellent inter-personal, relationship-building and networking skills
• Highly organized, resourceful, and able to manage multiple tasks and projects

Preferred

• Demonstrated commitment to oceans protection field
• Degree in environmental sciences or policy field, or environmental policy or environmental sciences training

NRDC is committed to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion, both in our work and in our workplace. We believe that celebrating and actively welcoming diverse voices and perspectives is essential to solving the planet's most pressing environmental problems, and we encourage applications from candidates whose identities have been historically under-represented in the environmental movement.

We are an equal opportunity employer and do not discriminate in hiring or employment on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, marital status, sexual orientation, national origin, citizenship, age, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law. Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

We offer competitive salaries, excellent benefits, and a supportive working environment. Salary is based on a nonprofit scale and is commensurate with skills and experience. Internal equity will be reviewed and considered to determine a final offer. For this position, the salary range is $87,000 to $95,000.

NRDC operates under a hybrid work model. Employees are required to come to the office 8 days per month.

As a science-based organization, NRDC aims to do our part to help contain the COVID-19 public health crisis. For the sake of health, safety, and equity, we ask that people be vaccinated unless they have an approved medical or religious accommodation or other exemption in accordance with state and local law. We consider a person to be vaccinated two weeks after receiving one full course of a CDC-approved vaccine. In accordance with state or local law, new hires will be asked to attest to vaccination, those wishing to do so may request medical or religious accommodations or other exemptions via NRDC Employee Relations. NRDC treats all vaccine-related data confidentially, in keeping with local, state, and federal laws.

To apply, visit www.nrdc.org/careers and upload your résumé, cover letter, and writing sample. Please mention where you saw this posting and upload any additional materials that showcase your abilities. Due to the high volume of applications, we will contact only those candidates we would like to interview. Please no phone calls, emails, or in-person résumé drop-offs.

If you experience technical problems while applying or if you are a person with a disability and need assistance applying online, please reach out to iCIMS Customer Care at 1-800-889-4422.

For more about NRDC, visit www.nrdc.org.