Associate / Staff Attorney

Job Title: Associate or Staff Attorney

Department: Environmental Law Program

Location: Washington, D.C.

This position requires an ability to travel. 

Reports To: Managing Attorney

Term: 2-year position

Context:  At the Sierra Club, we believe in the power of interdependence. Together, we remain committed to the fight for a healthy climate built on a foundation of environmental, racial, economic, and gender justice – a future where all people benefit from a healthy, thriving planet and a direct connection to nature. As the climate crisis and deeply entrenched systemic racism all fuel injustice, we will continue to fight for a bold, transformational agenda that recognizes the interconnectedness between our planet, our humanity, and our future. By recognizing that our destinies are tied, we continue to name that all things are fundamentally connected, and the overlap between ecology, race, gender, and representative government will move to either advance our collective humanity or to oppress it. Sierra Club has close to 800 staff across the country and a network of 64 local chapters that are led and fueled by thousands of volunteers. We are also proud to be a unionized employer, with three labor unions representing more than half of our employees.

Scope: Sierra Club is seeking an associate or staff attorney to join its national legal team as a litigator for Sierra Club’s Environmental Law Program. Appointment will be made at the level commensurate with an individual’s level of experience. Under the supervision of a managing or senior attorney, the associate or staff attorney would serve as a legal resource for Sierra Club campaigns; litigate environmental and energy cases with a focus on administrative dockets to decarbonize the electric sector; help design and implement legal and advocacy strategies; and coordinate with campaign staff, coalition partners, and outside counsel.

Please remove your schools from your resume. You may leave your degree (e.g., “B.A. Philosophy”), but please remove any undergraduate and graduate school names including from your work experience section. 

This anonymous process is aimed at opening this opportunity to more candidates, reviewing applicants on performance assessments, and mitigating bias in the decision making process.

Lastly, we are intentionally not asking for a cover letter, so please do not send one in with your application.

The Sierra Club provides equal employment and advancement opportunities to all staff members. Employment decisions are based on merit, qualifications, lived experience and skills. The Sierra Club does not discriminate in employment opportunities or practices on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, immigration status, socioeconomic status, ancestry, age, size, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, familial status, veteran status, disability, AIDS/HIV status, medical condition, prior conviction, arrest history, traits historically associated with race, including, but not limited to, hair texture and protective hairstyles, or any other characteristic protected by law.

The Sierra Club values applicants who are people that identify as Black, Indigenous, and other minoritized groups; women; queer, transgender, gender non-conforming, and gender fluid people.