Deputy General Counsel

Min 15 yrs required

Full-time

No

Deputy General Counsel: Providing Legal Expertise to Protect the Environment

Earthjustice is a nonprofit environmental law organization that takes on the biggest and most precedent-setting cases across the country. Our mission is to use the power of law and partnership to protect people's health, preserve natural places and wildlife, promote clean energy, and combat climate change. We partner with thousands of groups, supporters, and communities to address critical environmental issues and bring about positive change.

Founded in 1971, Earthjustice has a proven track record of achieving significant and lasting environmental protections. We are able to do this by hiring individuals who share our passion for justice and a healthy environment. Our headquarters are located in San Francisco, with offices in other cities such as Los Angeles, New York, Seattle, and Washington, .

As the Deputy General Counsel, you will serve as the lead legal advisor to all environmental program leaders and partner with the General Counsel and other attorneys on business and data security issues. You will also manage a team of attorneys and be responsible for your own legal portfolio, utilizing your expertise and external network of experts to support your work. Your tasks will include managing the legal operations of our public interest law firm, conducting legal research, ensuring ethical compliance, and developing mechanisms for compliance in various areas. You will also play a key role in elevating professionalism within the organization.

Responsibilities:

Program Legal Advice:

- Partner with other leaders to ensure compliance with lobbying registration and reporting in all states and local jurisdictions.
- Provide guidance and advice to regional offices on lobbying compliance.
- Act as the primary legal advisor on ethics and conflicts issues.
- Conduct legal research, interpret laws and regulations, and apply them to Earthjustice's work.
- Serve as the lead legal advisor on projects to improve onboarding of new program lawyers.
- Identify topics for legal compliance training for all lawyers, including ethics, lobbying, and other areas.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

- Directly supervise the Senior Counsel for Conflicts and Lobbying Compliance, who provides advice and training to program staff on lobbying and ethics issues.
- Contribute to recruiting, hiring, developing, and retaining a diverse and inclusive workforce.

Contracts and Risk Management:

- Review and draft contracts as needed.
- Update contract templates.
- Consult with external and internal experts.
- Select and supervise outside counsel and serve as the client representative for Earthjustice.
- Assist the General Counsel with identifying and mitigating organizational risks.

Qualifications:

- . and admission to the state bar in good standing.
- Minimum of 15 years of successful experience practicing law.
- Experience with cost-effective management of outside legal resources.
- Experience drafting and revising contracts.
- Knowledge of law firm best practices.
- Expertise in legal technology.
- Extensive knowledge of best practices in litigation discovery.
- Experience in analyzing and addressing legal ethics matters.

Preferred Qualifications:

- Experience in a litigation-based practice.
- Familiarity with legal technology used in law firms.
- Knowledge of nonprofit corporate law in California.
- Experience contributing to training and organizational learning.
- Familiarity with organizational risk assessment and management.
- Understanding of federal tax law as it applies to nonprofit organizations.
- Experience working in the nonprofit sector.
- International legal experience.

Salary and Benefits:

We offer a competitive salary and comprehensive benefits package. Our work environment is congenial and our dress code is casual.

The annual salary range for this role is:

- $208,000 to $231,000 for San Francisco or New York-based candidates.
- $197,000 to $219,000 for Washington, ., Chicago, Seattle, Los Angeles, San Diego, and Honolulu-based candidates.

Earthjustice is committed to promoting diversity and inclusivity in our workforce. We value a broad range of perspectives and backgrounds and strive to maintain an inclusive environment where all staff are valued and respected. As an equal opportunity employer, we do not discriminate based on race, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, age, religion, physical or mental disability, medical condition, veteran status, marital status, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, or any other factor unrelated to the position.

How to Apply:

Interested and qualified attorneys should submit their letter of interest and resume to the following search consultants:

Steve John, Partner, John and Snyder, LLC, ,

Jason Snyder, Partner, John and Snyder, LLC, ,

Please note that all inquiries and applications sent directly to Earthjustice will be redirected to John and Snyder, LLC for review, which may cause delays in evaluation and response.

Thank you for your interest in the Deputy General Counsel role at Earthjustice. We look forward to reviewing your application.

Not specified

Comprehensive and competitive benefits package, congenial work environment, casual dress code

Not specified

Legal research, law practice management, lobbying compliance, ethics compliance, conflict resolution, legal technology, law firm best practices, litigation discovery, training and development, risk assessment, contract drafting, project management, database management, Microsoft Office proficiency, excellent communication

J.D.

Interested and qualified attorneys should submit an electronic copy of their letter of interest and resume to the designated search consultants. All inquiries and applications sent directly to Earthjustice will be redirected to the search consultants.

Qualification and Experience J.D. degree, admission to state bar, minimum of 15 years practicing law, experience with cost-effective management of outside legal resources, experience drafting and revising contracts, experience leading projects in a law firm or legal department context, solid knowledge of law firm best practices, solid level knowledge of legal technology, expert level of knowledge about best litigation discovery practices, experience in analyzing and addressing legal ethics matters

Legal