Legal Strategist in Washington, District of Columbia at Public Citizen

Public Citizen is a national, non-partisan, public interest group with more than 1 million members and supporters. We hold the government and corporations accountable with campaigns and advocacy before Congress, administrative agencies, and the courts, on issues including money in politics, open government, financial regulation, energy and the climate crisis, fair trade, consumer protection, access to justice, tax policy, workplace safety, drug and medical device safety, healthcare, and more. We are the reason why there are airbags in cars and much more.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION

Public Citizen’s Climate Program is looking for a smart, creative, resourceful, diligent, and dogged attorney to help build and manage a team of legal strategists establishing the legal and factual bases for criminal accountability for the fossil fuel industry. This is a new and exciting area, and we are making a big impact.

Public Citizen’s Climate Program is working to open a new front in the fight to hold Big Oil accountable for its role in the climate crisis: criminal prosecution.

Climate-related disasters are damaging property and injuring and killing people in jurisdictions across the United States, and fossil fuel companies have recklessly done more than anyone else to generate these harms while engaging in fraudulent campaigns of denial. Criminal prosecution, though it is too often targeted at the least powerful in our society, could be directed against these powerful corporations to do what the criminal law is supposed to do—keep us safe from dangerous actors that would do us harm.

That’s why we have been working to build the foundation for climate criminal prosecutions. We are seeking a Legal Strategist to help build this new program from the bottom up, with a focus on conceiving, initiating, and managing legal research projects; writing reports, memos, law review articles, and other materials to develop and build the case for various criminal legal theories; and working with, persuading, and supporting local and state prosecutors as they engage with these concepts and strategies.

We are interested in receiving applications both from candidates in earlier parts of their career and from more experienced candidates who would take the role of Senior Legal Strategist.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Develop legal strategies: Develop legal strategies to hold fossil fuel companies accountable for wrongdoing. Conceptualize, develop, and execute research on cutting-edge legal questions in numerous jurisdictions. Develop the factual records to support new legal theories. Write up your work in legal memoranda, law review articles, and other formats.
• Work with state and local prosecutors: Maintain communication with district attorney and attorney general offices. Support these offices in their research priorities.
• Strengthen our legal support network: Develop relationships with attorneys and others at relevant NGOs and law firms. Help continue building our network of supportive legal scholars, practitioners, retired prosecutors, and law students. Participate in events at law schools and other opportunities to promote these ideas in legal forums.
• Media and public education: Conceive and produce written materials in collaboration with team members, including editorial board memos, op-eds, social media content, and blog posts.
• Make things happen: Above all, make a difference. Do the research, write the memo, recruit the partners, hold the meetings, work with the coalitions, speak with the officials, organize the events—do what’s needed to advance this work toward victory.
• Other duties as necessary.

QUALIFICATIONS AND CHARACTERISTICS

• J.D. required. Multiple legal backgrounds could be a good fit for this position, including appellate litigation or other research- and writing-intensive work, or experience as a prosecutor or criminal defense attorney. If you have other relevant qualifications and think you’d be a great candidate for this position, please apply and make your case.
• For Legal Strategist, 2–6 years of experience; for Senior Legal Strategist, 6–15 years of experience.
• Outstanding strategic thinking and oral and written communication abilities.
• High energy, enthusiasm, persistence, and attention to detail. Ability to work independently, balance multiple priorities, and react to new developments under pressure. Creative and collaborative spirit.
• Knowledge of and experience in the climate accountability space is a plus. If new to the space, eagerness and ability to learn quickly are important.
• Strong commitment to the cause and understanding of its urgency.

SALARY AND BENEFITS

• Salary range: $109,492–$159,717, based on experience.
• Public Citizen staff are represented by SEIU Local 500
• Two year grant contingent position
• Generous benefit package, including:
  • Great medical and dental coverage, 100% paid by PC, including full coverage for children
  • Three weeks paid vacation for new employees, plus five personal days
  • 401K plan with a 5% contribution from PC after one year of employment
  • 12 weeks of paid parental leave after one year of employment
  • Sabbatical after 8 years of employment
  • Student loan reimbursement program

TO APPLY: Submit a cover letter, resume, and legal writing sample combined in a single PDF to climateaction@citizen.org. Please include your last name and the position for which you are applying in the subject line of your email and the filename of the attachment. Women, people of color, people who identify as LGBTQ+, and multilingual speakers are encouraged to apply.