Associate/Sr. Associate Attorney-Clean Air & Water

About ELPC: The Environmental Law & Policy Center is the Midwest’s leading environmental legal advocacy organization. We drive transformational policy changes with national impacts. We show that environmental progress and economic development can be achieved together by putting sustainability principles into practice. We advance climate solutions effectively by accelerating clean renewable energy alternatives to conventional power plants and advancing clean transportation solutions. We protect the Great Lakes and defend the Midwest’s wild and natural places, and we fight for safe, clean water and healthy clean air for all. We combine effective public interest litigation with strategic policy advocacy, sound science, and economic analysis. ELPC produces strong results for the environment in the courtrooms, boardrooms, and legislative hearing rooms across the pivotal Midwest states and in Washington D.C.

About the Role

The Clean Water/Air Associate Attorney will litigate and advocate to protect safe, clean water and healthy clean air around the Midwest. Matters will include administrative cases to tighten or enforce environmental permits and federal court litigation to require compliance with the Clean Water Act and Clean Air Act. This attorney will also work on ELPC’s wide-ranging efforts to oppose ongoing federal rollbacks of environmental protections. This is a great opportunity for an attorney with a keen interest in protecting public health and the environment from pollution by heavy industry, agriculture (particularly, Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations), and other sources (e.g., data centers).

Reports to: Managing Attorney, Clean Water/Air Program
Location: Chicago, IL with a hybrid work environment that includes required days in the office each week

Responsibilities

• Litigate a range of cases to protect access to clean water and air, including challenges to and enforcement of environmental permits and agency rules
• Conduct factual and legal research to develop and prosecute claims
• Draft pleadings, declarations, motions, and discovery requests
• Coordinate with expert witnesses
• Engage with clients, partner organizations, and impacted communities
• Draft comments on proposed rules from U.S. EPA and other agencies
• Collaborate with communications team to promote program work through engagement with the media and public education
• Contribute to policy initiatives to promote clean air and clean water
• Assist in fundraising
• Mentor junior attorneys, fellows, and/or legal interns as applicable
• Other duties, as assigned

Requirements

• Juris Doctor degree
• 2 - 5 years of relevant legal experience, preferably with an environmental non-profit or advocacy type organization

Skills

• Excellent legal research, writing, oral advocacy, and strategic analysis skills
• Facility with highly complex legal issues that often arise in scientific or technical contexts
• Ability to work independently and collaborate with colleagues
• Commitment to environmental protection
• Knowledge/experience with Clean Air Act and/or Clean Water Act is a strong plus

Schedule

Estimated Travel: 5-10% domestic travel

Pay

For candidates who meet the minimum requirements, the salary range will be $98,940-$120,360.

Benefits

ELPC also offers a very attractive benefits package competitive to leading national environmental non-profits.