Staff Attorney, Environmental Advocacy Center

About the role

The Environmental Advocacy Center (EAC), within the Bluhm Legal Clinic at the Northwestern Pritzker School of Law, seeks an experienced, collaborative, and mission-driven Staff Attorney.

Responsibilities

• Serve as co-counsel on litigation, regulatory, and policy matters in state and federal courts and before administrative agencies
• Exercise independent professional judgment in developing legal strategy, case theory, and advocacy approaches
• Manage a diverse docket of litigation and policy matters, including client intake and matter screening, from intake through resolution
• Conduct legal research and factual investigation; draft and file pleadings, briefs, and memoranda of law; and participate in court and agency proceedings
• Maintain primary responsibility for client communications, deadlines, case outcomes, and file management
• Oversee policy projects, including developing work plans, conducting research, and engaging with policymakers
• Serve as a primary external representative of the Environmental Advocacy Center to courts, agencies, community organizations, advocacy coalitions, and movement partners
• Cultivate and manage strategic relationships that advance the Center’s litigation and policy goals
• Identify and develop new matters aligned with the Center’s mission and strategic priorities
• Lead and participate in trainings, presentations, and public-facing programming that promote the Center’s work and impact
• Provide substantive supervision and mentorship to student attorneys engaged in direct client representation
• Lead case planning, feedback, and professional identity development for student attorneys
• Collaborate with the EAC Director on docket priorities, case selection, and student supervision models
• Contribute to the instructional mission of the clinic seminar and broader Bluhm Legal Clinic programming
• Contribute to the Center’s docket planning, strategic priorities, fundraising efforts, and programmatic growth
• Support institutional and funder compliance, reporting, and documentation requirements, as applicable
• Aid in developing systems and processes to strengthen case management, student supervision, and operational effectiveness
• Contribute to communications, website content, and visibility efforts for the Center and Clinic

Qualifications

• A J.D. from an ABA-accredited law school
• Three to five years of relevant legal experience
• Significant subject-matter experience in some combination of environmental law, energy law, community lawyering, administrative law, legislation, and complex litigation in federal and Illinois courts
• Demonstrated ability and interest in lawyering across differences and working with community-based client organizations
• Experience or interest in teaching, supervising or mentoring law students or entry-level attorneys
• Active membership in good standing in the Illinois bar or active membership in good standing in at least one state bar and the ability to sit for the Illinois bar within six months

Benefits

• Health, dental, vision, disability, and life insurance
• Paid vacation and holidays
• Paid medical/sick and parental leave
• Tuition benefits for the employee and dependents
• Pre-tax and flex spending accounts for commuting and dependent care
• Generous retirement savings options
• Wellness programs

Pay

Offered salary will be determined by the applicant’s education, experience, knowledge, skills and abilities, as well as internal equity and alignment with market data.

Schedule

This position is based at Northwestern Pritzker School of Law in downtown Chicago, with flexible working arrangements consistent with the academic calendar. Start date is flexible.