Staff Attorney

HIRING ANNOUNCEMENT – STAFF ATTORNEY

February 1, 2025

Opportunity

Advocates for the West seeks a Staff Attorney with 1 to 10 years of legal experience and a passion for the environment to join our talented team working to protect the American West through strategic litigation and legal advocacy.

About Advocates for the West

Advocates for the West is a non-profit public interest environmental law firm headquartered in Boise, Idaho, with offices and staff in Oregon, Montana, and Colorado. Founded in 2003, we provide free legal counseling and representation to a wide array of conservation groups, Native American Tribes, and individuals, primarily in federal court litigation.

We work in eleven western states, handling dozens of cases each year with an overall 85% success rate. Our current docket is focused on fighting public lands oil and gas leasing; protecting sage-grouse habitat throughout the Interior West; saving the Pacific Northwest’s salmon, steelhead, and other imperiled fish; defending special places stretching from the coast of California to the Rocky Mountains in Colorado and national forests in northern Washington to the borderlands of Arizona; and protecting communities from mining and pollution.

Learn more about our work and organization at www.advocateswest.org.

Position Description

The Staff Attorney will initially support our existing cases challenging oil and gas and other industrial developments that threaten special places in the American West and signature species we have long defended, including the greater sage-grouse, salmon, and steelhead.

Over the longer term, the Staff Attorney will be expected to develop a portfolio of new cases in conjunction with our legal team and key clients/partners.

Position Responsibilities

Legal (90%)

• Support successful prosecution of public interest environmental litigation, including litigation tasks ranging from research, drafting pleadings and briefs, and presenting oral arguments.
• Participate in development of new cases, fostering client relationships, and setting legal strategies.
• Perform other associated tasks such as Freedom of Information Act requests, administrative appeals, counseling clients, and working with scientific experts.

Development, Outreach, and Communications (5%)

• Provide case updates and written content for fundraising and communication efforts.
• Participate in events, donor cultivation, public presentations, and media outreach.

Other (5%)

• Attend staff meetings, retreats, and trainings, and participate on committees.
• Perform other required administrative tasks.

Desired Qualifications and Skills

Advocates for the West seeks a Staff Attorney with broad knowledge of federal environmental laws and federal court procedures, and from 1 to 10 years of relevant legal experience post-law school. Experience as a judicial clerk is highly desired.

The attorney must have a J.D. and be (or become) admitted to a relevant state bar(s). Applicants should be comfortable working independently and as part of a team, and have excellent litigation skills, including legal research, writing, and oral advocacy skills. Applicants with demonstrated commitment to environmental protection are preferred.

Advocates for the West is committed to promoting diversity, equity, inclusion and justice both in the workplace and in our relationships with clients and partners in the communities we serve. We encourage people from underrepresented backgrounds to apply. Advocates for the West is committed to providing equal employment opportunities without regard to race, ethnicity, national origin, age, gender identity, sex, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, marital status, pregnancy, medical condition, veteran status, region, and socioeconomic background.

Location

The position is preferably based in our Boise, ID, office, and we will consider remote work options.

Compensation

Advocates for the West offers a competitive compensation package and flexible work environment. The salary range for this full-time position is $90,000 to $135,000, depending on experience. We also offer discretionary annual bonus and employer retirement plan contributions. Benefits include medical, vision, and dental insurance, disability insurance, pre-tax medical savings plan, and generous vacation and leave policies, plus a sabbatical program after seven years’ employment. All Advocates for the West employees have access to professional development opportunities relevant to their position and career goals.

To Apply

Please submit a cover letter, resume, recent writing sample, and three references through our application portal: Application Form. Please contact Alexa Ochsner, aochsner@advocateswest.org, if you need assistance. Preference will be given to candidates who apply by February 28, 2025. After that, applications may be reviewed on a rolling basis as needed.