Senior Attorney, Public Lands, Wildlife, and Oceans

Overview

A leading environmental law organization is seeking a Senior Attorney to advance legal efforts focused on protecting public lands, wildlife, and oceans. This role is part of a Biodiversity Defense Program dedicated to defending wildlife species and their habitats, challenging major drivers of biodiversity loss such as habitat destruction, and safeguarding foundational protections including federal rules for national forests, imperiled species, streams, and wetlands. The attorney may also collaborate with teams addressing issues like overfishing, oil and gas development on public lands and waters, and forest protection.

This position can be based in any existing office location or potentially remote under appropriate circumstances. Immediate start is available.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop litigation in federal and state courts to support environmental protection goals.
• Conduct administrative advocacy before federal agencies and state/local governments.
• Collaborate with attorneys, lobbyists, and communications staff to develop and execute advocacy campaigns.
• Work with co-counsel from other organizations and oversee outside experts.
• Organize and coordinate with client coalitions to ensure effective legal representation and advocacy.
• Participate in planning and strategy development with staff.
• Train and mentor colleagues, providing constructive feedback.
• Contribute to creating a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace and engage with colleagues, clients, and partners accordingly.

Qualifications

• Juris Doctorate (JD) from an ABA-accredited law school.
• Active bar membership in the working location.
• Preferably 6+ years of litigation experience.
• Strong legal research, writing, and oral advocacy skills.
• Demonstrated initiative, sound judgment, collegial work style, and strong work ethic.
• Willingness and ability to travel for case work and internal meetings.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience representing NGOs, tribal entities, and frontline community clients.
• Expertise in legal areas relevant to public lands, wildlife, and ocean protection.

Compensation & Benefits

Salaries are determined by experience and location:

• San Francisco and New York City: $173,100 - $222,800
• Seattle, Honolulu, Washington, D.C., Chicago, Los Angeles: $164,400 - $211,700
• Anchorage, Juneau, Denver, Philadelphia: $155,800 - $200,500
• Houston, Tallahassee, Miami, Bozeman: $147,100 - $189,400
• Remote: $147,100 - $222,800 (dependent on experience and location)

The organization offers a mission-driven work environment with competitive compensation and excellent benefits. It is a qualifying employer for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program.

Application Instructions

Candidates should submit:

• Resume
• Cover letter addressing:
  1. Relevant experience with public lands, wildlife, and/or oceans issues
  2. Strategic vision for defending these resources
• Writing sample, preferably a legal brief or memorandum reflecting the candidate's own work

Preference will be given to applications received by July 27, 2026. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis thereafter until the position is filled.

Location

This position may be based in any of the organization's offices across the United States or potentially remote, depending on circumstances.

Equal Opportunity Statement

The employer is committed to equal employment opportunities without regard to race, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, age, religion, physical or mental disability, medical condition, veteran status, marital status, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, or any other non-job-related factor.

For positions in San Francisco and Los Angeles, qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records or criminal histories will be considered in accordance with local fair chance hiring ordinances.