[LINK CORRECTION] What is the easiest way for lawyers to combat climate change?
Hint: It's something most lawyers already do EVERY DAY!
[LINK CORRECTION - THE LINK TO OUR NEW JOB BOARD IS NOW BELOW!]
Hi! I’m Matthew Karmel, founder of the planetary lawyer project and Chair of the Environmental and Sustainability Law Group at Offit Kurman. (Any views expressed are my own. Nothing here is legal advice.)
I started my career as an associate with a single pro bono climate client and am now the head of a cutting edge climate-focused practice group at a full-service AMLaw 200 law firm.
I started this newsletter to help you build your own climate-friendly legal career by sharing hard-won lessons from my own career, short interviews with other climate-focused lawyers, legal developments, and relevant job opportunities.
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What is the easiest way for lawyers to combat climate change?
(Besides signing up for this newsletter of course...)
Hint: It's something most lawyers already do EVERY DAY!
. . . . .
"Non-contentious legal processes"
Okay, but what does that mean?
Keep reading for a discussion with Humzah Khan of The Chancery Lane Project, a nonprofit dedicated to tackling climate and nature crises through . . . non-contentious legal processes!
Non-contentious legal processes refer here to incorporating climate concepts into legal contracts.
Don't we all deal with contracts every day?
This approach, largely untapped in the climate context previously, leverages commercial contracts - the architecture that governs the global economy and drives its operations, to impact climate change.
This is one of the easiest ways for lawyers to drive climate goals, and The Chancery Lane Project makes it EASY for lawyers to make a difference by providing educational resources, climate clauses, and so much more.
Click here to read the interview with Humzah!
Insights and Sponsors
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Montana’s Supreme Court debates climate law's constitutionality
Why the next president's judicial appointments will impact climate action
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We will update the job board ever other week at the same time as we send out the newsletter.
We hope this helps with your job search!
Now onto this week’s opportunities.
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Private Practice
Lateral Hub powers this week's private practice opportunities! Lateral Hub is the online lateral job board for where top-tier large, midsize, and boutique law firms publish openings so you can browse and apply directly - it's free to use, no account required.
You can even get SMS job alerts from Lateral Hub tailored to your practice area and location.
Junior Litigation Associate. Clyde & Co. New York City, NY. https://lateralhub.com/job/157-0017. $105,000 - $125,000. 1-3 years of experience required. This practice represents and advises national and international insurers in a broad range of coverage cases across the United States, including a wide range of complex insurance coverage matters, principally involving pollution, environmental, asbestos, talc, and other product liability exposures.
Junior/Mid-Level Associate, Environmental. Proskauer. New York City, NY. https://lateralhub.com/job/146-0003. $215,000-$415,000. 2-4 years of relevant experience. Proskauer is a large law firm that handles the environmental transactional aspects of complex M&A, private equity, financing, capital markets, bankruptcy, and real estate matters.
Associate, Energy Regulatory & Markets Group. Latham & Watkins, Washington DC. https://lateralhub.com/job/143-0033/. Latham is seeking an associate with a minimum of 3 years of federal energy regulatory experience, including experience practicing before FERC with respect to power and/or natural gas. Salary range: $260,000 – 365,000.
Associate, Environmental Litigation. Shartsis Friese. San Francisco, CA. https://lateralhub.com/job/121-0007/. $235,000 - $265,000. 3+ years of relevant experience. Shartsis Friese, a top midsize firm in San Francisco, is seeking a candidate with experience assisting clients in environmental matters involving state and federal environmental laws, including laws regulating hazardous and solid waste, water, air and endangered species, as well as California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) issues.
Associate, Energy/Climate Corporate. Wilson Sonsini. San Francisco, CA. https://lateralhub.com/job/154-0019/ . Wilson Sonsini is seeking two senior level corporate associates (6yr +) with venture capital, private equity, initial public offerings, and mergers & acquisitions experience to work with leading corporate venture groups and institutional investors in furtherance of their corporate venturing and decarbonization strategies. Salary range $390,000 – 435,000.
In-House
Assistant Counsel. New York State Environmental Facilities Corporation (EFC). Albany. https://nysefc.bamboohr.com/careers/54. 1 to 3 years of experience in general corporate matters. The New York State Environmental Facilities Corporation (EFC), a public benefit corporation, aids local governments and other eligible applicants throughout New York State to undertake critical water quality infrastructure projects by providing access to low-cost financing, grants, and expert technical assistance.
Director, Corporate Counsel. Sun Power. Remote. https://jobs.lever.co/sunpower/90ca8ab2-8d5b-4dc4-baf4-716df1e9d7cf. 3-7 years experience in structured and/or project finance, preferably in the renewable energy space.; $169,400 - $305,000 a year. SunPower is changing the way our world is powered every day with a passionate and driven team in North America and the Philippines.
Associate Director, Legal Operations. Ethic. New York, NY. https://www.ethic.com/roles?gh_jid=5971078003. 5+ years of relevant legal and compliance experience in the wealth management industry; Bachelor’s degree is required; JD is not required; The base salary for this role will range from $140,000 - $160,000 per year. Ethic is working towards a future where all investing is sustainable investing.
Senior Counsel Environmental Sustainability. Emerson Electric. Illinois. https://emerson.dejobs.org/rockford-il/senior-counsel-environmental-sustainability/2A16781C21E04505BA4AE0EEDF7EB55B/job/?utm_source=google_jobs_apply&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=google_jobs_apply. 7+ years of relevant work experience; The salary range for this role is $138,524 - $152,000 annually.Emerson Electric manufactures products and provides engineering services for industrial, commercial, and consumer markets.
Legal Director. Scale Microgrids. Ridgewood, NJ. https://jobs.lever.co/ScaleMicrogridSolutions/194f791e-45fe-463f-ae03-babaa67a4b06. 7+ years post-JD transactional experience, or 5+ years of transactional experience from a nationally recognized law firm. We are a fully integrated distributed energy platform focused on designing, implementing, and financing innovative distributed clean energy solutions. **We know this company and may be able to provide an introduction. Reply to discuss!
Sr. Counsel, Environmental Health & Safety. Tesla. Fremont, California. https://www.tesla.com/careers/search/job/sr-counsel-environmental-health-safety-222324. At least 10 years of work experience primarily related to environmental and workplace safety and health issues in the manufacturing, construction, or energy industry. In-house counsel experience preferred.Expected Compensation: $172,000 - $431,640/annual salary + cash and stock awards + benefits. Tesla aims to solve the next generation of engineering, manufacturing and operational challenges as we work to secure a clean energy future.
Director, Legal Counsel - Products, Technology and Privacy. Hybrid, Richmond, CA. https://jobs.lever.co/sunpower/2e7e9c1d-568a-4be9-960c-02db78bea7b7. 12+ years of experience at a leading law-firm (or government agency) and in-house legal department; $184,800 - $277,200 a year. SunPower is changing the way our world is powered every day with a passionate and driven team in North America and the Philippines.
Managing Counsel, Energy Products. Tesla. Austin. https://www.tesla.com/careers/search/job/managing-counsel-energy-products-223231. A minimum of 12 years’ practice experience at a well-regarded law firm, with in-house experience at a company in the energy industry strongly preferred.Tesla aims to solve the next generation of engineering, manufacturing and operational challenges as we work to secure a clean energy future.
Director of Compliance. Elemental Excelerator. Anywhere USA. https://boards.greenhouse.io/elementalexcelerator/jobs/5205170004. Substantial experience in managing/ navigating regulatory compliance areas; The salary range for this role is $106,400-191,000. Elemental Excelerator is a nonprofit investor dedicated to scaling climate solutions for deep community impact.
Director of Federal Policy and Partnerships. Elemental Excelerator. DC, Maryland, and Virginia. https://boards.greenhouse.io/elementalexcelerator/jobs/5189320004. Deep experience convening partnership efforts and working in the federal policy ecosystem, especially in the congressional and federal agency arena; The salary range for this role is $106,400 - $191,000. Elemental Excelerator is a nonprofit investor dedicated to scaling climate solutions for deep community impact.
Government and Non-Profit
Legal Assistant. U.S. Department of Energy - Office of Science. Lemont, IL. https://www.usajobs.gov/job/798717000. $54,728 - $78,789. No minimum requirements are listed. As a Legal Assistant, you will be responsible for administrative and legal assistant duties, including editorial analysis, composition, and preparation of a variety of documents for the General Law attorneys, as well as maintenance of database information and reports for the Office of Chief Counsel, primarily the General Law Division.
General Attorney. U.S. Department of Energy. Washington, D.C. (Remote). https://www.usajobs.gov/job/796982300. $82,764 - $181,216. 0-3 years of relevant post-graduate experience. This position is in the Office of the Assistant General Counsel for Legislation, Regulation, and Energy Efficiency which is responsible for overseeing the Department of Energy's (DOE) legislative and regulatory programs, and legal matters related to energy efficiency and renewable energy.
Associate Attorney, Rocky Mountain Office. Earthjustice. Denver, CO. https://earthjustice.org/job/associate-attorney-rocky-mountain-office. $100,800 - $118,700. 1-5 years of relevant experience. The Associate Attorney position is a three-year position with the possibility of an additional three years as a Senior Associate Attorney. Earthjustice’s Associate Attorney program is designed to help attorneys who are in the early stages of their careers develop into thoughtful, professional, and effective advocates skilled in the various phases of public interest litigation and administrative advocacy.
Associate Counsel. Department of Environmental Conservation - New York State Department of Civil Service. Albany, NY. https://statejobs.ny.gov/public/vacancyDetailsView.cfm?id=162606. $123,793 - $156,224. 5+ years of relevant experience. The Office of the General Counsel at the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation is seeking an experienced attorney for the Bureau Chief for Minerals, Materials Management, and Environmental Permitting in Albany, New York.
Staff Attorney (Administrative/Environmental Law). EarthRights International. Washington, D.C. https://earthrightsinternational.bamboohr.com/careers/31. $120,000 - $130,000. 5-10 years of relevant experience. Under the leadership of the U.S. Legal Director and the Supervision of the Senior Corporate Accountability Attorney, the Administrative Law Attorney / Senior Administrative Law Attorney will develop and implement EarthRights legal strategies on climate change and its impacts on U.S. communities, especially with respect to methane emissions.
To see a listing of all other active jobs, please check out our job board here.
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