Week of 3/25 - You do not need a sustainability certification to be a sustainability lawyer

You do not need a sustainability certification to be a sustainability lawyer.

Do not listen to anyone who says you need a sustainability certification or degree to build a legal career focused on sustainability.

Okay, maybe that is a little harsh, but I do not have a certification or degree in sustainability.

What do I have?

Skills

Knowledge

Network

Credibility

Some of these things can be developed through a certification or degree program, but you do not need the program.

You need what the program provides, and you can get those things from other places too.

I have skills that I can use to help companies interested in sustainability. For instance, I have experience drafting contracts, reviewing regulations, and communicating complicated concepts clearly. I have honed these skills over the course of my career. (Law school too but that doesn’t count.)

I have knowledge about certain industries and sustainability concepts, but I developed those through osmosis and proximity by getting involved in industry groups and reading and following key sustainability developments and topics.

I have a strong network in the sustainability field, again built through industry groups and LinkedIn.

I have credibility because of my position at Offit Kurman, my speaking and writing, my awards and recognitions, and my board positions. In fact, I just recently joined the board of the Mid-Atlantic Solar & Storage Industries Association, and a client in the industry said: “Oh good, now it will be easier for me to send you more work.” You still need to have the skills and knowledge, but people will feel more comfortable giving you a chance if you have credibility too.

So, you can get these things through a program, and that really may be the right things for you.

But you can also build these things on your own.

It is easier than you think and they all feed off and into each other.

Anyone can do what I am doing.

And if you need help or still don’t know where to start, just reply to this email.

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Hi! I’m Matthew, chair of the Environmental and Sustainability Law Group at Offit Kurman, a full-service AMLaw 200 law firm, and the founder of the planetary lawyer project.

Thank you for reading! Here’s what I’ve been up to recently:

• Cannabis Manufacturing Complicated by New Jersey Industrial Site Recovery Act

• Does Litigation Risk Loss of Potential Insurance for Environmental Harm? New Jersey Court Weighs In

Reach out by email or LinkedIn if you’re interested in any of the following:

• Sponsoring this newsletter

• Mentoring/coaching

• Referring a legal matter

Any views expressed are my own. Nothing here is legal advice.

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Now onto this week’s opportunities.

Have a lead on a job opening?  Share it here.

Associate Attorney. Earthjustice - Right to Zero. Los Angeles, CA. https://climatebase.org/job/46259235/associate-attorney-california-regional-right-to-zero?source=jobs_directory&queryID=dbf7be739cec9758b55cf95dab65348d. $92,600 - $115,000. 1-5 years of post-graduate litigation and/or clerkship experience. This position is great for attorneys entering the job market, and this role allows attorneys to conduct advocacy before federal, state, and local agencies, governments, and courts.

Legal Counsel. Innovafeed. Paris, France. https://jobs.lever.co/innovafeed/508dc4eb-5ff8-4d45-9510-2d5545691703. No salary listed. Some experience as in-house counsel, must speak fluent French. Innovafeed contributes to the construction of a sustainable food system by developing a pioneering and innovative industry: the breeding and processing of insects – they are looking for an attorney to support its scale-up, supervised by Legal Director, Alice de Larminat.

Associate General Counsel, Clean Air and Climate. The National Parks Conservation Association. Washington, D.C. https://workforcenow.adp.com/mascsr/default/mdf/recruitment/recruitment.html?cid=53f6f507-a5aa-40d9-9198-8802e8d57d1a&ccId=19000101_000001&type=MP&lang=en_US&jobId=463370. $110,000.00 To 120,000.00. At least 3-5 years litigation and non-litigation experience in the areas of environmental and natural resources law, with a particular focus on the Clean Air Act and regional haze issues, at a law firm, non-profit organization, corporate legal department, and/or governmental agency is required. The attorney will assist NPCA’s General Counsel and Deputy General Counsel in managing NPCA’s extensive litigation docket and providing non-litigation legal support to various park protection advocacy efforts, with a particular focus on clean air and climate issues impacting national parks.

Legal Counsel. Revalue Nature. Remote. https://climatebase.org/job/46254575/legal-counsel?source=jobs_directory&queryID=4147703fcd2cabc57893901d06c65a14. No salary listed. 3-6 years of experience as in-house counsel. As Legal Counsel you will be working directly with the COO & General Counsel across a wide-array of tasks required to setup and scale an early-stage company.

Legal Counsel. The Good Food Institute. Remote. https://climatebase.org/job/46285964/legal-counsel-full-or-part-time?source=jobs_directory&queryID=cc995844940ae76fd6991cda605bf539. $115,000-$119,570. 4 years of experience. Looking for an attorney with nonprofit experience to support on a variety of legal matters including, but not limited to: contract review and negotiation, intellectual property, nonprofit laws and regulations, antitrust, lobbying compliance, broker-dealer laws, privacy and security.

Legal Counsel / Contract Manager - Part-Time. Overstory. Remote. https://climatebase.org/job/46268768/legal-counsel--contract-manager-part-time-contract?source=jobs_directory&queryID=c37a92eb68470fdd2261549af0fca158. No salary listed. 5 years experience negotiating agreements in a (Seed to Series B) startup environment. Looking for an attorney to manage, draft, negotiate and document all forms of company contracts, including but not limited to SaaS agreements, NDAs, partner agreements and vendor agreements.

Arizona Clean Energy Staff Attorney or Senior Staff Attorney. Western Resource Advocates. Phoenix, AZ. https://greenjobs.greenjobsearch.org/jobs/arizona-clean-energy-staff-attorney-or-senior-staff-attorney/. The salary range for the Staff Attorney position is $67,000-$90,000 annually, and the Senior Staff Attorney position is $86,500-$115,000 annually. At least 5+ years of relevant experience. Seeking a Staff Attorney or Senior Staff Attorney to join the Clean Energy Team in Arizona, where the attorney will be responsible for representing WRA in state-level administrative proceedings in Arizona, as well as state and federal litigation as necessary.

Associate General Counsel, Employment & Commercial Operations. Form Energy. Pittsburgh, PA / Weirton, WV. https://jobs.lever.co/formenergy/b107f9d7-75e2-46e3-a45b-d9116c34cfb3. No salary listed. 6 years of experience. Looking for an attorney to serve as the primary legal point of contact for our People Operations and Talent teams and have primary responsibility for Form Energy’s compliance with a wide range of employment-related laws, policies, and regulations.

Senior Corporate Counsel. Afresh. Remote. https://climatebase.org/job/46251114/senior-corporate-counsel?source=jobs_directory&queryID=ae184feb09559ade090608b724b05201. No salary listed. 6+ years of experience and must be a member of either the NY or CA bar. This is an amazing opportunity to be the first in-house attorney at Afresh, which hopes to eliminate food waste and make fresh food accessible to all.

Senior Commercial Counsel. SPAN. Remote. https://climatebase.org/job/46256455/senior-commercial-counsel?source=jobs_directory&queryID=f77934b420e7bd6d3bf9747485c93e1a. $185,000 - $230,000. 6+ years of experience. Seeking an experienced Senior Commercial Counsel to provide strategic and tactical legal counseling to cross-functional department leaders, as well as helping to structure, draft, and negotiate a wide variety of complex commercial agreements with partners, vendors, and large strategic customers.

Senior Counsel- Energy & Regulation. UGI Corporation. Pennsylvania. https://careers.ugicorp.com/job/King-Of-Prussia-Senior-Counsel-Energy-&-Regulation-PA-19406/998234000/. Minimum of 10 years of experience in legal practices related to the duties. UGI Corporation (NYSE: UGI) is a holding company that distributes and markets energy products and services through our subsidiaries and the company’s common stock is a balanced growth and income investment.

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