Join to apply for the 2026 General Counsel Clerkship role at Earthjustice
4 weeks ago Be among the first 25 applicants
Join to apply for the 2026 General Counsel Clerkship role at Earthjustice
OFFICE OF GENERAL COUNSEL
The Office of General Counsel is responsible for giving timely risk mitigation, management, and compliance advice to Earthjustice Leadership, Program teams and staff, in the areas of corporate governance, contracts, conflicts, legal ethics, privacy, data management, corporate risk management, international compliance, lobbying, SLAPP suits, and human resources, among others. We work to develop and implement cross-cutting strategies with our internal clients that enable them to achieve their goals while minimizing organizational risks. We also collaborate with partners and other nonprofit organizations on common issues we face as a sector.
Description
OFFICE OF GENERAL COUNSEL
The Office of General Counsel is responsible for giving timely risk mitigation, management, and compliance advice to Earthjustice Leadership, Program teams and staff, in the areas of corporate governance, contracts, conflicts, legal ethics, privacy, data management, corporate risk management, international compliance, lobbying, SLAPP suits, and human resources, among others. We work to develop and implement cross-cutting strategies with our internal clients that enable them to achieve their goals while minimizing organizational risks. We also collaborate with partners and other nonprofit organizations on common issues we face as a sector.
ABOUT US
Founded in 1971, Earthjustice has a distinguished track record of achieving significant, lasting environmental protections. We wield the power of law and the strength of partnership to protect people’s health; preserve magnificent places and wildlife; advance clean energy; and combat climate change. We partner with thousands of groups and supporters to take on the biggest, most precedent-setting cases across the country and have a distinguished track record of achieving significant, lasting environmental protections. We are here because the earth needs a good lawyer.
We welcome all interested law students from across the country to apply for a summer law clerk position. We expect that students will work proximate to or in an office where the program is located. In some limited instances, an office may hire clerks to work in an area that is outside that team’s geographic area, but still proximate to an Earthjustice office.
RESPONSIBILITIES
Summer Law Clerks will have the opportunity to work with several attorneys on case development and litigation strategy. Students may draft pleadings and briefs, do legal research, develop strategy and legal theories, gather evidence, and attend client meetings and court proceedings. Earthjustice’s summer law clerk program also includes various programmatic offerings, such as in-person and virtual seminars with attorneys and guest speakers on current environmental issues, interactions with other local and regional environmental groups, and a job interview workshop.
COMPENSATION
Earthjustice summer law clerkships are paid positions. The total stipend amount will be dependent on any external funding a student secures, such as through their law school’s summer funding program. Earthjustice will provide a one-time stipend at the start of the clerkship in the amount of $1,320.00 per week, minus the total amount received from any other sources and applicable taxes. The summer law clerkship is designed to be 10 weeks long at full-time hours (37.5 hours/week).
You are welcome to pursue outside funding. The ability to secure outside funding will not be considered as part of the hiring process.
HOW TO APPLY
Eligibility: Candidates must be enrolled in a U.S. law school through fall 2026 (i.e., not graduating before December 2026) and be available to commit ten weeks during summer 2026. Summer law clerks must work from the U.S. during their clerkship.
HOW TO APPLY
Interested candidates should submit their complete application via Jobvite by 5:00pm PT on September 1, 2025. Incomplete applications will not be considered.
Each Earthjustice litigation team participates in clerk hiring; candidates may submit applications to whichever and however many litigation teams they are interested. Please be prepared to respond to our September follow-up e-mail, requesting your ranked choice of the teams for which you have applied. Do not include such rankings within your Jobvite application.
Application Materials Requested:
- (1) A recent legal writing sample of no more than 10 pages that primarily reflects your work. Please include a cover page indicating the extent to which your writing sample reflects edits and feedback from others.
- (2) Unofficial transcript.
- Finalists will be asked to submit two references; these may be law school faculty or legal professional, clinical, or volunteer supervisors.
While identical applications for each team will be considered, we recommend tailoring your cover letter to describe why you are interested in that specific team. Additional information about our hiring process and tips for success can be found at .
If you experience any technical difficulties or require any accommodations throughout the hiring process, please contact us at (email protected) . No phone calls, drop-ins, or hard copies.
Seniority level
Seniority level
Internship
Employment type
Employment type
Full-time
Job function
Job function
LegalIndustries
Law Practice
Referrals increase your chances of interviewing at Earthjustice by 2x
Sign in to set job alerts for “General Counsel” roles.
Executive Vice President & General Counsel
General Counsel and Senior Vice President
Washington, DC $220,000.00-$260,000.00 2 weeks ago
District of Columbia, United States $200,000.00-$240,000.00 1 month ago
Washington, DC $246,000.00-$300,000.00 3 days ago
Vice President and Chief Development Officer (Job ID: 2025-3696)
Vice President, Litigation (Retail Litigation Center)
Washington, DC $200,000.00-$220,000.00 1 day ago
Silver Spring, MD $270,000.00-$290,000.00 3 days ago
Silver Spring, MD $270,000.00-$290,000.00 3 days ago
Complex Chief Engineer - Moxy DC & Courtyard Dupont Circle DC
Washington, DC $100,000.00-$110,000.00 2 days ago
Columbia, MD $87,250.00-$106,000.00 1 week ago
Washington, DC $171,000.00-$180,000.00 1 month ago
Washington, DC $145,000.00-$150,000.00 2 months ago
Senior Corporate Counsel/Director, Legal and Compliance Affairs
Director of Regulatory Affairs / Senior Attorney
SVP, Associate General Counsel, Chief Privacy Officer
Washington, DC $207,075.00-$345,125.00 5 days ago
Washington, DC $220,000.00-$240,000.00 3 weeks ago
Senior Corporate Counsel/Director, Legal and Compliance Affairs
Director and Associate General Counsel, Privacy & Data Protection
Chief Enforcement Director, IP Protection & Security
Washington, DC $185,000.00-$250,000.00 1 week ago
McLean, VA $224,000.00-$336,000.00 3 days ago
Corporate Counsel, International Trade Compliance and Federal
Washington, DC $175,000.00-$200,000.00 1 week ago
Program Director and Senior Attorney, Justice Project
Washington, DC $132,390.00-$160,384.00 4 weeks ago
Managing Director, Global Economy & Development
Washington, DC $190,000.00-$200,000.00 2 hours ago
Director, Legal Counsel- ERISA, Retirement Trust & Custody
Silver Spring, MD $88,000.00-$105,000.00 1 week ago
Executive Director of Strategic Transactions
Managing Director, Global Economy & Development (Job ID: 2025-3666)
Laurel, MD $140,000.00-$320,000.00 1 week ago
Director of Procurement and Insurance Risk Management
Arlington, VA $119,800.00-$145,000.00 1 month ago
Managing Director, Sponsorship Products & Creative
We’re unlocking community knowledge in a new way. Experts add insights directly into each article, started with the help of AI.
#J-18808-Ljbffr