Background

Appalachian Mountain Advocates is a non-profit public interest law firm with offices in West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. We have worked for nearly 25 years to bring polluters and state and federal regulators into compliance with environmental laws, sometimes with success.

Position Details

We seek a lawyer to work in our Pittsburgh office. We are an aggressive, litigation-oriented organization. We typically bring cases under state and federal environmental statutes such as the Clean Water Act, Clean Air Act, NEPA, ESA, RCRA, and the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act through citizen suits, court challenges to agency action, and state common law. We bring precedent-setting, complicated, and expert-intensive cases, generally representing national, regional and local environmental groups. We seek a creative lawyer with the desire and ability to develop and pursue their own cases (with the supervision of senior lawyers); this is not a typical associate or “law-fellow” position.

The successful applicant will handle a wide range of litigation primarily in Pennsylvania, with some work as in neighboring states.  We have offices in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Lewisburg and Charleston, West Virginia; and Charlottesville, Virginia.

Responsibilities:

• Lead and support efforts in federal district and appellate courts, state courts, and administrative bodies
• Develop new cases; conduct factual investigations; develop legal theories; draft pleadings and briefs; work with experts; participate in court proceedings and administrative hearings; and otherwise manage new and existing cases with the oversight of senior lawyers
• Collaborate in team problem-solving, litigation strategy development, and project management
• Manage relationships with outside co-counsel, clients, and coalition partners

Qualifications:

• Experience as a judicial law clerk is preferred but not required.
• Admitted or willing to apply for admission to the Pennsylvania Bar
• Excellent legal research, writing, analytical, communication, and oral advocacy skills
• Strong work ethic and the ability to work with a team or independently
• 3Ls may apply.
• 1 to 3 years litigation experience is preferred, but not required (i.e. we will hire directly from law school, but would prefer candidates with some experience)

Compensation: DOE, includes a competitive benefits package

Start Date: Flexible.

Expires when filled.