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ELAW is accepting applications for an experienced attorney to join its Defending Defenders Program.
This is an exciting opportunity to work with public interest lawyers around the world. ELAW collaborates with lawyers representing local communities and NGOs to build a sustainable, just future. ELAW's global partners are bringing innovative legal actions challenging the status quo and addressing complex environmental problems.
About the position
ELAW’s Defending Defenders Program supports environmental lawyers around the world to work without fear of reprisal. Environmental lawyers play an important role in securing a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment. Because their work challenges powerful economic and political interests, they often face risks or threats. For individuals, these threats include criminalization, stigmatization, surveillance, harassment, threats, and/or acts of physical violence – including torture and murder – and bogus criminal charges and civil actions (Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation - SLAPP suits). Lawyers also face attacks against their organizations, such as burdensome registration and reporting requirements, restrictions on funding, and other regressive laws and regulations. These intersecting forms of exclusion, violence, and discrimination impact defenders’ work, wellbeing, and enjoyment of a wide array of fundamental rights, such as their rights to opinion, expression, participation, liberty, physical and mental health, personal integrity, family, privacy, and safety, among many more.
This position will focus on helping ELAW assess and mitigate potential risk and accompanying our public interest lawyer colleagues who request support. Accompaniment may include funding for legal representation, strategic referrals to protection specialists, and support for emotional and physical well-being and resiliency.
The attorney will respond to specific needs and requests and connect our lawyer partners to resources and allies. The attorney will help lawyers address, and find resources to address, trauma and secondary trauma associated with their work. The attorney may also support lawyer colleagues by engaging with domestic, regional, and international courts and other legal mechanisms to seek accountability for past violations, findings of fact and decisions from specialized human rights bodies, high-level statements from UN experts and/or regional human rights bodies, and redress from international and regional bodies.
Responsibilities and Scope of Position:
- Listen to and consult with lawyer partners around the world to learn about the circumstances surrounding their work and their needs for support;
- Conduct legal research, analysis and draft amicus curie and other submissions at the request of our lawyer partners and their organizations;
- Draft legal communications and letters to international fora, including human rights mechanisms, embassies, and other audiences as needed;
- Develop and implement legal advocacy strategies, informed by the local context;
- Understand risk assessment and implementation of risk mitigation tactics into legal strategy;
- Collaborate with lawyer partners to develop strategic actions to address risks and/or threats, informed by the local context;
- Adhere to confidentiality and digital protection protocols;
- Build and foster relationships with international partners and allies;
- Organize and participate in workshops and other remote/in-person meetings to share information and develop advocacy strategies;
- Review written work by Defending Defender Program colleagues; and
- Collaborate with ELAW colleagues on communications, development, and other activities that support the organization, our partners, and allies.
Minimum Qualifications:
- A commitment to fulfilling ELAW’s mission;
- The ability to work successfully in cross-cultural settings;
- J.D. or equivalent law degree;
- Licensed to practice law, or willing to apply for bar membership;
- At least five years of legal advocacy experience in relevant fields of law, including, inter alia, human rights law, criminal law;
- Exceptional legal research, writing, and communication skills;
- Excellent organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple tasks and competing deadlines;
- Ability to positively represent ELAW in a variety of professional settings;
- Ability to work within a small team, as well as independently;
- Professional fluency in English;
- Experience assessing and managing risk;
- Understanding of personal and organizational resilience to withstand legal and other attacks;
- Awareness and understanding of the threats facing lawyers and other land, environmental and Indigenous defenders;
- Awareness and understanding of the threats facing civil society organizations around the world;
- Professional competency in language(s) other than English
- Ability to work well with colleagues from diverse backgrounds and orientations;
- Ability and willingness to use technology platforms that enable virtual collaboration;
- Flexible approach to working with colleagues across time zones; and
- Commitment to confidentiality and security practices.
Desired Qualifications and Competencies:
- Experience working internationally;
- Experience managing projects and programs;
- Open to international travel; and
- Experience leading and facilitating skill shares and workshops.
The ELAW Secretariat is based in Eugene, Oregon, though members of our team work across several continents. Ideally this position will be in Oregon, though other locations will be considered for exceptional candidates. Regardless, the position needs to be easily able to collaborate with colleagues in the Pacific Time Zone.
ELAW does not discriminate based on race, color, religion, creed, gender, disability, socio-economic background, age, sexual orientation, marital status, political affiliation, national origin, ancestry, status with regards to public assistance, or immigration status. ELAW is committed to justice and equity and our outreach, recruitment, and hiring practices reflect our commitment to actively developing the skills of a diverse community.
Application deadline: April 15, 2025.
Salary- $70,000 - $95,000
