Staff Attorney, Climate Financial Strategies

POSITION TITLE:  Staff Attorney, Climate Financial Strategies

PROGRAM: Climate & Energy

SUPERVISOR: Manager & Senior Attorney, Financial Strategies 

LOCATION: Remote (must be admitted to a US bar; candidates based in the US are preferred)

SALARY RANGE: $75,000 - $89,000/year, depending on qualifications

DEADLINE: Rolling deadline, with first/priority review on Nov 15 (phone screens scheduled the week of November 18)

SUMMARY DESCRIPTION:

The Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) uses the power of law to protect the environment, promote human rights, and ensure a just and sustainable society. Through innovative legal advocacy and global campaigning, cutting-edge research and analysis, and strategic communications, CIEL’s Climate and Energy Program works to halt the drivers of climate change and accelerate the transition away from fossil fuels, protect human rights and the planet from the impacts of the climate crisis and responses to it, and hold states and corporations accountable for their contributions to climate-related harm.

The Staff Attorney, Climate Financial Strategies, is a skilled attorney and effective advocate with relevant experience in the fields of finance, corporate, and/or securities law and a demonstrated commitment to working in the public interest to confront the climate crisis. The Staff Attorney will undertake original legal research and analysis, help design and implement innovative legal strategies for litigation and non-litigation advocacy; support education and advocacy campaigns to raise awareness among financial actors, media, and decision-makers; and mobilize financial actors and institutions to mitigate climate risk, including by reducing their support for fossil fuels. 

In collaboration with the Manager & Senior Attorney for Climate Financial Strategies, the Program Director and other members of the Climate & Energy team, the Staff Attorney will help implement legal advocacy strategies designed to compel financial actors to address climate-related financial risk and align their conduct with a rapid and equitable transition to a fossil-free future. Day-to-day, this looks like: supporting the development and execution of campaigns that aim to change the conduct of key financial actors, such as institutional investors, banks (private and public), and insurance companies; researching and writing legal and policy analyses, briefing papers, expert comments, and other public-facing materials; engaging in advocacy with diverse stakeholders (including in both national and sub-national policy and regulatory spaces); supporting CIEL’s participation in coalitions, public meetings, and workshops; contributing to  legal challenges that promote an interpretation of fiduciary duties requiring consideration of climate risk as financial risk; maintaining effective working relationships with civil society partners, relevant financial organizations, and government agencies; and ensuring highest quality work product.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Legal research and writing (45%)

• Prepare legal and policy analyses, briefing documents, written comments and educational materials for submission to courts, financial institutions, governments, civil society partners, and the media
• Assist in the development of reports, briefing papers, fact sheets, press releases, and other public-facing online and print materials to educate, inform, and engage CIEL funders, supporters, press, target institutions, and the public

Assist in strategy development and implementation (30%)

• Support the Manager/Senior Attorney for financial strategies to develop strategies aimed at accelerating the shift away from fossil fuels, including by identifying potential litigation pathways to hold corporate and financial actors accountable for their contributions to climate change and related harm
• Provide legal research, drafting and other technical assistance on financial advocacy strategies in support of campaigns to halt oil and gas expansion projects
• Maintain working knowledge of subject matter related to the Program’s financial strategies, including knowledge of relevant legal, policy, and financial developments

Collaboration, partnerships and communication (20%)

• Maintain effective working relationships with personnel of partner organizations and networks, as well as relevant agencies and intergovernmental organizations, to advance CIEL’s Program goals
• Assist in convening, organizing, and facilitating meetings with external partners, as assigned
• Represent CIEL in public meetings and workshops, hearings, and other processes, as assigned
• Support information flow within the team and among CIEL staff to enhance coordination and alignment
• Perform other job-related duties as requested or assigned by management/leadership

Administration (5%)

• Meet deadlines, prioritize tasks, and ensure high-quality work product
• Meet periodically as requested, with supervisor and other team members
• Support fundraising during proposal, renewal, and reports processes, and other communications
• Participate in weekly staff and team meetings and other organizational activities, including performance evaluations and monthly timesheets.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• J.D. or equivalent law degree 
• Active membership in at least one US-state bar association, and common law training (preferably US-based)
• 3 years’ experience in litigation or legal practice involving securities law, corporate law, and/or financial, banking or insurance law
• Demonstrated experience in and comfort with non-profit, public interest legal advocacy, and corporate accountability campaigns
• Familiarity with developments in climate law and policy and corporate and financial actors’ climate commitments
• Demonstrated ability to distill key messages from technical information and translate them to different audiences and on different platforms
• Able to manage multiple competing priorities and deadlines, and comfortable performing under time and resource constraints.
• Strong legal research and writing skills 
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively, in close coordination across teams
• Able to oversee and deliver multiple priorities by target dates and perform a wide variety of tasks over the course of the workday
• Comfort admitting what you don’t know and recognizing that seeking and receiving feedback is part of the learning process.
• Understanding of how words and actions affect others, and an openness to and respect for others’ perspectives
• Ability to travel periodically and for periods of up to 2 weeks

Desired Qualifications:

• Experience with international, environmental, and/or human rights law or similar fields preferred
• Ability to communicate effectively in French or Spanish a plus
• Experience with Google Suite (including Docs, Sheets, Forms, and Chat) and Asana

A successful candidate will demonstrate the following competencies: 

• Action-Oriented: Makes things happen. Takes on new opportunities and tough challenges with a sense of curiosity, proactivity, and constructiveness, and is comfortable exercising judgment to take initiative as necessary.
• Nimble Learning: Approaches unfamiliar tasks proactively and with an open mind. Can quickly adapt to new situations and to draw on past successes and failures to solve current problems.  
• Effective Communication: Understands the value of effective communication. Can deliver messages in a clear, compelling, and concise manner. Actively listens, checks for understanding, and adjusts content and style to meet the needs of different stakeholders.  
• Collaborates: Brings people together to leverage their skills, talents, and knowledge to achieve a common purpose. Creates synergy resulting in a combined effort with greater results than what can be achieved by individuals.  
• Resourcefulness: Is able to make the best of limited resources and find a way to get things done even when the odds are against them.  Can look beyond the obvious for viable approaches to accomplish the goal. 

Location note: This position may be eligible to work from the following locations:

• (Preferred) Remote in the United States (not all states are eligible).
• CIEL has the capacity through OysterHR to hire employees in certain jurisdictions outside of where we are headquartered. Thus, candidates may be eligible to work remotely from another country, provided your work schedule can align with South/North American and African/European time zones. You must have obtained your own legal authorization to work and live in the country from which you wish to work. Not all countries are eligible.
• In our Washington, DC, USA office, provided you have obtained your own legal work authorization (CIEL cannot sponsor work visas).
• In our Geneva, Switzerland office provided you have the ability to legally work in Switzerland,  (i.e., a citizen of EU/EFTA member states).

This is a full-time, exempt position. If you are selected for this position and elect to work remotely, you are expected to provide your own space from which to work. CIEL will contribute a one-time stipend of USD $750 for fully remote workers, with an additional USD $250 per year for the purposes of maintaining your remote work space.

CIEL offers a strong benefits package including employer-subsidized health, dental, and vision; paid vacation, sick, and parental leave; a 5% contribution of gross annual salary into a 403(b) retirement account; a relocation stipend; dedicated professional development funding; and paid sabbatical leave after 7 years. CIEL is a 501(c)3 nonprofit in the US, and full-time employees qualify for the US Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program.  

Application instructions: Applications will be considered on a rolling basis; the first application review will take place on November 15. Desired start date: As soon as able. Please submit a cover letter, resume, and any other required materials or responses. Only applicants selected for interviews will be contacted. No telephone calls, please. Note that CIEL does not sponsor visas of any kind. 

Anonymous Demographic Survey: Please complete this anonymous demographic survey as part of your application to CIEL. The survey will only be used to help us evaluate our efforts to recruit a diverse pool of candidates. Your answers will not in any way be linked to your application, and the answers to the survey will not be handled by anyone on the hiring committee for the role.

COVID-19 Vaccination Requirement: In accordance with CIEL’s duty to provide and maintain a workplace that is free of known hazards and our commitment to safeguard the health of our employees, clients, and communities, CIEL requires US candidates to furnish proof of full COVID vaccination status in order to be hired for this position. ​​If you are not eligible to be vaccinated against COVID-19 or vaccination is contraindicated by a licensed medical professional, you must provide documentation verifying this ineligibility or contraindication.

About CIEL: For 30 years, CIEL has used the power of law to protect the environment, promote human rights, and ensure a just and sustainable society. CIEL’s dynamic team of international attorneys and experts work together in a collaborative and supportive work environment to tackle some of the most interesting and challenging issues facing people and the planet. 

CIEL is actively committed to justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion, and building an organization that is as diverse as the communities we serve around the world. We know that diversity and inclusion make us stronger, and we actively encourage qualified applicants with various backgrounds, identities, perspectives, and (dis)abilities to apply. If you need an accommodation or assistance with this application, please contact Human Resources at jobs[at]ciel.org.

Salary

• $75,000 - $89,000/year