Job Opportunity: Professional and Passionate Full Time Environmental Attorney

Preferred Start Date: As soon as possible (negotiable)

Practice Areas: Environmental protection advocacy under federal, state, and local laws. This includes litigation, administrative permitting, policy and legislative advocacy on water, wildlife, land, use, parks, climate, historic preservation, and functional democracy issues.

Description: Save Our Springs Alliance seeks a passionate, self-motivated public interest advocate to join our current team of three staff attorneys. Founded in 1992, Save Our Springs combines science, economics, education, and citizen action with legal expertise to protect our Texas Hill Country home. As the only Central Texas nonprofit conservation advocate with a full time legal staff, we represent our members, other groups, and private landowners in strategic actions to protect our home waters and the natural and cultural heritage of our region.  See Laura Dunn’s award-winning film The Unforeseen for our origin story, and see here and here on two major victories this last month.  The attorney would work under Executive Director and attorney Bill Bunch. We work hard, we have fun, and we go swimming. The swimming is optional but recommended.

Responsibilities include:

• Managing a project load with a variety of litigation and non-litigation advocacy projects. Typically, an attorney’s docket will include projects for which he or she has primarily responsibility as well as cases on which he or she works in a supporting role with other attorneys.
• Participating in all aspects of litigation in state and federal court and before administrative law judges, including factual investigation, legal research, discovery, briefing, expert witness preparation, and oral advocacy.
• Submitting comments orally and in writing to federal, state, and local governmental agencies.
• Attending and speaking at various meetings and hearings of governmental entities, including the Texas Legislature.
• Participating in coalition building on interdisciplinary policy issues; collaborating with other organizations on strategies and work product.
• Drafting FOIA and Texas Public Information Act requests.
• Aiding in the selection and supervision of legal interns.
• Supporting various outreach events throughout the year.

Qualifications:

• J.D. from an ABA-accredited law school.
• Membership in the Texas bar or willingness to waive in or sit for the Texas Bar Exam.
• Demonstrated interest in and commitment to environmental protection and/or public interest law.
• Prefer two or more years years of environmental advocacy experience but will consider the right candidate with less experience. 
• Excellent research and writing skills.
• Ability to work independently and in a small, collegial environment.
• A strong work ethic, sense of initiative, and creativity. Salary is commensurate with experience, on the non-profit scale.

To Apply: Send a résumé, cover letter, law school transcript (for lawyers practicing five years or less), writing sample (preferably a legal brief or memorandum), and a list of references to [email protected]. Please put “Staff Attorney Applicant” in the subject line.

We intend to fill this position as soon as possible.  Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until the position is filled.

Date Posted: May 8, 2024.

Contact Information:
Bill Bunch [email protected]
512-784-3749
4701 West Gate Blvd., D-401 Austin, TX 78745