Howard-NRDC Environmental Justice Legal Fellow

Overview

NRDC is a non-profit environmental advocacy organization. We use law, science, and the support of 3.1 million members and online activists to protect the planet's wildlife and wild places and to ensure the rights of all people to clean air, clean water, and healthy communities. NRDC was founded in 1970 and our people helped write some of America's bedrock environmental laws, including the Clean Water Act and many of the implementing regulations. Today, our team of more than 700 lawyers, scientists, economists, policy advocates, communications experts, and others work across the United States and the globe from our offices in Beijing; Chicago; New Delhi; New York; San Francisco; Santa Monica; and Washington, D.C.

NRDC is seeking a recent graduate of Howard University School of Law to work with the Environment, Equity & Justice Center, as an Environmental Justice Legal Fellow: this entails a two-year legal fellowship starting in Fall 2026 and ending in Fall 2028, with the possibility of extension for a third year through Fall 2029. We will consider applicants who have graduated since 2023, including those who will graduate in Spring 2026. We will consider requests to be based out of any NRDC’s U.S. offices. This posting will be open until November 1. Applications will be considered on a rolling basis, so we encourage applicants to apply soon.

Position Summary

In collaboration with members of the EEJC, the NRDC-Howard Environmental Justice Legal Fellow will use a range of legal, policy advocacy, coalition-building, community outreach, and/or communications tools to collaborate with and provide legal support for environmental justice communities across the United States. Examples of specific focus areas could include, but are not limited to, (1) advancing political and litigation strategies to improve air quality and public health outcomes for communities impacted by nearby industrial facilities; (2) engaging in legal and policy advocacy to protect communities from proposals that would increase local pollution and perpetuate reliance on fossil fuels; (3) advancing local land use and zoning policies that combat the concentration of environmental burdens in EJ communities; and/or (4) leveraging legal support, funding and other resources to help communities identify and combat toxic chemical (including pesticide) contamination.

This is a Limited term 2 year fellowship.

The position you are applying for is part of the bargaining unit represented by The Washington Baltimore News Guild (WBNG / The Newsguild-CWA Local 32035).  

Responsibilities

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the following essential functions:

• Develop relationships with communities and work with them to identify opportunities to partner or collaborate; actively engage in existing coalitions and partnerships.
• Create project plans and track timelines, determine key deliverables and milestones, while managing workflows and collaboration across multiple staff members.
• Facilitate and co-facilitate meetings, including creating agendas, taking notes, and capturing takeaways/next steps; follow up with responsible parties to ensure accountability.
• Screen and develop potential new litigation, including conducting factual investigations and legal and policy research.
• Provide legal and policy research, as well as strategic advice around environmental justice issues to members of the team and to partners.
• Facilitate and engage in communication and follow-up with clients and partner organizations.
• Collaborate as part of a team of attorneys, policy advocates, and scientists to support environmental justice goals.
• Represent NRDC at hearings, conferences, coalition meetings, and venues with decisionmakers;
• Advocate for the adoption or passage of critical legislation, city ordinances, and government regulations.
• Write briefs, motions, and memoranda.
• Supervise and delegate projects to interns and volunteers.

The above list of duties is not comprehensive but generally demonstrates the types of matters under this position’s responsibility. Other duties may be assigned.

Qualifications

Education & Experience:

• This Fellowship is designed for recent graduates of Howard University School of Law. In assessing candidates, we look for:
• Juris Doctorate from Howard University School of Law within the past three years
• Admission to the Bar in the jurisdiction where the Fellow will be based, or willingness to complete the requirements for admission to that Bar
• And/or equivalent education or experience

Skills, Abilities, Competencies

• Experience working with coalitions of community members and community-based organizations.
• Strong legal writing and analytical skills.
• Strong oral and written communication skills.
• Ability to contribute effectively as a member of a team and collaborate across a large non-profit organization.
• Demonstrated competency in working with people with different social identities than their own (including race, gender, sexual identity or orientation, age, class, and disability).
• Creativity and resourcefulness.
• Demonstrated commitment to public service, equity, or social justice (including environmental, economic, social, or food justice).
• Knowledge of environmental, civil rights, and administrative law is a plus.
• Ability to occasionally travel to NRDC U.S. based offices, approximately 10% annually.
• Commitment to NRDC’s mission, values, and DEI principles.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this position within the described work environment.

Frequently: Perform desk-based computer tasks

Frequently: Ability to interact and communicate with employees and others as necessary

Frequently: Attend planned meetings and collaborate with management and coworkers

Occasionally: Ability to attend events and activities in the office or offsite

Work is sometimes performed primarily in office. The noise level in the work environment is usually quiet in office settings and moderate in other situations.  Hours of employment may sometimes require working flexible and/or longer hours, including nights and weekends, when necessitated by projects. The job includes work-related situations such as those involving challenging, important, urgent, time-sensitive, or multiple matters.

NRDC is committed to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion, both in our work and in our workplace. We believe that celebrating and actively welcoming diverse voices and perspectives is essential to solving the planet's most pressing environmental problems, and we encourage applications from candidates whose identities have been historically under-represented in the environmental movement.

We are an equal opportunity employer and do not discriminate in hiring or employment on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, marital status, sexual orientation, national origin, citizenship, age, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law. Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

We offer competitive salaries, excellent benefits, and a supportive working environment. Salary is based on a nonprofit scale and is commensurate with skills and experience. Internal equity will be reviewed and considered to determine a final offer. For this position, the salary range is $87,000 to $93,000.

NRDC operates under a hybrid work model. Employees are required to come to the office 8 days per month.

As a science-based organization, NRDC aims to do our part to help contain the COVID-19 public health crisis. For the sake of health, safety, and equity, we ask that people be vaccinated unless they have an approved medical or religious accommodation or other exemption in accordance with state and local law. We consider a person to be vaccinated two weeks after receiving one full course of a CDC-approved vaccine. In accordance with state or local law, new hires will be asked to attest to vaccination, those wishing to do so may request medical or religious accommodations or other exemptions via NRDC Employee Relations. NRDC treats all vaccine-related data confidentially, in keeping with local, state, and federal laws.

To apply, visit www.nrdc.org/careers and upload your résumé and cover letter. Please mention where you saw this posting and upload any additional materials that showcase your abilities. Due to the high volume of applications, we will contact only those candidates we would like to interview. Please no phone calls, emails, or in-person résumé drop-offs.

If you experience technical problems while applying or if you are a person with a disability and need assistance applying online, please reach out to iCIMS Customer Care at 1-800-889-4422.

For more about NRDC, visit www.nrdc.org.