Summer Law Clerk

Job Description

2027 Community Partnerships Clerkship | Earthjustice

The Tone:
This is a seasonal, full-time summer law clerkship with Earthjustice, a distinguished environmental law organization dedicated to protecting people’s health, preserving magnificent places and wildlife, advancing clean energy, and combating climate change. This role supports the Community Partnerships Program, which works in deep partnership with frontline communities to eliminate environmental hazards and expand access to environmental benefits. The clerkship is vital in challenging harmful social and political systems, holding polluters accountable, and enforcing environmental laws to ensure meaningful protections for all.

The TL;DR
• Role: Early Career
• Type: Full-time, Seasonal (10 weeks)
• Location: In-person, U.S. (office-based)
• Pay: $1382 weekly
• Team: Community Partnerships Program, collaborating with attorneys on case development and litigation strategy.
• Mission: Support the Community Partnerships Program in challenging harmful social and political systems and enforcing environmental laws to improve environmental health for frontline communities.

What You’ll Actually Do
• Case Development: Contribute to the development of cases and litigation strategies with supervising attorneys.
• Legal Documentation: Draft pleadings and briefs for various legal proceedings.
• Research & Analysis: Conduct comprehensive legal research to support ongoing cases and develop legal theories.
• Evidence Gathering: Collect and analyze evidence pertinent to environmental litigation.
• Client & Court Engagement: Attend client meetings and observe court proceedings as part of practical learning.

The Must-Haves
• Background: Enrolled in a U.S. law school, with continued enrollment through Fall 2027 (not graduating before December 2027), demonstrating a commitment to environmental or public interest law.
• Experience: Availability to commit ten weeks to a full-time clerkship during Summer 2027. Demonstrated ability in legal writing and research, as evidenced by a submitted writing sample.
• Skills: Legal research, legal writing, strategic thinking, evidence gathering, and communication for client and court interactions.
• Bonus: A strong interest in Earthjustice’s mission, specific litigation teams, or particular environmental and public interest issues, articulated through a cover letter.