Associate Legal Jobs

While most employees come to Earthjustice with 0-4 years of legal experience, you should check out our individual job postings for more details. Previous environmental experience or a proven commitment to working in the public interest is a plus, but not mandatory. The GAO`s Office of the General Counsel (OGC) serves the GAO and Congress, following the federal dollar wherever it goes. The breadth and depth of our legal expertise is unprecedented in the federal government. Check out our blog post on GAO lawyers. Learn more about working at the OGC (PDF, 2 pages). Job postings for current job postings, including lateral counsel and entry-level positions, are posted on USAJOBS, but applicants must submit their documents to LegalCareers@gao.gov. To apply for the GAO Summer Associate Program, see below. OGC`s Summer Associate Legal Honors program is the primary hiring tool for training OGC`s highly qualified lawyers.

Summer employees work at least 10 weeks, but can work longer if their schedules allow. Associate positions are 3-year terms with the possibility of being promoted to a Senior Partner position with an additional 3-year term. Earthjustice encourages some senior executives to high-level legal positions, while others use their experience and apply it to impactful careers outside of Earthjustice. Promotions depend on a number of factors, including job performance, staffing needs, program priorities and budget. “I heard about Earthjustice`s associate program and I knew it was what I wanted: a program that would take people who didn`t have a lot of experience in environmental law and teach them how to be great lawyers and advocates.” On occasion, OGC may offer opportunities for unpaid external stays to people who express their interest. External students must be students enrolled for at least half a day at an accredited law school. External parties agree with their law schools to obtain course credits in exchange for their work at the GAO. If you are interested in an internship, please send a resume, cover letter, transcript and writing sample to LegalCareers@gao.gov.

Please indicate in your cover letter when you will be available for an internship (e.g. “Fall 2021” or “Academic Year 2021-2022”) and all deadlines related to the external program of your law school. The GAO Honor Program for Junior Lawyers, known as the Lawyer Development Program (ADP), offers top candidates the opportunity to begin their legal career in a dynamic, collegial environment with the most important issues of the federal government. Most of our lawyers are assigned to teams that provide legal advice, analysis and services to the Comptroller General and GAO analysts who evaluate federal programs. These services can fall under areas of practice as diverse as: GAO pays summer employees at prices that compete with those of other federal agencies, and they are eligible for transit services to cover transportation costs. Typically, summer employees work in two of the OGC`s different teams. During their time at the GAO, summer employees can gain experience in areas such as homeland security and immigration law, environmental and energy law, tax law and constitutional law, or government contracts, to name a few. “After graduating from law school, I accepted a scholarship that worked in sustainable development in island states. This experience allowed me to see with my own eyes the effects of climate change. I decided I wanted to use my legal skills to fight climate change in this country and protect the marine ecosystem on which we all depend.

The day-to-day work of an Earthjustice partner varies depending on the specific team to which they belong and their level of experience. This work includes legal research and drafting, fact development, commenting on regulatory measures, interacting with clients, making discoveries, collaborating with experts, preparing and participating in the taking of evidence, drafting applications and pleadings, and presenting legal arguments in court. Employees also work with our communications strategists and lobbying teams. OGC gives an important responsibility to its employees from summer to summer. They carry out intellectually stimulating projects whose complexity corresponds to that of novice lawyers. For example, a summer employee may advise an audit team on legal matters or participate fully in a bid challenge decision. Successful summer employees can receive permanent job offers. Junior lawyers are primarily hired through OGC`s Summer Associate Legal Honors program. In addition to the important and rewarding work, summer employees have a wide range of other experiences and activities planned for their summer at the GAO. Activities in previous years include exclusive guided tours of the Supreme Court and the Capitol.

OGC also hosts several social gatherings that give summer employees the opportunity to meet their OGC colleagues. We are looking for 2L law students (or equivalent) who are expected to graduate in spring 2024 to participate in our 2023 Summer Associate Program.