Senior Attorney, Legal Pathways to Fossil Fuel Phaseout

POSITION TITLE: Senior Attorney

PROGRAM: Climate & Energy

FOCUS AREA: Legal Pathways to Fossil Fuel Phaseout

SUPERVISOR: Climate & Energy Program Director

LOCATION: USA, Switzerland, or Remote

SALARY: $94,000 - $115,000/year (CHF 107,000 - CHF 130,000/year in Switzerland) depending on qualifications

DURATION: 12 month contract

DEADLINE: Rolling deadline, first review August 12, 2024

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 (C&E) 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-induced harm.

CIEL seeks a Senior Attorney to support the C&E Program’s work to eliminate legal barriers and develop legal pathways to phase out fossil fuels. Specifically, the Senior Attorney will undertake research and analysis to inform the negotiation and design of an international legal instrument to halt the expansion of fossil fuels, manage their decline, and ensure a just transition to a fossil-free future. Among their primary areas of focus, the Senior Attorney will assist CIEL with legal research, analysis, drafting, and advocacy in support of work to remove legal barriers to fossil fuel phaseout, such as investment law protections, and identify pathways to, and key elements of, a Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty and/or other complementary supply-side legal instrument(s). The Senior Attorney will also provide assistance to other aspects of the Program’s work to halt expansion and accelerate the phaseout of oil and gas, as needed.  

The ideal candidate will have substantial expertise in public international law, including international environmental law, trade, and environment, as well as a robust understanding of the global oil and gas industry, and experience with treaty negotiations. Experience with environmental agreements that include trade provisions is a particular plus. The Senior Attorney will have impeccable research and writing skills in English. Responsibilities include: performing original legal research and analysis; proposing functional international legal frameworks for regulating fossil fuel phaseout; helping to develop legal and advocacy strategies; working in civil society coalitions; and drafting legal memoranda and filings, communications materials, and other documents. The Senior Attorney will be remote, but preferably based, and authorized to work, in the United States or Switzerland. This is a fixed-term (12-month), full-time, exempt position that reports to the Climate & Energy Program Director. The position may require some international travel. 

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Legal research and writing

• Research and draft original legal analyses, memoranda, and other relevant legal strategy documents 
• Draft briefings, reports, white papers or other materials for dissemination to non-legal or non-technical audiences
• As requested or assigned by the Program Director, review and edit colleagues’ and partners’ documents

Strategy development and implementation

• Innovate and implement strategies to encourage State endorsement of and participation in a functional legal instrument to phase out fossil fuels; design and support effective avenues for its negotiation; and promote key elements or draft provisions related to the structure and content of such an agreement      
• Keep abreast of developments related to supply-side fossil fuel policies, including the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty initiative, the Beyond Oil and Gas Alliance, and other relevant international, regional or national platforms or programs

Partnerships and communication 

• Maintain effective working relationships with relevant movement networks, partner organizations, communities, intergovernmental organizations, and other stakeholders
• Organize, coordinate, and participate in meetings and events to support program goals
• Assist in the design and implementation of strategies to inform, engage, and mobilize target constituencies in support of campaign goals
• Assist in the development of press releases, online communication materials, webinars, and other informational materials
• Represent CIEL in coalitions, public meetings, workshops, and other processes

Teamwork and internal collaboration

• Collaborate closely with other CIEL attorneys engaged in work related to investment and trade law, and international treaty negotiations
• Assist in information flow within the program and other CIEL programs
• Perform other job-related duties as requested or assigned by the Program Director

Administrative Responsibilities:

• Assist program team and other staff responsible for grant-writing and reporting by sharing information on program activities, deliverables, and expenditures, as needed
• Meet deadlines, prioritize tasks, and ensure high-quality work product
• Meet periodically as requested, with supervisor and other team members
• Participate in weekly staff and team meetings and other organizational activities, including performance evaluations and monthly timesheets.

QUALIFICATIONS:
Minimum Qualifications:

• JD or equivalent law degree with a focus on public international law, environment and trade, and/or investment law, climate change law, or international environmental law and policy
• 7 years experience practicing international law, including demonstrated knowledge or experience with treaty drafting or negotiation (up to two years of this experience may include post-degree clerkships)
• Superior legal analytical, writing, and communication skills and a demonstrated ability to write clearly and compellingly for a variety of audiences, including policymakers and the general public
• Demonstrated experience working with coalitions and a diverse range of people and groups
• Commitment to incorporating principles of justice, equity, and inclusion into all aspects of the work.
• Ability to successfully work on multiple priorities concurrently, including having strong planning and organizational skills, and ability to work well under pressure.
• Ability to work both independently and in close coordination with a team.
• Able to travel internationally, and for periods of 1-2 weeks (public safety guidelines permitting).
• Fluency in the English language.

Desired Qualifications:

• Familiarity with oil and gas campaigning and knowledge of oil and gas industry operations or global markets.
• Knowledge of human rights law, comparative constitutional law, tort, criminal law, finance, criminal liability regimes in common law systems, or other areas relevant to climate law
• Communications experience, for example giving interviews, creating talking points, and blogging
• Proficiency in French or Spanish

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

• CIEL has the capacity through an Employer of Record to hire employees in certain jurisdictions outside of where we are headquartered. Candidates may be eligible to work remotely from the US, depending on the US state, or other country and 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 jurisdictions are eligible.
• In our Washington, DC, USA office, provided you have obtained your own legal work authorization (CIEL cannot sponsor work visas).
• May be eligible to work hybrid from 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.  

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.

Application instructions: Applications will be considered on a rolling basis; the first application review will take place on August 12, 2024. 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.

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. 

We are an equal opportunity employer, actively committed to the principles of multiculturalism 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.