Work With Us
The Climate Science Legal Defense Fund (CSLDF) provides legal assistance and education to members of the scientific community, and climate scientists in particular. We defend researchers and other experts who share their knowledge, inform the public, and advocate to address climate change and other pressing environmental problems.
CSLDF is currently seeking applications for a Project Attorney and a 2024 Legal Extern. See details below.
Project Attorney
The Climate Science Legal Defense Fund (CSLDF) protects the scientific endeavor by putting its legal expertise to work for scientists who are threatened or silenced due to their findings or fields of study. Our work preserves and expands scientists’ rights and strengthens the legal protections that promote scientific integrity.
The Project Attorney will take on a number of important responsibilities including legal writing and research, and scientist legal education and support.
Main Duties and Responsibilities:
- The key role will involve working with the Staff Attorney and the Executive Director in drafting educational content for scientists and lawyers.
- The role may also include:
- Working with the Staff Attorney and the Executive Director in drafting pieces of legal writing such as regulatory comments, responses to open records requests, and whistleblower complaints.
- Working with the Staff Attorney to present webinars and educational events for scientists and others.
Researching and developing legal strategies to defend scientists and scientific endeavors.
Skills and Credentials:
- J.D. degree from accredited U.S. law school. (Equivalent such as L.L.M. degree may also be considered.)
- Minimum of 1-3 years demonstrated post-law school legal experience. Experience with First Amendment issues, institutional scientific integrity policies, employment law, open records laws, administrative law, and/or working with expert witnesses is a plus.
- Strong verbal, writing, analytical, and organizational skills; ability to meet deadlines; work well individually and in partnership environment.
We are based in New York City with an office near Columbia University in historic Morningside Heights. This is a contract position that can be either remote or hybrid, with limited but flexible hours; ideally 10-12 hours a week. The contract will start in spring 2024 and go through December 2024, possibly longer if funding allows. Hourly rate is $30-45 / hour, depending on experience.
You can expect to be part of a team that will support you to learn and gain insights into the front lines of defending climate scientists. We are a small, impact-driven organization – with a flexible and kind working culture. Please let us know what flexibility looks like to you.
Please email a resume / CV and cover letter to lawyer@csldf.org and include Project Attorney Application in the subject line.
2024 Legal Externship
Who Can Participate: 2Ls and 3Ls with superb research and writing skills.
Description: The Climate Science Legal Defense Fund is a non-profit organization based in New York City. Established in 2011, our mission is to protect the scientific endeavor. We represent scientists—with a particular focus on climate and environmental scientists—who are targeted, silenced, harassed, or otherwise attacked because of the work they do. In addition, we perform significant educational outreach to scientists to help them understand their legal rights and responsibilities, and we proactively work to help ensure the enactment of strong legal protections for science and to promote science-based policy—at both the federal and state level.
Working closely with CSLDF attorneys, the law student will conduct legal research and writing. Projects may include drafting legal memoranda, sections of briefs and motions, policy position papers and reports, and educational materials on legal issues for a scientific audience. The student may potentially also participate in client and witness interviews.
This is an excellent opportunity to hone your legal research and writing skills, and to learn about the intersection of law, science, and policy.
Current matriculation in an ABA-accredited law school, preferably in an environmental law program, is required. We will place preference on students who have demonstrated superb legal research and writing skills through, for example, participation in a law review journal.
This position can be fully remote, or the law student can use a workspace in our office at 475 Riverside Drive in Manhattan. We have a flexible, friendly work environment. Please let us know what flexibility looks like to you.
Time Commitment: 8-20 hours/week or as otherwise agreed upon by CSLDF and the law student prior to their hiring.
New York Bar Pro Bono: This work is likely to be considered “qualifying pro bono work” for purposes of the New York State Board of Law Examiners’ mandatory 50-hour pro bono requirement.
To express interest: Please email a resume / CV, short legal writing sample (5 pages maximum), and cover letter detailing your interest in CSLDF and this position to lawyer@csldf.org. Thank you for considering CSLDF.