Legal
Fellow, Beyond Gas
Job Description
EDF offers internships and
fellowships for students and recent graduates in a variety of programs and
departments throughout the organization. The ultimate goal of our internship
and fellowship program is to provide high-quality experiences (including relevant
projects and opportunities for networking) that form the foundation for any
individual who is serious about pursuing an environmental career.
The Beyond Gas and Equitable
Regulatory Solutions team within EDF’s Legal and Regulatory team focuses on
state, regional, and national efforts to accelerate the transition away from
natural gas use for power generation and for building heating. The team is
sharply focused on the imperative of an equitable energy transition that
urgently decreases emissions from fossil fuels and prioritizing benefits for
communities that have been disproportionately impacted by existing energy
systems.
Legal Fellows contribute
meaningfully to the team's work, using a layered approach of regulatory advocacy
and community partnership. We aim to make our Legal Fellow’s experience
relevant, challenging, and rewarding. Our Legal Fellows have directly
contributed towards landmark cases over the years and have supported activities
including U.S. Supreme Court litigation, D.C. Circuit litigation over
greenhouse gas regulation under the Clean Air Act, major international
agreements, and guidelines regarding trans-boundary pollution control programs
in the U.S./Mexico border region, and projects that work towards ensuring
protections for low-income and frontline communities from air pollution. Legal
Fellows work in a high-intensity, fast-paced, multi-disciplinary setting to
formulate and implement strategies, laws, and policies.
Overall Function
The Legal Fellow will primarily
work on state and regional projects and cases aimed at reducing
climate-destabilizing emissions as well as the burdens of fossil fuel
infrastructure for overburdened communities. The work will include a heavy
emphasis on public utility regulation and electric sector regulation. The Legal
Fellow will focus on activity and action before entities including public
utility commissions, including the Illinois Commerce Commission, and others,
other state energy regulators, and regional grid operators. The Legal Fellow
will also focus on deepening relationships with existing community-based
partners, growing relationship with new allies, and advancing innovative new
legal strategies to empower community participation in energy decision-making processes.
As a member of the Legal and Regulatory team, the legal fellow may also be
asked to support our other efforts to reduce air pollution from power plants
and other major sources through litigation, regulatory advocacy, and
legislation.
Key
Responsibilities
Tasks may include but are not limited to:
Qualifications
We seek recent law school graduates and recent law clerks
interested in working on cutting edge state, regional, and national climate and
energy issues. Other qualifications include:
Location
U.S. Remote or other EDF office location.
Term
1 year fellow with an opportunity for second year as attorney
pending Bar admission, with anticipated start date of late November 2022.
Compensation
We offer a strong total rewards package encompassing
competitive salary, robust benefits, and professional development opportunities
consistent with a modern global organization.
The annual salary for this role is $84,000.
Application Materials
Interested applicants should attach their cover letter and resume
to the EDF application, together with a writing sample, and unofficial law
school transcript. In your cover letter, please describe your interest in
energy law and policy work, and relevant completed course work and experience
to the qualifications.
