Spring 2026 Legal Externship – Sustainable Food & Farming Program

Earthjustice is seeking two part-time legal externs for its Sustainable Food & Farming Program for Spring 2026. Law students passionate about environmental justice can apply, with the option to work remotely or in a hybrid model. Externs will assist attorneys in case development, legal research, and preparing briefs, requiring a commitment of 12-16 hours per week. This unpaid position requires academic credit or a graduation requirement.
Earthjustice’s Sustainable Food & Farming Program is accepting applications for two part-time legal externs for spring 2026. We are seeking law students who share a passion for justice and a healthy environment, and who are eligible to receive academic credit or fulfill a graduation requirement through this externship. The successful candidate may work remotely within the U.S. or on a hybrid schedule from one of Earthjustice’s offices.Earthjustice is the premier nonprofit environmental law organization. We take on the biggest, most precedent-setting cases across the country. We wield the power of law and the strength of partnership to protect people’s health; to preserve magnificent places and wildlife; to advance clean energy; and to combat climate change. We partner with thousands of groups to engage on the critical environmental issues of our time and bring about positive change. We are here because the earth needs a good lawyer.Founded in 1971, Earthjustice has a distinguished track record of achieving significant, lasting environmental protections. We achieve this by hiring people who share a passion for justice and a healthy environment. Our headquarters are in San Francisco with offices in Anchorage, Bozeman, Chicago, Denver, Honolulu, Houston, Juneau, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, Seattle, Tallahassee, and Washington, D.C.
The Sustainable Food and Farming Program engages in litigation and advocacy to improve our nation’s food system, from crop selection and farming practices to food processing and sustainability. Working in partnership with communities, advocacy groups, scientists, and others, we fight for safe and healthy food, climate-friendly farming, and reduced reliance on dangerous pesticides and chemical fertilizers. We take on cases with regional and national scope.
Responsibilities:Under the supervision of an attorney, the legal externs may:Work with attorneys on case development and litigation.Perform legal and factual research and develop case strategy and legal theories.Assist attorneys with preparing briefs and motions and meet with clients and experts.Participate in moots of oral arguments and attend court proceedings and conferences with opposing counsel.Qualifications: Enrolled in law school as a 2L or 3L during spring 2026.Must be eligible to receive academic credit or fulfill a graduation requirement through this externship.Excellent writing, research, analytical and organizational skills.Initiative, creative thinking, and the ability to work collegially with others.Interest in environmental protection or environmental justice is a plus.Commitment of 12-16 hours per week. Compensation:Legal externs are unpaid and must receive academic credit or fulfill a graduation requirement for their work with Earthjustice.To Apply:
Interested candidates should submit the following materials by 5:00pm PT on Wednesday, September 3, 2025 via Jobvite. Incomplete applications will not be considered. Applications will be reviewed beginning September 2 with offers extended no later than October 31. Resume.Cover letter – In one page, (1) Address why you want to work with the Sustainable Food & Farming Program and any information about yourself that is not apparent or fully explained in the resume; (2) Note the number of hours, or a reasonable estimate, you will be able to work each week; (3) Confirm that you can earn academic credit from your law school or that you will fulfill a graduation requirement through this externship; and (4) Indicate any applicable deadlines or requirements that are relevant to your submission or ability to accept an offer.Additional Documents (select “Add Files” in Jobvite): Recent writing sample, preferably a legal brief or memorandum of no more than 10 pages that primarily reflects your work. Please include a cover page indicating the extent to which your writing sample reflects edits and feedback from others.Finalists will be asked to submit 2 references, including one law professor or legal employer.Information about our hiring process and tips for success can be found at https://earthjustice.org/about/jobs/hiring-process. Please reach out tojobs@earthjustice.orgif you are having technical difficulties submitting your application. No phone calls, drop-ins, or hard copies. Earthjustice only considers applications submitted for current openings via Jobvite. Unsolicited resumes or resumes for posted positions that are not submitted via Jobvite will not be reviewed or retained.Earthjustice is driven by a passion for justice, inclusion, partnership, and excellence. Our core values lead us to seek a broad range of perspectives and backgrounds to achieve our mission and to maintain an inclusive environment where all staff are valued and respected. As an equal opportunity employer, we are committed to employment practices that ensure that employees and applicants for employment are provided with equal opportunities without regard to race, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, age, religion, physical or mental disability, medical condition, veteran status, marital status, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, or any other factor that is not related to the position.For positions located within the City and County of San Francisco: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.For positions located within the City of Los Angeles: We will consider qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with the Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring. #J-18808-Ljbffr