Associate Attorney - NorCal

Communities For A Better Environment is hiring a full-time Associate Attorney in Oakland, CA, to support grassroots organizing and legal advocacy focused on sustainable land use and air pollution regulation. The role involves litigation, policy development, and public outreach, emphasizing racial equity and community participation. The attorney will work closely with teams in East Oakland and Richmond on environmental issues and community rights.
General Position Summary

CBE seeks a full-time Associate Attorney to join our Northern California teams to support our “triad” of grassroots organizing, legal advocacy, and science-based research. CBE lawyers are accountable to residents and the principle that people speak for themselves. The NorCal Associate Attorney will support our East Oakland and Richmond teams by advocating for sustainable land use, health-protective air pollution regulation, and other issues affecting the community. CBE focuses on “stopping the bad and building the good.” In East Oakland, this work includes visioning for the future of sites in East Oakland like the former AB&I foundry, and fighting expanded use of polluting transportation fuels on freeways and at airports. In Richmond, this work includes refinery and climate planning. The NorCal Associate Attorney’s role requires creativity to identify opportunities for the law to help actualize the change the community envisions. The position will also support statewide policy advocacy.

Specific areas of focus include litigation and advocacy regarding CEQA, land use, toxics and remediation, and emissions laws and regulations.

Responsibilities for this position include, but are not limited to:
• Developing and litigating environmental, civil rights and community access lawsuits in state and federal courts on behalf of CBE;
• Collaborating with CBE staff and external partners as the legal voice of the triad (organizing, research and legal);
• Representing CBE at hearings in courts and before various administrative agencies responsible for enforcing federal, state and local environmental laws;
• Developing and advocating for policies at local, regional, and state government levels;
• Engaging in public education and outreach to promote CBE and CBE’s legal work;
• Attending and providing support at meetings with CBE staff and members.

In addition to the above, racial equity and language justice are key areas supported by the NorCal Associate Attorney, as these teams rely on federal, state and local anti-discrimination laws to support community participation. CBE has made a commitment to dismantling anti-blackness, white supremacy and cis-heteropatriarchial culture, and the NorCal Associate Attorney will participate in CBE’s internal work to meet equity goals and will be a bridge to our members’ participation.