NRDC is a non-profit environmental advocacy organization. We use law, science, and the support of 3.1 million members and online activists to protect the planet's wildlife and wild places and to ensure the rights of all people to clean air, clean water, and healthy communities. NRDC was founded in 1970 and our people helped write some of America's bedrock environmental laws, including the Clean Water Act and many of the implementing regulations. Today, our team of more than 700 lawyers, scientists, economists, policy advocates, communications experts, and others work across the United States and the globe from our offices in Beijing; Chicago; New Delhi; New York; San Francisco; Santa Monica; and Washington, D.C. 

Position Summary:
NRDC is seeking a knowledgeable and motivated Associate General Counsel to work with the General Counsel team in our Washington, DC, Chicago, IL, New York, NY, Santa Monica, CA, or San Francisco, CA office. The General Counsel team provides in-house legal support to all NRDC programs and departments. This position will focus primarily (but not exclusively) on providing support for NRDC’s and NRDC Action Fund’s advocacy efforts and will work in close partnership with colleagues from External Affairs and Programs.

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the following essential functions: 

• Provide in-house legal support on tax exemption issues (both NRDC and the NRDC Action Fund) and election law matters (NRDC Action Fund only). 
• Provide staff legal training on lobbying, gifts/ethics, tax exemption and political law issues. 
• Provide ongoing legal support on a wide variety of matters to NRDC/AF programs and departments, including support for substantive programmatic and communications work and support for administrative functions (accounting and finance, facilities, human resources, development and IT). 
• Assist with the management of corporate and board governance for NRDC and NRDC Action Fund. 
• Assist with the establishment, implementation and management of various internal policies. 
• Monitor and advise on legal and regulatory developments relevant to NRDC’s operations. 
• Work with outside counsel as necessary and effectively manage related billing and budgetary considerations. 

The above list of duties is not comprehensive but generally demonstrates the types of matters under this position’s responsibility. Other duties may be assigned.  

Minimum Education & Experience:  

• Law degree from an accredited law school 
• 7+ years of related experience, with at least 5 years as a lawyer in relevant area. 
• Strongly Preferred: In-house legal experience 
• And/or equivalent education or experience 

Skills, Abilities, Competencies  

• Experience with campaign finance laws and lobbying laws at the federal, state, and local levels. 
• Communicate complex legal concepts clearly and succinctly, including to lay audiences, in both formal training and informal advising. 
• Excellent drafting, research, and written and oral communication skills. 
• Strong critical thinking and analytical ability, sound judgment, strategic orientation, and interpersonal maturity. 
• Ability to work efficiently in a fast-paced environment, handle multiple assignments and meet deadlines independently and with strong attention to detail. 
• Integrity, professional discretion and ability to handle sensitive/confidential matters. 
• Flexibility and ability to work well independently on multiple projects with a wide variety of people, at all levels of the organization. 
• Non-legal experience with advocacy or political organizations a plus. 
• Competence with and commitment to diversity and inclusion; ability to be an effective partner with diverse colleagues, leaders and partners. 
• Ability to travel to NRDC U.S. based offices as needed, approximately 15-20% 
• Commitment to NRDC’s mission, values, and DEI principles 

NRDC is committed to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion, both in our work and in our workplace. We believe that celebrating and actively welcoming diverse voices and perspectives is essential to solving the planet's most pressing environmental problems, and we encourage applications from candidates whose identities have been historically under-represented in the environmental movement. 

We are an equal opportunity employer and do not discriminate in hiring or employment on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, marital status, sexual orientation, national origin, citizenship, age, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law. Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.  

We offer competitive salaries, excellent benefits, and a supportive working environment. Salary is based on a nonprofit scale and is commensurate with skills and experience. Internal equity will be reviewed and considered to determine a final offer. For this position, the salary range is $135,000 to $165,000      .  

NRDC operates under a hybrid work model. Employees are required to come to the office 8 days per month. 

As a science-based organization, NRDC aims to do our part to help contain the COVID-19 public health crisis. For the sake of health, safety, and equity, we ask that people be vaccinated unless they have an approved medical or religious accommodation or other exemption in accordance with state and local law. We consider a person to be vaccinated two weeks after receiving one full course of a CDC-approved vaccine. In accordance with state or local law, new hires will be asked to attest to vaccination, those wishing to do so may request medical or religious accommodations or other exemptions via NRDC Employee Relations. NRDC treats all vaccine-related data confidentially, in keeping with local, state, and federal laws. 

To apply, visit www.nrdc.org/careers and upload your résumé and cover letter. Please mention where you saw this posting and upload any additional materials that showcase your abilities. Due to the high volume of applications, we will contact only those candidates we would like to interview. Please no phone calls, emails, or in-person résumé drop-offs. 

If you experience technical problems while applying or if you are a person with a disability and need assistance applying online, please reach out to iCIMS Customer Care at 1-800-889-4422. 

For more about NRDC, visit www.nrdc.org.