Programme Strategy and Implementation

• Contribute to the development and implementation of programme strategies, priorities, projects, and initiatives to maximise impact and achieve organisational objectives.

• Support programme planning, monitoring, evaluation, and reporting to ensure the effective delivery of outcomes and commitments.

Litigation and Client Management

• Manage client relationships and lead allocated litigation matters, providing sound legal advice, strategic direction, and professional judgement.

• Develop and implement litigation strategies that advance client interests and support broader programme goals.

Legal Research, Analysis and Drafting

• Conduct legal research and analysis, identify legal risks and opportunities, and provide strategic recommendations.

• Draft, review, and finalise a wide range of legal documents, including pleadings, heads of argument, opinions, applications, reports, memoranda, correspondence, briefs, and legal submissions.

Legal Representation

• Represent clients in court proceedings, tribunals, inquiries, and other legal processes where authorised and required.

• Support clients with the preparation and execution of legal agreements and related documentation.

Advocacy, Networking and Legal Empowerment

• Support advocacy campaigns and public-interest initiatives through engagement with communities, partners, civil society organisations, and other stakeholders.

• Facilitate training, legal empowerment, and capacity-building initiatives for community activists, clients, partners, and affected communities.

Leadership and Supervision

• Supervise, mentor, and support junior attorneys and candidate attorneys, contributing to their professional development and ensuring high-quality legal work.

• Assist with work allocation, prioritisation, and programme coordination to ensure matters are progressed effectively and timeously.

Monitoring, Reporting and Administration

• Maintain effective case management, reporting, and administrative systems.

• Contribute to programme reports and ensure accurate record-keeping and compliance with organisational processes.

Strategic Communications and Stakeholder Engagement

• Contribute to media engagement, publications, op-eds, media statements, and other communications that support organisational campaigns and objectives.

• Build and maintain effective relationships with clients, partners, funders, experts, and other stakeholders.

Financial Stewardship and Organisational Development

• Support sound financial management through the responsible use of organisational resources and compliance with organisational policies and procedures.

• Contribute to organisational learning, policy development, and the promotion of a positive, inclusive, and values-driven culture.

Funder Relations and Risk Management

• Assist with donor reporting, fundraising initiatives, and stakeholder engagement activities.

• Contribute to the identification and management of programme and organisational risks and support the implementation of mitigation strategies

• An LLB or equivalent legal qualification. An LLM, particularly in environmental law, climate law, constitutional law, administrative law or mining-related law, would be an advantage.

• Admission as an attorney of the High Court of South Africa, with at least 5 years’ post-admission experience, including substantial High Court litigation experience. Strong litigation skills, including the ability to analyse complex legal and factual issues, draft pleadings, affidavits, opinions, submissions and correspondence, prepare matters for hearing, brief counsel, and manage litigation processes with appropriate independence and accountability.

• Sound knowledge of South African constitutional and administrative law, including legal and procedural requirements for judicial review.

• Interest in environmental law. Experience in South African environmental, climate, and/or or public interest litigation will be advantageous.

• Excellent legal research, analytical and strategic thinking skills, with the ability to identify legal risks, opportunities and practical strategies in complex matters affecting communities, civil society partners and the public interest.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to produce clear, persuasive and accurate legal documents, submissions, briefing notes and public-facing materials with strong attention to detail.

• Demonstrated commitment to environmental justice, climate justice, social justice and the protection of the constitutional right to an environment that is not harmful to health or wellbeing.

• Sensitivity to social inequality and the lived experiences, priorities and needs of mining-affected and marginalised communities, with a commitment to respectful, ethical and client-centred legal practice.

• Strong relationship-building, networking, and/orstakeholder engagement skills. Interest in   working directly  with affected communities, civil society organisations, activists, regulators, experts and legal practitioners. Some experience in doing so will be an advantage.

• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively in a multidisciplinary team, manage competing deadlines, contribute to programme strategy, and uphold high standards of professionalism, accountability, diversity, inclusion and transformation.

• Experience in mentoring, supervising or supporting junior lawyers, candidate attorneys, interns or community partners would be an advantage.