CLIMATE LEGAL VACANCIES
Opportunities for lawyers to engage in climate action
To apply email your CV, a motivation letter, and a completed biosummary form to the address on the job advert.
Action Appointments (on behalf of IREX) is recruiting experienced lawyers not currently employed in the climate action / environmental rights sector to take part in the African Climate Legal Fellowship Programme (ACLFP), a pilot initiative providing pathways for legal professionals to transition to climate action careers with the goal of accelerating organizations leading the energy transition litigation movement in Africa. As a Fellow you will benefit from climate change, environmental law, and leadership development training, as well as building your global network of likeminded professionals.
If you have any issues with your application please send an email to callum@actionappointments.co.za
⯯ Scroll down to view and apply for vacancies ⯯
Legal Officer, DRC
Alerte Congolaise pour l'Environnement et les Droits de l'Homme
Goma, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Closing Date:
Monday, 2 September 2024
Open
Under the responsibility of the Head of the Legal and Climate Justice Department, the Legal Officer will carry out legal tasks, including judicial support, research, analysis, support for hearings, consultations, legal assistance, training, and planning in legal advocacy cases, climate litigation, administrative requests, assignments, hearing reports, and other tasks requested by ACEDH.
Key Responsibilities:
Analyze the legal framework for acts and procedures related to the contracting of gas and oil blocks in the DRC.
Participate in hearings on environmental cases, defending environmental and conservation defenders in courts and tribunals.
Contribute to the construction of case files and legal aid strategies in key cases related to climate, local rights, and related strategic litigation.
Key Requirements:
Congolese nationality or other.
Must be a human rights or environmental rights defender, preferably a lawyer.
Ready to make sacrifices and work with rural communities.
No prior convictions, prosecutions, or suspicions related to environmental crimes, child trafficking, or other organized crimes.
Legal Consultant / Practitioner
The Legal Assistance Centre
Namibia
Closing Date:
Monday, 2 September 2024
Open
The primary purpose of the Legal Practitioner/Legal Consultant is to provide expert legal advice and support to clients, ensuring compliance with relevant laws and regulations. This role involves analyzing comples legal issues, preparing legal documents, representing clients in legal proceedings, and developing strategies to mitigate legal risks.
Key Responsibilities:
Demonstrate knowledge of EIA and SEA processes, including international standards and best practices.
Ensure compliance with relevant environmental regulations and guidelines.
Apply environmental and/or climate knowledge in project planning and execution.
Stay updated with current environmental issues and integrate this knowledge into work processes.
Key Requirements:
LLB degree or other recognized Law Degree
Minimum 4 years post-admission experience
A valid driver’s license
The ability to communicate and negotiate at all levels
African Climate Legal Fellow
Advocates for Community Alternatives
Senegal
Closing Date:
Monday, 2 September 2024
Open
Niafrang, a small coastal village near the Gambian border in Casamance, faces an existential threat from proposed mining activities by Astron Ltd, an Australian-based and Hong Kong-owned company. The Senegalese government has granted permits to mine the village's barrier dune, which protects fields and freshwater supplies from saltwater contamination. The Fellow will provide legal, judicial, and advocacy assistance to end this threat, building on years of support from ACA and local partners.
Key Responsibilities:
Review all relevant documents available about the mining project in Niafrang.
Propose legal strategies aimed at securing the cancellation of existing mining licenses in Niafrang.
Develop a timeline for the agreed activities.
Key Requirements:
Law degree (J.D., LL.B., or equivalent).
License to practice as a lawyer in Senegal.
At least 4 years of experience as a practicing lawyer in Senegal.
Legal Officer
Chima Williams & Associates
Benin City, Nigeria
Closing Date:
Friday, 23 August 2024
Open
Chima Williams & Associates is looking to appoint a full-time, passionate Legal Officer between 4 to 10 years post call experience to lead our energy/climate change campaign and litigation desk. The successful candidate will be responsible for framing and engaging in research and documentation, legal drafts, campaign and legal representations of indigent citizens and communities both in Nigeria and other African frontline communities suffering from the negative impacts of climate change and related energy poverty at different fora of action.
Key Responsibilities:
Lead the firm's energy and climate change initiatives.
Conduct research and document cases on environmental impacts.
Prepare legal drafts and necessary documentation.
Represent communities in legal and campaign forums locally and internationally.
Key Requirements:
LLB (Hons) and BL, with 4 or more years experience, post call to the Nigerian Bar.
Must be enrolled to practice law in Nigeria.
Strong legal research, writing, and documentation skills.
Good English speaking and writing skills.
Climate Fellow
Center for Strategic Litigation
Zanzibar, Tanzania
Closing Date:
Friday, 30 August 2024
Open
CSL seeks an experienced and well-connected mid-career attorney to join this pilot initiative. The placement at CSL offers mentorship, coaching, leadership development, and specialized training in environmental and climate change law and science. Fellows will join a network of like-minded lawyers across Africa and participate in a launch convening requiring travel within the continent.
Key Responsibilities:
Lead and support public interest litigation (PIL) and advocacy processes, including case research, and regional and international climate justice and complaint mechanisms, as well as international fora for climate action.
Advise on climate justice programming and funding opportunities for training young lawyers to research and prosecute PIL on climate-focused issues.
Investigate the impacts of large-scale renewable energy projects and adaptation strategies on marginalized communities.
Key Requirements:
Law degree with a postgraduate diploma in legal practice.
Applicants with demonstrated academic excellence (such as high GPA scores and/or academic awards) are encouraged to apply.
Demonstrable legal research skills and experience through coursework, litigation, internships, or volunteer work.
A strong commitment to advancing social justice and democratic principles and ideals.
Energy Transition Legal Fellow
Just Energy Transition Africa
Africa
Closing Date:
Friday, 23 August 2024
Open
The Just Energy Transition Africa (JETA) Initiative seeks an Energy Transition Legal Fellow with a technical and policy background and experience in renewable energy law and regulation. The successful candidate may be based at the Natural Justice office in Nairobi or Cape Town or work remotely. The Energy Transition Legal Fellow will join a team of lawyers working to advance a just transition from dirty fossil fuels to clean energy in key countries across Africa.
Key Responsibilities:
Identify and engage in advocacy for legal and regulatory reform on energy law and electricity market regulation, and environmental law as appropriate, with key partners and allies.
Provide comments and make submissions on relevant law, regulation, and policy proposals, reforms, and amendments.
Support relevant legal cases and respond to inquiries of partners and relevant stakeholders. Provide technical advice to partners, affected communities, and other relevant stakeholders.
Key Requirements:
Bachelor’s degree in law. A post-graduate degree in energy policy, energy transition or a related field is desirable.
A minimum of three to four years of demonstrated work experience in clean energy issues and energy regulation and policy.
Proficiency in working with technical experts and experience working in interdisciplinary teams.
Legal Officer, Uganda
Africa Institute for Energy Governance (AFIEGO)
Kampala, Uganda
Closing Date:
Friday, 23 August 2024
Open
The Legal Officer will be responsible for managing public litigation at both national and international level. The successful incumbent will also be required to undertake legal research and engage in advocacy in pursuit of AFIEGO’s goal. Further, the Legal Officer will also support mobilization of resources through writing proposals for the legal department.
Key Responsibilities:
Providing legal advice to AFIEGO and partners on cases already in court and others to be filed
Providing support to management on matters related to legal advocacy
Coordinating with external lawyers involved in AFIEGO’s cases to ensure effective representation
Representing and defending AFIEGO in court and tribunals and other legal proceedings, draw up legal documents and advise on legal matters
Key Requirements:
3-4 years experience in law/legal field
Practicing advocate with a valid practicing certificate
Any other relevant post graduate qualification and training in natural resources governance
Senior Legal Fellow
Natural Justice
Cape Town, South Africa
Closing Date:
Friday, 23 August 2024
Open
Natural Justice is seeking a Senior Legal Fellow for its Southern Africa hub, which operates across South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique. This role, under the Defending Rights Programmatic Stream, involves providing legal support to indigenous people and local communities, particularly in climate justice, indigenous rights, land rights, and human rights.
Key Responsibilities:
Support local communities in Southern Africa affected by large-scale extractives, infrastructure, and other projects by providing legal advice and supporting legal empowerment approaches.
Provide high-quality legal advice and support to the communities Natural Justice works with, and to its partners.
Support environmental and climate litigation cases across the hub.
Key Requirements:
Completed legal qualification and admission as an attorney or advocate.
At least four years of post-admission experience in a legal environment.
A post-graduate degree in law, political science, or another relevant natural or social science discipline is desirable.
In-depth knowledge of South Africa’s constitutional and administrative law, including human rights, land, and environmental law, or a clear ability to acquire the necessary knowledge quickly.
Litigation Attorney
Legal Resources Centre
Cape Town, South Africa
Closing Date:
Friday, 23 August 2024
Open
The LRC seeks to appoint a Litigation Attorney, in its Cape Town office, for a fixed term period of one year. The position will be based in the land and resources programme, with a focus on furthering the LRC’s climate change litigation. The remuneration will be commensurate with qualification and experience.
Key Responsibilities:
Legal research with a focus on the intersection of climate change with access to land and resources and the right to food.
Conceptualising and anchoring strategic litigation, working in teams
Develop partnership opportunities and manage stakeholder relationships
Act as a spokesperson and represent the Centre in public, media and community forums
Key Requirements:
Admission and enrolment as an attorney of the High Court of South Africa
Minimum of 4 years post articles High Court litigation experience
Demonstrable litigation, legal writing, research and communication capabilities
Fluency in at least two official South African languages including English
Legal Fellow - Climate Justice
Katiba Institute
Kenya
Closing Date:
Friday, 23 August 2024
Open
The Legal Fellow- Climate Justice is a one-year fellowship that will allow an Advocate of the High Court of Kenya in private practice to have the opportunity to work on climate justice issues. The Legal Fellow will be responsible for providing legal advice to members of the public, supporting local organisations, communities and community partners through capacity building, and providing technical and other support to civil society partners on matters related to climate justice.
Key Responsibilities:
Engage in policy, advocacy, and strategic litigation in defence of the Constitution, specifically in furtherance of environmental and climate justice in Kenya.
Conduct KI’s litigation matters before Courts and Tribunals.
Undertake legal research, write submissions, and provide opinions on legal questions on matters in related to climate justice from communities and partners.
Key Requirements:
An undergraduate degree in law, admitted as an Advocate of the High Court of Kenya and a current practising certificate - a graduate degree will be an added advantage.
At least four years of work experience, post admission to the bar, with good knowledge of either commercial law, finance law, public-private partnerships, energy law and/or contract law with the ability to learn new information quickly and open to working on environmental and climate justice issues.
Experience in negotiating and developing contracts related to public-private partnerships, financing projects, or energy law is an added advantage.
Strategic Litigation Lawyer
CRADESC
Dakar
Closing Date:
Friday, 23 August 2024
Open
Under the responsibility of the Director, the role of the Lawyer Specialized in Strategic Litigation in Human Rights will be to prepare, coordinate and lead litigation files of public interest in CRADESC's areas of intervention. He/she will offer legal services and prepare the beneficiaries of the organization's interventions in the defense of their economic, social and cultural rights (ESCR).
Key Responsibilities:
Defend and represent clients in strategic human rights litigation.
Advise and support clients in administrative and judicial proceedings.
Develop legal strategies to promote and protect economic, social and cultural rights.
Key Requirements:
Four years of professional experience in the profession of practicing lawyer in Senegal
A perfect mastery of litigation procedures at the level of national and community courts
A very good knowledge of the legal and judicial systems, and possibly of strategic human rights litigation in the French-speaking world