US PIRG: Litigation Director

[T PIN]

Background 
U.S. PIRG, the federation of state Public Interest Research Groups (PIRGs), stands up to powerful special interests on behalf of the American public, working to win concrete results for our health and our well-being. With a strong network of researchers, advocates, organizers and students in state capitals across the country, we take on the special interests on issues such as product safety, public health, campaign finance reform, tax and budget reform and consumer protection, where these interests stand in the way of reform and progress.  We need a litigation director to help take on these special interests in court, to help win damages to discourage bad actors from continuing harmful behavior, and to make sure that regulations and laws are being fairly enforced.

 

Our litigation would primarily take place in federal court. The litigation directors might work closely with attorneys from the National Environmental Law Center who have filed suit -- under the federal Clean Air and Clean Water Acts, the Endangered Species Act, and federal hazardous waste laws – in the federal district courts of California, Illinois, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas, and Washington. The litigation director will also write amicus briefs in the federal circuit courts and the Supreme Court, and file federal regulatory challenges, to countermand threats to consumer and public health protection.

 

Responsibilities:

The litigation director will take responsibility for all aspects of PIRG’s federal court litigation. Working in conjunction with other senior staff and our in-house legal team, the director will be responsible for case development, legal research and writing, drafting pleadings, discovery and motion practice, working with lay and expert witnesses, and preparation for and conduct of trials. The director might also supervise other attorneys and paralegals, directing and training them in litigation practice.

 

The litigation director will represent our legal interests, and will strive to recoup legal fees and recover punitive damages from lawsuits.  The litigation director will also connect and network with other civil litigators, which will build our brand and profile. 

 

Qualifications

Candidates for this position should have at least 15 years’ litigation experience, although consideration will be given to exceptional, less-experienced candidates. Federal clerkship experience preferred. Additional relevant experience, such as scientific, engineering, political, policy, legal, journalistic, or government experience, is a plus. Advanced degrees in related fields may count toward a candidate's professional experience.

 

Candidates should possess initiative, excellent writing and research skills, an excellent academic record, good judgment, the ability to work independently, and a strong commitment to consumer protection. A healthy sense of humor, willingness to travel, and the ability to supervise and train other attorneys, are also essential.

 

Salary & Benefits 
Salary for this position is commensurate with the relevant professional experience and/or advanced degrees that a candidate has. The salary for this position, though modest, is commensurate with pay scales within the public interest legal community. US PIRG offers a competitive benefits package. Eligible staff receive health insurance, paid holidays, sick days, vacation days, and the opportunity to enroll in our college loan assistance and 401(k) programs. We also offer an excellent training program and opportunities for advancement.

 

Location(s): Denver, Boston, or Washington, DC.

 

To Apply: Visit: jobs.uspirg.org/apply

 

US PIRG is an equal opportunity employer and will not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin, religion, sex, age, handicap, pregnancy, sexual orientation or veteran status.