Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) is seeking second- or third-year law students and recent law graduates to apply for a sponsorship opportunity to work with us as a Legal Fellow . This position is not funded; CLF will work with the Fellow to be considered for a sponsored fellowship such as Skadden, Equal Justice Works, or other public interest fellowships to begin in the fall of 2027.
If selected and if funding is obtained, the Legal Fellow will be located either in our Boston headquarters or in one of CLF’s other offices in New Haven, CT; Montpelier, VT; Concord, NH; Portland, ME; or Providence, RI, with some flexibility to work remotely within New England.
What you’ll do:
The fellowship provides new or recently barred lawyers an opportunity to serve as an attorney at one of the country’s oldest and most respected non-profit environmental advocacy organizations. The Legal Fellow will be a key part of the team to which they are assigned, responsible for developing policy and legal solutions to an array of environmental issues including clean energy, climate change, and environmental justice. Specific program assignments and responsibilities will be determined based on selected projects.
What you’ll need:
· A law degree
· A passion and commitment to the environment, public health, and/or social justice;
· Excellent legal advocacy and writing skills;
· Commitment to developing new skills and responsibilities;
· Commitment to working collaboratively with a diverse group of colleagues and partners;
· Commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Our highest priority is finding the best candidate for the job. Research has shown that people of color and women are less likely to apply for jobs if they don’t believe they meet every one of the qualifications described in a job description. Our hiring process is centered on assessing candidates with various lived experiences. We encourage you to apply, even if you don't believe you meet every one of our described qualifications or have a less traditional background.
Application Process:
CLF will review applications after July 27 th and will select candidates to continue the process with by August 7 th . Once selected, CLF will work with the candidate to apply for the outside funded fellowship, including working together on project-based fellowship ideas as applicable.
Applications should include a resume, cover letter (including why this project is a good fit for you) , and a summary of a fellowship proposal idea that is no more than 3 pages long. The summary should cover the following:
1. Which fellowship(s) you intend to apply for;
2. What your fellowship project aims to do;
3. Who your fellowship project will help;
4. Why the project is a good fit for CLF (including which program this project might be housed in) and, if relevant, anyone at CLF you have consulted with about the project) ;
5. Why the project is a good fit for the fellowships you intend to apply for; and
6. Anything else you want us to know.
We will use this summary as both a writing sample and to measure the proposed project’s fit with CLF’s strategic goals.
Salary & Benefits:
CLF offers a competitive salary, an extensive benefits plan , and an open, inclusive, and accepting work environment where differences are highly respected. CLF is committed to a minimum starting salary range for this position of $86,000 - $92,000 for Boston-based Fellows and $77,000- $80,000 for those based in other New England states; actual salary will reflect experience and qualifications. CLF will make up the difference between outside funding and our minimum salary requirements for selected fellows.
About CLF
Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) protects New England’s environment for the benefit of all people. A non-profit, member-supported organization, CLF uses the law, science, and the market to solve the region’s most challenging environmental problems, from climate change to ocean conservation to transportation. Every day, CLF advocates stand up for New Englanders—in statehouses, courthouses, boardrooms, regulatory hearings, and community gatherings—to forge innovative paths to environmental progress and economic prosperity for all in our region. To that end, CLF frequently works with communities of color, and those that are economically or otherwise disadvantaged, which often suffer disproportionately from the impacts of environmental degradation.
CLF is committed to diversity among our staff, volunteers, boards, and membership and creating a positive, inclusive workplace culture where all can thrive.
