About Us:
At Ecojustice, we build a case for a better earth every day! We fight, and win, for our planet in court. Our Mission is why people join Ecojustice. People who choose to join us recognize that this planet is our most treasured inheritance, and it is our imperative to be good stewards for the generations who follow us. We use the power of the courts to defend what we value most. We believe in protecting the environment while having enough time off to enjoy it. If you are courageous, collaborative, and dedicated to the fight for a healthier environment, you will find your people here.
As a Managing Lawyer you will be at the cutting edge of environmental law: working with Ecojustice lawyers from across Canada in bringing strategic, game-changing public interest lawsuits and reforming Canada’s laws to deliver lasting solutions to our most urgent environmental problems: the climate emergency, species extinction and the pollution of the air, water, and soil on which all life depends. You will help maximize Ecojustice’s impact by ensuring excellence in Ecojustice’s regional program staff and operations.
About The Role:
In this role, you will lead all day-to-day office legal activities and direct, mentor, and support Program Staff regionally. The Managing Lawyer serves as the liaison for Ecojustice, translating national, integrated priorities into regional, actionable legal work.
This role will impact Ecojustice’s program priorities by:
- Participate as a lawyer on Ecojustice’s program team (litigation and law reform) while cultivating relationships with clients, allies, coalition partners, co-counsel, experts, and members of the bar.
- Manage Ecojustice’s Vancouver regional law staff by supporting and ensuring professional case carriage while overseeing the appropriate allocation of employee resources and distribution of work among lawyers, law students, and support staff.
- Oversee and administer the summer student and articling programs including recruitment and allocation of work while ensuring students receive meaningful support, guidance, and mentorship
- As the internal point person, assist Program Directors and other program leaders with ensuring effective implementation of Ecojustice’s integrated program strategy including program staff assignment, support, project prioritization, and litigation/law reform opportunity development.
- Managing Ecojustice’s Vancouver office operations to ensure excellent law practice facilities, systems, and procedures.
- Overseeing program staff performance management through goal setting, development, recognition, coaching, and including regularly engaging program staff 1 on 1 with clear objectives, intended outcomes, and effective feedback.
Role Success:
We are currently working to embed our commitment to justice, equity, diversity, inclusion, and reconciliation into all aspects of our organization. We value candidates who enjoy building meaningful, collaborative partnerships with equity-seeking groups and operationalizing JEDI-R values in day-to-day practices and operations.
Typically, we find that people who succeed in this role bring:
- Law degree, with active practice status.
- Member in good standing with the Law Society of British Columbia (or willing to apply for admission to the Law Society in BC).
- At least 7 years of litigation experience in the role of lead trial or appellate lawyer, ideally in one or more relevant practice areas such as environmental law, administrative law, or Aboriginal law.
- Excellent communicator with the ability to explain technical (legal and scientific information) and concepts verbally (and to the public), as well as strong written communication skills that highlight quality preparation of materials including, letters and memos of law.
- Prior professional experience in mentoring, managing people, and team-building; or a combination of informal leadership experience and professional practice.
- Commitment to work in a team environment, across disciplines, with individuals across Canada.
- Ability to motivate program staff to identify and achieve their goals and collaborate with them effectively
- Strong active listening skills, empathy, and demonstrated emotional intelligence when working with others.
Our Commitment To Workplace Accessibility, Equity, and Inclusion:
Ecojustice is committed to creating a diverse, equitable, and inclusive work environment and is responding to the calls for action to further reconciliation. We encourage applications from people with relevant job-related skills and who come from communities that have been structurally marginalized based on race, religion, nationality, social or ethnic origin, sex, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression. Members belonging to communities that experience marginalization can self-identify during the application process if they choose to do so.
Ecojustice strives to ensure that our online application system and recruitment process are accessible to individuals with different abilities and encourages candidates to contact careers@ecojustice.ca for any accommodation requests.
Great Reasons To Join Us:
- Recognized as one of Canada’s Top 100 charities by Charity Intelligence.
- A hybrid work environment and flexible work schedule that best suits you and how you work.
- 5% of your salary as a non-mandatory RRSP contribution.
- Parental leave top-up for birthing and non-birthing parents.
- Colleagues dedicated to environmental impact through their work at Ecojustice (over 95% mission alignment rating from 2019-2021 internal surveys).
- A culture of collaboration where employees are fostered by their managers (over 95% manager satisfaction rating from 2019-2021 internal surveys).
- Abundant paid time off options that recognize 13 public holidays (including National Day for Truth and Reconciliation), start with 3 weeks of vacation, 1 week of winter holidays, 2 float days, and more.
- Additional flexible leave policies that accommodate physical and mental health leave, caregiving responsibilities, volunteering, and other life events.
- A focus on supporting your health and well-being through an extended health benefits package, employee and family assistance program, and a wellness spending of $500 per year.
- Monthly learning opportunities to further our strategic commitment towards justice, equity, diversity, inclusion, and reconciliation.
Apply online here