League of Conservation Voters : Law Clerk
Title: Law Clerk
Department: Legal & Strategic Initiatives
Status: Non-exempt
Reports to: Deputy General Counsel
Location: Flexible
Duration: 12 Weeks – Summer 2021 (start and end dates flexible)
Schedule and Compensation: 40 hours per week; $15.00 per hour (unless otherwise funded)
General Description:
LCV believes our earth is worth fighting for because everyone has a right to clean air, water, and a safe, healthy community. To ensure those rights are protected, we help people use their power to shape policy, hold politicians and polluters accountable, and influence elections.
Our over 2 million members, our volunteers and staff, and our more than 30 state affiliates (together, the Conservation Voter Movement) work for a more just and equitable democracy, where people—not polluters—determine our future. This movement is an influential national network with unparalleled influence in Washington, DC, in state capitals, and in communities around the country. We are unmatched in our ability to ensure meaningful action on our key issues. We aim to bring people and communities together across racial, geographic, political, religious, economic and other differences toward collective goals instead of dividing us from one another.
LCV is seeking a Law Clerk who will support the General Counsel and Deputy General Counsel in a variety of issue areas. The Legal & Strategic Initiatives department, which serves as in-house general counsel to the organization, consists of two attorneys and advises on a wide variety of legal matters. The department specializes in advising the LCV family of organizations (a 501(c)(4), 501(c)(3), and several PACs) on their advocacy, electoral, and civic engagement activities, as well as legal compliance and risk management in their operations and employment practices. Key practice areas include federal and state election law, nonprofit tax law and governance, ethics and gift rules, contracts, employment and labor law, intellectual property, telecommunications, data and cybersecurity. Please note that the work of the Legal & Strategic Initiatives department generally does not involve environmental law issues.
The Law Clerk will gain experience working in an issue advocacy nonprofit organization, and a greater understanding around the multi-faceted aspects of serving as in-house counsel for a complex family of organizations. The Law Clerk will work primarily with the attorneys in the Legal & Strategic Initiatives department, but may also work cross-departmentally with staff in other departments on specific assignments. The Law Clerk will primarily engage in legal research, writing and analysis of varying levels of formality and complexity, including analyzing legislation and litigation impacting LCV’s activities or operations. The Law Clerk will also be asked to prepare guidance documents on legal issues for non-legal staff, and/or to assist in preparing and conducting training for non-legal staff.
The Law Clerk will join a cohort of LCV interns. Summer interns participate in brown bag lunches with various members of LCV’s senior management team, including President Gene Karpinski. When possible, the Law Clerk will be given the opportunity to participate in meetings with other nonprofit lawyers and to attend hearings and other events at government agencies (such as the Federal Election Commission) or other organizations in the DC area and/or virtually.
Intern Will Gain Experience in:
Federal and state election and campaign finance law.
Nonprofit tax law, federal and state lobbying and ethics rules, and other laws applicable to nonprofit organizations and advocacy activities.
Contract review, drafting and negotiation.
Employment and labor law issues, including operation of a collective bargaining agreement.
Rapidly developing legal issues in telecommunications, data and cybersecurity, and other areas.
Analyzing recent or pending legislation and litigation.
Conducting complex legal research, writing and analysis to address live questions presented for the organization.
Developing guidance on legal topics for non-attorney staff members.
Supporting the department’s efforts to provide legal services more equitably and inclusively to all staff.
Other duties as assigned.
Qualifications:
Education: 1-2 years of law school with strong academic performance.
Work Experience: Prior internship or work experience with a nonprofit organization, government agency, law firm, or political campaign is helpful, but not required..
Skills: Highly organized; strong attention to detail; excellent written and oral communications skills; strong legal research, writing, and analysis skills; exhibits solid judgment; critical thinking skills; able to work independently and as a team; able to handle multiple tasks; self-starter; proficient in Microsoft Office Suite, Google Suite and Westlaw; ability to explain legal concepts to non-legal audiences.
Cultural Competence: Shares our commitment to increasing racial diversity in our movement and organization and within the legal sector more broadly, integrating racial justice and equity into the work we do, and ensuring an inclusive organizational culture. Commitment to environmental protection and mission of LCV.
Conditions: The location of this position is flexible. Please note that all LCV staff and interns are currently working remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic.
To Apply: Send cover letter and resume to hr@lcv.org with “Law Clerk” in the subject line no later than December 31, 2020. No phone calls please.
LCV is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to a racially just, equitable and inclusive workplace.
https://www.lcv.org/careers/internship-opportunities/law-clerk/