Job Description

Futurewise, Washington State’s premier statewide public interest organization focused on land use and planning policy, seeks a Deputy Legal Director. The Deputy Legal Director will work alongside local community partners and leading attorneys in the field, to develop legal strategy and argue landmark cases that will define interpretation of Washington State’s unique Growth Management Act. The Deputy Legal Director will be at the center of the first cases enforcing new state requirements to dismantle exclusionary zoning, prevent displacement, combat health disparities and other environmental injustice, and foster climate resilient, affordable communities for all. Work on these new state requirements will complement continued litigation to protect Washington State’s beautiful and incredibly diverse wildlife habitat and agricultural communities, including some of the most vital land and marine ecosystems and local food systems in the continental US. This is an opportunity to work with and learn from our long-time Director of Planning and Law, Tim Trohimovich, and continue our track-record of successful, precedent-setting litigation.

Deputy Legal Director Responsibilities
− Preparing, filing, and litigating appeals before the State of Washington Growth Management Hearings Board, Shorelines Hearings Board, State Superior Court, State Court of Appeals, and State Supreme Court. This includes briefs and oral arguments.
− Developing legal strategy, in collaboration with the Director and the Futurewise Legal Committee, to identify potential cases on priority areas of law, gain legal standing by reviewing and commenting on comprehensive plans and development regulations, enter supporting science and policy materials into the record, recruit allies, and define the terms of the debate to maximize the chances of victory.
− Recruiting, managing and coaching cooperating attorneys and law student fellows.
− Collaborating with, supporting and advising local grassroots community partners, tribes, environmental and housing advocates, and other partners on legal appeals and related efforts.
− Building the reputation, capacity and reach of Futurewise, including communicating program successes and needs to the Futurewise staff, Board, partners and the public.
− Providing legal expertise for Futurewise advocacy efforts.
− Attending hearings in person and attending Futurewise related events including fundraising events in person.

Salary: $80,000 – $100,000, DOE. Benefits include full medical, dental and vision coverage, Simple IRA employer match up to 3% of salary, transit pass, and competitive starting vacation, sick leave and holidays.

How to Apply

Please submit the following in pdf to [email protected] by 5:00 pm on December 3.

• Cover letter
• Resume
• Legal writing sample
• Three references

Job Categories: Conservation. Job Types: Full-Time. Job Tags: Attorney, Environmental Law, and land-use. Salaries: 80,000 - 100,000.

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