Centre for Environmental Rights – Advancing Environmental Rights in South Africa

The Centre for Environmental Rights invites applications by suitably qualified and experienced candidates to take up a six-month pilot contract as staff attorney at the Centre, specialising in pollution, waste and land use matters. The staff attorney will ideally be based at the Centre’s offices in Cape Town, though he or she will be required to travel regularly to Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal. This pilot contract is funded by the Global Greengrants Fund, and outcomes will form the basis for further fundraising to develop the pilot into a three-year project. Gross salary for the pilot contract: R30,000 per month for six months. Closing date for applications: 22 August 2011.

Qualifications, skills and experience

• An LLB or equivalent qualification
• A tertiary qualification in environmental law
• Admission as attorney of the High Court of South Africa
• At least two years’ post-qualification experience in High Court litigation, particularly Constitutional and administrative law (experience in environmental litigation, particularly focused on pollution, waste and land use will be an advantage)
• A sound understanding of legal and procedural requirements for environmental decision-making and legal challenges, particularly decisions around pollution, waste and land use
• A sensitivity to social issues and needs
• A commitment to high quality client service

Key responsibilities

• Providing hands-on expert legal advice, support and representation to the three environmental justice organisations mentioned above, and to other clients of the Centre should time allow
• Legal research in support of legal advice, support and representation
• Liaison and relationship-building with existing legal representatives of the partner organisations
• Providing expert input into draft environmental policies and legislation on pollution, waste and land use matters
• Facilitating the upload of available resources onto the Centre’s Virtual Environmental Law Library and other news items on our website
• Training and overseeing the work of legal interns at the Centre
• Reporting and financial management for the project
• Support for fundraising for the subsequent three-year project

More details about this position is available here.

To apply, please send a persuasive cover letter motivating why you have the necessary qualifications, skills and experience for this position, as well as a comprehensive CV, to [email protected].

The Centre for Environmental Rights strives to reflect South Africa’s racial, cultural and gender diversity within its staff complement. All suitably qualified candidates are encouraged to apply.