Description

SUMMARY OF POSITION:
Use the Law to Advance Environmental Justice Where It Matters Most

Alternatives for Community & Environment Inc. (ACE) is a movement-based organization that integrates environmental justice, fair housing, and fair lending to build healthier, more equitable, and resilient communities. For more than 30 years, ACE has been a grassroots environmental justice organization building community power and using organizing, advocacy, and legal strategies to confront environmental racism and systemic inequity. ACE anchors the Environmental Justice Assistance Network (EJAN), a collaborative pro bono network that connects communities facing environmental injustice with legal, scientific, public health, and technical expertise.

As communities across Massachusetts face disinvestment and growing threats to health, housing, climate resilience, and economic opportunity, ACE seeks a mission-driven, strategic Staff Attorney to join our team. This role goes beyond traditional legal practice. The Staff Attorney will use legal tools to build power within marginalized communities, advance community-led solutions, and support grassroots movements.

The Staff Attorney will work closely with community organizers, activists, partner organizations, pro bono attorneys, technical professionals, and community members to develop legal strategies that respond to community priorities and remain accountable to those most directly impacted by environmental racism, housing injustice, economic inequality, and other systemic inequities.

The attorney will support environmental justice, racial justice, and community-led campaigns and legal strategies. Through direct legal advocacy, policy development, coalition support, strategic counseling, and community education, this position offers an opportunity to have a tangible impact at the neighborhood level while contributing to broader systemic change across Massachusetts and New England.

The Staff Attorney will focus on legal support, coordination, and growth of EJAN, development of pro bono partnerships, and connecting legal strategy with community organizing and movement-building. The Staff Attorney will report to the Director of Policy and Law.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO:

• Provide legal counsel, research, strategic legal support, and policy advocacy in support of ACE’s community campaigns and grassroots organizing, including strategic litigation, administrative advocacy, regulatory matters, and other legal interventions, as appropriate.
• Conduct outreach to community groups and organizations to identify potential clients, legal needs, and opportunities for collaboration, while developing and maintaining relationships with community partners participating in, supporting, or benefiting from EJAN.
• Develop relationships and protocols that allow EJAN to respond effectively to urgent community needs.
• Identify opportunities to increase EJAN’s legal services, pro bono capacity, community partnerships, and impact.
• Coordinate the assignment and referral of matters to ACE staff, pro bono attorneys, technical professionals, and other appropriate resources, while building and maintaining relationships with law firms, bar associations, law schools, professional associations, and private-sector professionals to expand EJAN’s legal and technical capacity.
• Develop and conduct Know Your Rights workshops, legal clinics, training, and educational programs for community members, organizers, and partner organizations.
• Draft legal, policy, and community-facing materials, talking points, newsletters, features, social media content, and other communications that highlight ACE and EJAN’s work, priorities, and accomplishments for members, donors, partners, and the broader public.
• Track EJAN activities, referrals, cases, training, pro bono participation, and other program metrics, and assist with grant reporting, program evaluation, and related administrative responsibilities.
• Contribute to program planning, strategic initiatives, fundraising efforts, and organizational priorities that advance ACE’s environmental justice and legal advocacy goals.
• Represent ACE and EJAN at community meetings, legal and professional events, coalition meetings, training, and other relevant forums.

Requirements

REQUIRED EDUCATION AND QUALIFICATIONS:

• J.D. and Bar Admission: Juris Doctor (J.D.) or equivalent law degree from an accredited law school and admission to the Massachusetts Bar, or eligibility for admission within a reasonable period.
• Legal Experience: Experience in one or more relevant areas, including environmental justice, housing, fair housing, civil rights, land use, public health, administrative law, economic justice, or related fields.
• Legal Skills: Strong legal research, writing, advocacy, and community engagement skills.
• Community and Movement Experience: Lived experience with communities, movements, or issues relevant to ACE’s work, and/or prior experience as a community organizer, activist, campaign strategist, or movement leader.
• Language Skills: Fluency in a second language commonly spoken by communities in Greater Boston or Massachusetts, such as Spanish, Haitian Creole, Mandarin, or Arabic.
• Network Development: Experience developing and managing pro bono, legal services, professional, organizational, or community partnerships.

POSITION: Staff Attorney

DAYS/HOURS: 9:00 am – 5:00 pm, Monday – Friday plus occasional evening trainings/events.
*Hybrid- This position is currently hybrid, necessitating in person office attendance for 3 days weekly. Occasional evening and weekend work is required to attend community meetings, training, events, and actions.

REPORTS TO: Director of Policy and Law
UNIT(S): ACE/EJAN
STATUS: Full-time, Exempt
LOCATION: Boston, MA
SALARY: $80,000 – $105,000
BENEFITS: Health, dental, and vision insurance; 401(k); generous paid time off (PTO); and professional development funds.

***How to Apply:
Interested candidates should submit a resume and cover letter describing their interest in the position and relevant experience. Applicants may also submit an optional writing sample, preferably legal, policy, or advocacy-related.

Please submit application materials to: hr@ace-ej.org. The position will remain open until filled.