Application Guide
How to Apply for Fall 2026 Legal Externship – Biodiversity Defense Program
at Earthjustice
🏢 About Earthjustice
Earthjustice is unique as the nation's leading environmental law organization that exclusively represents clients free of charge, using litigation and policy advocacy as its primary tools. Unlike traditional law firms, it operates as a nonprofit public interest law firm driven by a mission to protect the environment and combat climate change through the legal system. Someone might want to work there to be part of strategic, high-impact environmental litigation and join a team passionate about justice, inclusion, and partnership.
About This Role
This legal externship in the Biodiversity Defense Program involves supporting litigation and policy work focused on addressing major drivers of biodiversity loss like habitat destruction and over-exploitation of wildlife. The extern will likely conduct legal research, draft memoranda, assist with case development, and help build partnerships across regional offices. It's impactful because it contributes directly to Earthjustice's mission of protecting species and ecosystems through the legal system, with work that intersects with climate change, public lands, and environmental justice.
💡 A Day in the Life
A typical day might involve conducting legal research on wildlife protection statutes like the Endangered Species Act, drafting memoranda on habitat destruction cases, participating in virtual team meetings with attorneys across different Earthjustice offices, and reviewing scientific literature on biodiversity loss. The extern would collaborate with supervising attorneys on case development while potentially attending virtual court proceedings or policy briefings related to biodiversity defense.
🚀 Application Tools
🎯 Who Earthjustice Is Looking For
- A law student eligible to receive academic credit or fulfill a graduation requirement through this externship (this is explicitly stated in the job description)
- Someone with demonstrated interest in environmental law, biodiversity conservation, or related fields through coursework, clinics, or prior experience
- A candidate who shares Earthjustice's core values of justice, inclusion, partnership, and excellence, and can articulate how these align with their own approach
- Someone with strong legal research and writing skills who can work independently in a remote setting while collaborating effectively with a distributed team
📝 Tips for Applying to Earthjustice
Explicitly address your eligibility for academic credit or graduation requirement fulfillment in your application materials
Demonstrate specific knowledge of Earthjustice's Biodiversity Defense Program by referencing their current cases or strategic focus areas in your materials
Highlight any experience with environmental law clinics, relevant coursework (like wildlife law, environmental policy, or administrative law), or volunteer work with conservation organizations
If applying for remote work, mention your ability to work effectively in a distributed team environment and your home office setup
Connect your personal passion for environmental justice to Earthjustice's specific mission statement 'the Earth needs a good lawyer' in your application
✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter
["Your specific interest in biodiversity defense work and understanding of the program's focus on habitat destruction and over-exploitation of wildlife", "How your background aligns with Earthjustice's core values of justice, inclusion, partnership, and excellence with concrete examples", 'Your eligibility for academic credit or graduation requirement fulfillment and why this externship fits your academic and career goals', 'Any relevant experience with legal research, writing, or environmental advocacy that prepares you for this specific externship']
Generate Cover Letter →🔍 Research Before Applying
To stand out, make sure you've researched:
- → Current cases in Earthjustice's Biodiversity Defense Program docket and their legal strategies
- → Earthjustice's recent victories and ongoing campaigns related to wildlife protection and habitat conservation
- → The organization's partnership model and how different programs (like Clean Energy, Healthy Communities) intersect with biodiversity work
- → Earthjustice's diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives and how they manifest in their legal work
💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics
Based on this role, you may be asked about:
⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Submitting a generic environmental law application without specific references to Earthjustice's Biodiversity Defense Program
- Failing to address the academic credit/graduation requirement eligibility that's explicitly stated as a requirement
- Focusing only on general environmental passion without demonstrating understanding of legal strategies for biodiversity protection
📅 Application Timeline
This position is open until filled. However, we recommend applying as soon as possible as roles at mission-driven organizations tend to fill quickly.
Typical hiring timeline:
Application Review
1-2 weeks
Initial Screening
Phone call or written assessment
Interviews
1-2 rounds, usually virtual
Offer
Congratulations!