Application Guide

How to Apply for Litigation Legal Assistant

at Center for Food Safety

🏢 About Center for Food Safety

The Center for Food Safety is a unique nonprofit that combines legal action, scientific research, and grassroots advocacy to challenge industrial agriculture and promote sustainable food systems. Working here means contributing to meaningful environmental and public health protection through groundbreaking litigation, making it ideal for someone passionate about food justice and environmental law.

About This Role

As a Litigation Legal Assistant at CFS, you'll handle critical behind-the-scenes work supporting attorneys in environmental and food safety cases. This role directly impacts the organization's ability to file timely, accurate legal documents that advance their mission, from assembling exhibits for court filings to managing complex litigation dockets remotely.

💡 A Day in the Life

A typical day involves preparing exhibits for an upcoming filing in a pesticide case, coordinating with attorneys on deadline calendaring, researching specific federal court rules for an administrative challenge, and managing electronic filings through PACER while maintaining organized remote case files. You might end the day proofreading a motion that needs to be filed before a midnight deadline.

🚀 Application Tools

Generate Cover Letter

AI-powered, tailored for Center for Food Safety

Interview Prep

Practice questions for this role

🎯 Who Center for Food Safety Is Looking For

  • Has experience with PACER/ECF systems and federal court procedures, particularly in environmental or administrative law contexts
  • Demonstrates meticulous attention to detail in legal document preparation and proofreading under tight deadlines
  • Shows genuine alignment with CFS's mission through previous work or volunteer experience in environmental, food justice, or nonprofit sectors
  • Possesses strong organizational skills for managing remote case files and calendaring systems without direct supervision

📝 Tips for Applying to Center for Food Safety

1

Highlight specific experience with PACER/ECF and federal court filings in your resume - quantify how many filings you've handled

2

Mention any experience with environmental law, administrative procedures, or public records requests since CFS specializes in these areas

3

Demonstrate your ability to work independently in a remote setting by describing your home office setup and time management strategies

4

Include examples of working occasional weekends/evenings to meet court deadlines in previous roles

5

Show familiarity with CFS's recent litigation by referencing specific cases in your cover letter (e.g., their work on pesticides or GMO labeling)

✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter

["Your alignment with CFS's mission and how your values connect to their work defending safe food and clean environments", 'Specific technical skills with PACER/ECF, Adobe Pro, and court filing systems relevant to their litigation focus', 'Experience managing multiple deadlines and working flexible hours to meet court filing requirements', 'Examples of supporting complex litigation in remote or nonprofit environments']

Generate Cover Letter →

🔍 Research Before Applying

To stand out, make sure you've researched:

  • → CFS's active litigation docket - particularly their cases against the EPA, USDA, or industrial agriculture companies
  • → Their recent victories and ongoing campaigns (like their work on bee-killing pesticides or factory farming regulations)
  • → The specific court venues where CFS frequently files (9th Circuit, DC Circuit, various district courts)
  • → Their organizational structure and how the legal team collaborates with science and grassroots departments
Visit Center for Food Safety's Website →

💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics

Based on this role, you may be asked about:

1 How you would handle a last-minute filing deadline requiring weekend work for a case challenging pesticide regulations
2 Your process for ensuring compliance with specific federal court rules when preparing environmental litigation documents
3 Experience retrieving legal documents or managing public records requests related to agricultural or environmental issues
4 How you stay organized and communicate effectively with attorneys while working remotely on multiple cases
5 Your understanding of CFS's litigation strategy and how this role supports their broader mission
Practice Interview Questions →

⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Generic applications that don't mention CFS's specific mission or environmental litigation focus
  • Overlooking the remote work requirements by not demonstrating self-management skills
  • Failing to provide concrete examples of PACER/ECF experience or court filing procedures

📅 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:

1

Application Review

1-2 weeks

2

Initial Screening

Phone call or written assessment

3

Interviews

1-2 rounds, usually virtual

✓

Offer

Congratulations!

Ready to Apply?

Good luck with your application to Center for Food Safety!

← Back to Job Listing Apply Now →