Application Guide
How to Apply for Senior Staff Attorney
at As You Sow
🏢 About As You Sow
As You Sow is a unique nonprofit that leverages shareholder advocacy and impact litigation to drive corporate accountability on environmental and social issues. Working here means joining a mission-driven team that has a proven track record of influencing major corporations on climate, toxics, and social justice.
About This Role
This Senior Staff Attorney role leads high-impact litigation and legal strategies to advance shareholder rights and corporate accountability. You'll collaborate with program staff and allies to defend shareholder resolutions, write amicus briefs, and respond to emerging regulatory challenges, directly shaping corporate behavior.
💡 A Day in the Life
A typical day might start with a virtual check-in with program staff to discuss ongoing litigation or a new regulatory threat. You could spend the morning drafting an amicus brief or reviewing shareholder resolution challenges, then join a strategy call with coalition partners in the afternoon. Evenings might involve researching emerging legal issues or preparing for a court filing.
🚀 Application Tools
🎯 Who As You Sow Is Looking For
- A seasoned litigator with 3+ years of post-graduate experience, ideally in environmental, corporate, or securities law, with a passion for using legal tools to advance social justice.
- An excellent writer and public speaker who can craft compelling amicus briefs, regulatory comments, and oral arguments in high-stakes settings.
- A collaborative team player comfortable working remotely with program staff, outside counsel, and coalition partners across multiple issue areas.
- A proactive self-starter who can identify emerging legal and regulatory challenges and develop creative strategies to address them.
📝 Tips for Applying to As You Sow
Tailor your cover letter to highlight specific experience with shareholder advocacy, impact litigation, or corporate accountability campaigns—generic nonprofit legal work won't stand out.
In your resume, quantify the impact of your litigation (e.g., number of cases, settlements, or policy changes) and mention any work with amicus briefs or regulatory comments.
Demonstrate your familiarity with As You Sow's key program areas (climate, circular economy, environmental health) by referencing specific campaigns or recent successes in your application.
Given the remote nature, emphasize your ability to work independently and manage complex litigation with minimal supervision, including examples of remote collaboration.
Show your commitment to the mission by including any pro bono work, board service, or volunteer experience related to environmental or social justice.
✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter
['Your passion for corporate accountability and using litigation to drive systemic change, not just individual cases.', "Specific examples of complex litigation you've led or contributed to, especially in environmental, securities, or shareholder rights contexts.", 'Your ability to collaborate across teams and with external partners, including examples of coalition-building or working with outside counsel.', "Your understanding of the unique role shareholder advocacy plays in As You Sow's theory of change and how your legal skills can advance it."]
Generate Cover Letter →🔍 Research Before Applying
To stand out, make sure you've researched:
- → Review As You Sow's recent shareholder resolutions and impact litigation cases on their website, especially in climate and circular economy.
- → Read their annual report and press releases to understand their theory of change and recent wins.
- → Familiarize yourself with key SEC rules on shareholder proposals and any recent changes or debates.
- → Look into the backgrounds of the legal team and executive director to understand the culture and expertise.
💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics
Based on this role, you may be asked about:
⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Don't submit a generic cover letter that doesn't reference As You Sow's specific campaigns or legal strategies.
- Avoid overemphasizing traditional corporate law experience without connecting it to shareholder advocacy or public interest litigation.
- Don't ignore the remote aspect—failing to address your ability to work independently and communicate asynchronously can be a red flag.
📅 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!