Glynn D. Key Associate Attorney Fellowship

The Southern Environmental Law Center is currently accepting applications for The Glynn D. Key Associate Attorney Fellowship to start in early Fall 2024. The Associate Attorney Fellow can potentially work in any of the following offices: Asheville, NC; Atlanta, GA; Birmingham, AL; Chapel Hill, NC; Charleston, SC; Charlottesville, VA; Nashville, TN.  

This is an entry-level position open to recent law graduates, attorneys completing clerkships, and practicing attorneys. The Glynn D. Key Associate Attorney Fellowship is part of our associate attorney program and is intended for applicants with a strong interest in or a demonstrated commitment to advancing environmental justice. Fellows will be provided the opportunity to work on at least one project with an environmental justice component.  

This is an excellent opportunity to be part of an organization that is successfully addressing some of the most important and challenging environmental and public health issues in the South and the nation. Fellows gain valuable experience and knowledge working with more experienced attorneys on litigation and legal advocacy in state and federal courts and before regulatory agencies. The term for fellowships is two years with the potential for a third year.  SELC currently has a hybrid work model that offers employees the flexibility to work at home up to two days per week. This is a full-time, exempt position and all employees must reside in our region.   

To learn more about the Glynn D. Key Associate Attorney Fellowship, click here. 

About Glynn D. Key: 

Glynn D. Key (1964-2014) was a widely admired and respected lawyer who broke through many racial and gender barriers in her life and career.  A native of Chattanooga, Tennessee, she attended the University of Virginia as a Jefferson Scholar, and served as the first African-American chair of the Honor Committee, as well as president of the Student Council.  She also received her law degree from UVA, and began her legal career as an associate at Covington & Burling in Washington, DC. 

From 1993 to 1996 she served in the first Clinton administration in the Department of the Interior as Special Assistant and Counsel to Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt.  At Interior, she was the lead negotiator of the $700 million groundbreaking Everglades restoration settlement among environmentalists, local Indian tribes, the farming industry, and the federal and state governments. Glynn then joined the Washington DC firm of Wilmer Hale where she was a partner in the corporate department practicing general corporate and environmental law.  Glynn later became general counsel for General Electric in its Coal Gasification and Water & Process Technologies Division, where she served until her sudden death at the tragically young age of 50.   Despite the demands of a successful professional career, Glynn generously shared her time and expertise in her communities, serving on many boards and councils including her alma mater’s Board of Visitors and Alumni Association (President).  

SELC was fortunate to have Glynn serve on our Board of Trustees from 2000 to 2009. 

Qualifications :

• A strong academic background and personal commitment to SELC’s mission.
• Exceptional legal research, analysis, and writing skills.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Demonstrated ability to work well in a collegial setting.
• A genuine interest in and commitment to helping SELC foster a more diverse, inclusive, and equitable workplace.
• Litigation experience and/or background in environmental law is preferred, and we value a demonstrated commitment to working with communities of color and other vulnerable communities.

About SELC:

The Southern Environmental Law Center is one of the nation’s most powerful defenders of the environment, rooted in the South. With a long track record, SELC takes on the toughest environmental challenges in court, in government, and in our communities to protect our region’s air, water, climate, wildlife, lands, and people. Nonprofit and nonpartisan, the organization has a staff of over 200, including more than 100 attorneys, and is headquartered in Charlottesville, VA., with offices in Asheville, Atlanta, Birmingham, Chapel Hill, Charleston, Nashville, Richmond, and Washington, DC.

At our core, we are place-based, rooted in our region, and connected with the communities and clients we serve. We believe in an equitable and inclusive workplace that reflects the rich racial and cultural diversity of our region and allows diverse perspectives to come to the forefront. We approach our work with the highest level of integrity, holding ourselves to high standards with an emphasis on honesty, accountability, and thoughtfulness. We value collaboration and camaraderie, realizing we are strongest when we work together and knowing that everyone has a critical role to play. We strive for impact through a strategic, bold, pragmatic, and ambitious outlook that is dedicated to achieving powerful results. We believe in these values and in the power of SELC. We hope you consider joining us. Learn more at https://www.southernenvironment.org/.

Compensation:

The salary range is $79,000-$85,000, depending on experience, and SELC offers an excellent benefits package. For more details about our benefits package, please visit our Careers page.

To Apply:

To apply, click on the ‘Apply Now’ button below to be directed to an online application where you can upload your application materials. Applicants will be able to apply to the Associate Attorney position, the Glynn D. Key Associate Attorney Fellowship, or both. All applicants must submit a cover letter, resume, writing sample, law school transcript or grade report (with date of birth and social security number redacted), and a list of three references.  

Applicants to the Glynn D. Key Associate Attorney Fellowship must also submit a statement of interest (no more than one page) in addition to the aforementioned application materials. The statement of interest should describe an experience working or volunteering to amplify the voice and experience of a historically marginalized community and or/to remedy or prevent an environmental injustice. How did you meaningfully involve the historically marginalized community and listen to their suggestions in working toward solutions? You may also elaborate upon your interest in working at the intersection of environmental law and racial justice. If the work included advocacy partnerships, please describe the partners and the community in which you worked or volunteered. It may also be personal or academic experiences related to environmental justice as a means to describe interest in environmental justice work.  

We encourage interested applicants to apply as soon as possible, as we evaluate and hire on a rolling basis until all positions are filled. All applications should be submitted by October 1, 2023.   

Click here to learn more about SELC’s application and interview process and click here to learn more about our hiring process generally.  

SELC is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to fostering an inclusive workplace environment. We are eager to welcome new team members who share this commitment. We still have much progress to make, but our goal is to create and maintain a staff that, at every level, reflects the rich racial and cultural diversity of the communities where we work and the clients that we serve. Persons of all backgrounds—including people of color, women, people with disabilities, veterans, and LGBTQ candidates—are strongly encouraged to apply.