Staff Attorney, Conservation Programs

**POSITION TITLE:** Staff Attorney, Conservation Programs **DEPARTMENT/PROGRAM:** Conservation Programs **REPORTS TO:** Vice President, External Affairs **STATUS:** Regular, Full-Time, Exempt **LOCATION:** Washington, DC preferred (hybrid); other states considered: AK, CA, FL, MD, OR, TX, VA, WA, WV **ABOUT OCEAN CONSERVANCY** For more than 50 years, Ocean Conservancy has delivered effective, evidence-based solutions for the ocean and all who depend on it. Today, we continue to unite science, people and policy to protect our ocean from the greatest challenges it faces: climate change, plastic pollution and biodiversity loss. We are a 501(c)3 headquartered in Washington, D.C. that inspires a worldwide network of partners, advocates and supporters through our comprehensive and clear-eyed approach to ocean conservation. Together, we are securing a healthy ocean and a thriving planet, forever and for everyone. **POSITION SUMMARY** The Staff Attorney for Conservation Programs works in concert with Ocean Conservancy's program and Government Relations (GR) teams to turn our conservation priorities into legal and policy action on a wide range of marine conservation issues including fisheries management, marine mammals, endangered species, climate/energy, plastic pollution, water quality and ecosystem protection. The Staff Attorney will engage in conservation litigation, including working with outside counsel; will work with other OC staff to engage in administrative rulemaking and similar processes; and will advocate across regulations, statutes and other legal and policymaking forums. This role is primarily focused on conservation and advocacy legal work. Success in this role means OC's legal strategies and tactics consistently move conservation outcomes forward, deadlines are met and conservation program and Government Relations teams have a trusted, embedded legal partner. This position may occasionally be asked to help with general organizational legal issues in collaboration with Ocean Conservancy’s General Counsel. The Staff Attorney will: - Collaboratively develop and deliver on legal strategies for OC's conservation priorities in partnership with program and GR staff - Advance OC’s regulatory and litigation challenges to produce measurable conservation wins - Meet advocacy filing deadlines — comment periods, testimony, amicus briefs, etc. - Become the conservation programs’ and Government Relations team's go-to legal partner for fast-turnaround position development, including cross-programmatic legal topics such as NEPA, ESA and MMPA, as well as program specific legal topics like fisheries management (Magnuson-Stevens Act) - Serve as a trusted, embedded legal partner to conservation program teams, with advocacy products cleared quickly and reliably **PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES** **Legal Strategy & Conservation Advocacy** - Research and analyze ocean conservation and management law, regulation and policy to support program work - Track, monitor and analyze administrative, legislative and judicial developments affecting ocean conservation and management - Work in concert with Ocean Conservancy's program and GR teams to formulate and advocate legally and scientifically sound conservation positions before federal and state regulators, legislators, the media and the public **Regulatory Engagement & Litigation Oversight** - Oversee Ocean Conservancy’s conservation-related litigation and coordinate with outside counsel on matters where OC is a party - Draft and review oral and written comments, testimony and proposed legislative language - Work with Government Relations to develop and articulate OC's legal and policy positions for internal and external audiences, including Executive and Legislative branch staff **Cross-Functional Collaboration** - Partner with the executive team, program staff, conservation science staff and Government Relations to align legal strategy, tactics and positions with OC's broader conservation goals - Work…