General Counsel

350.org is looking for its first General Counsel to manage the legal function of the organization. If you are a seasoned lawyer with a passion for climate justice and activism and looking to bring your expertise to a new team, we need your help!

The General Counsel will work closely with department heads and functional leaders to provide independent, strategic oversight and advice on management of legal risks and opportunities for 350.org and our network of affiliates and grassroots groups. We expect the focus for the first two years to be on reviewing and strengthening our existing defenses, with potential for a deeper contribution towards our campaigning goals in the future.

About 350.org

350.org is building a global grassroots movement to solve the climate crisis. Our online campaigns, grassroots organizing, and mass public actions are led from the bottom up by thousands of volunteer organizers in over 188 countries. 350.org works hard to organize in a new way—everywhere at once, using online tools to facilitate strategic offline action. We want to be a laboratory for the best ways to strengthen the climate movement and catalyze transformation around the world. The values that guide and drive our work are listed here.

350.org is an equal opportunity employer. 350.org strives to be an inclusive and collaborative group of people who bring a variety of approaches to the work we do. We’re committed to the principles of justice, and we try to build a safe workplace where everyone is treated fairly and enjoys working together. We value new perspectives, ideas of all sorts, and different ways of working. Diverse perspectives and experiences improve the way 350.org carries out our work – including what we decide to work on and how creatively/effectively we do that. We do our best to make staff positions accessible to all potential team members, regardless of race, national origin, ethnicity, age, disability, assigned gender, gender expression or identity, sexual orientation or identity, religion or creed, veteran status, marital or parental status, and genetic information. We also strive to include team members in communities most impacted by climate change or impacted by other kinds of environmental, social, and economic injustice.

About the General Counsel

As our first in-house General Counsel, you will ensure the provision of effective and timely legal advice either directly or through a network of lawyers in different countries, your goals will be: (a) to build an effective international organization, and (b) enable people to take considered risks in their fight to stop the fossil fuel industry.

The General Counsel will be responsible for:

General: Providing independent, strategic and proactive legal advice to leadership on key risks and opportunities for 350.org and its network, leading development of an appropriate policy framework that is equitable and inclusive. Keeping abreast of and updating staff & leadership on relevant legal developments including freedom of expression and right of assembly in the countries we work

Risk management & mitigation: Connecting with programme teams at the strategic planning stage to identify risks. Ensuring standards and protocols for risk assessment procedures are appropriate, understood and complied with, ensuring potentially contentious activities undergo legal review in order to reduce the risk for staff/volunteers involved, and finding solutions that do not hinder the operations of the organization. Participation in the critical incident management teams or any other crisis response with legal implications.

Dispute & litigation management: Managing external legal disputes ensuring external lawyers are instructed. Ensuring legal representation of 350.org, its staff and volunteers, in all legal forums when defending or instituting proceedings

Organizational support, governance and compliance: Ensuring the provision of advice for global legal compliance (including company secretarial, legal registration, US 501(c)(3)/(c)(4) exemptions, data protection) and labor and employment matters, intellectual property and trademarking

Training and support: Assisting with the development and provision of guidance and training resources for staff and management on relevant legal topics in all offices

Required Qualifications

A university degree in Law

Admission and good standing with US, Dutch or UK Bar Association

Minimum of 7 years in practice, preferably in an international context

Passion for and alignment with 350.org’s vision, mission, and progressive values

Excellent verbal and written English communications, with knowledge of additional languages preferred

Ability to interpret complex legal issues and convey advice tailored to specific audiences including those with no legal background

Exceptional influencing skills, and strong negotiation, conflict resolution, mediation and presentation skills;

Ability to swiftly and effectively analyze and anticipate legal risks, and make a sound but pragmatic assessment of how best to manage these.

A deep understanding of and commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion and ability to collaborate with cross-cultural teams

Digitally literate: Good skills working with digital tools and online systems; willing and able to learn new ones, comfortable working in a remote/virtual environment

An ability to travel internationally, typically between two and four times per year

Desired (but not required) skills and experiences

Experience working for an international non-governmental organization or similar international organization with offices in multiple countries

Experience in NGO/non-profit governance matters (in particular US 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(4) and/or experience with registering charity status/fundraising entities in different countries an advantage)

Experience working as in-house counsel

Experience with strategic communications and reputation management

Experience working with or working for pro-bono or reduced-fee legal programs

We are looking for someone who is comfortable working both independently and in teams, highly responsive, and able to lead initiatives as well as take direction from others.

Position Type: Full Time

Application Deadline: This job is open until filled, or the hiring manager determines that they can no longer accept applications.

Compensation: Level 4.3 with salary dependant on location

Location: This is a remote position and working hours must have some overlap with standard GMT working hours. Individuals must have the right to work in the desired location, we regret that we cannot sponsor work visa applications.