Who we are

Center for Food Safety (CFS)'s mission is to empower people, support farmers, and protect the Earth from the harmful impacts of industrial agriculture. We defend and promote your right to safe food and a clean environment through groundbreaking legal, scientific, and grassroots action.  

For over 25 years, we have created a new food future, fostering a more powerful food movement against the harmful industrial agricultural system while promoting organic, ecological, and regenerative alternatives. We've won high-profile lawsuits to protect public health and endangered species from pesticides like Monsanto’s Roundup and dicamba. We prevented the introduction of genetically engineered wheat, rice, potatoes, and more to the market and secured meaningful labeling to ensure that we all know what's in our food. We succeeded in instilling animal welfare requirements into the organic standards and protected the oceans from industrial aquaculture. And much more: Our groundbreaking legal cases that protect pollinators, farmworkers, and farming communities, and the earth from the devastating impacts of industrial farming, are a landmark body of case law on food And much more: Our groundbreaking legal cases that protect pollinators, farmworkers, and farming communities, and the earth from the devastating impacts of industrial farming, are a landmark body of case law on food and agricultural issues, transforming our food system. Learn more at www.centerforfoodsafety.org.

About the role

CFS is seeking a legal assistant to provide litigation and administrative support to a small, dynamic legal team of attorneys. The ideal candidate has the flexibility to function well under pressure and manage multiple tasks to meet deadlines. 

What you'll do

Tasks will include, but are not limited to, the following: 

LITIGATION SUPPORT (80%) 

• Prepare documents for filing, including: proofread, format, produce tables of contents and authorities, assemble exhibit lists, prepare statutory and regulatory addenda, redactions, sealing, etc.

• File and serve paper and electronic filings in agency and court venues; ensure timely filing, delivery, and service of court documents in adherence to relevant court rules . 

• Maintain familiarity with rules and procedures of relevant courts and agencies where CFS has active litigation or legal actions. 

• Communicate with courts as requested by attorneys.  

• Manage legal team case files and keep up to date, including downloading and filing all ECF docket filings in CFS litigation. 

• Maintain litigation docket, case and attorney files, archive files, and legal calendar. 

• Coordinate case management tasks such as reviewing compliance with orders; calendaring and tracking deadlines; creating templates; maintaining matter data, and monitoring board approval requests.

• Research and guide attorneys on federal and state court rules and procedures. 

• Retrieve legal documents from agencies, libraries, court dockets, and internet sources.  

• Support attorneys in gaining admission to courts, submitting pro hac vice applications, renewing court registrations, and creating and managing e-filing accounts. 

• Coordinate administrative filings with federal agencies and oversee document submission and docket uploads. 

• Support attorneys with document review and production for litigation and public records, discovery procedures, privilege logs, and handling confidential documents.  

• Communicate with courts, clerk’s offices, legal vendors, printers, law schools, etc., about miscellaneous matters. 

• Maintain digital and servers, and serve as liaison for technology needs and issues. 

• Maintain Freedom of Information Act requests and responses from federal agencies. 

• Maintain billing account records and assist with fee recovery. 

ADMINISTRATIVE AND OPERATIONS SUPPORT (20%) 

• Conduct miscellaneous administrative tasks, such as scheduling and organizing legal team meetings and coordinating legal recruiting efforts.  

• Assist attorneys with job posting, scheduling, and hiring of legal team staff and law clerks. 

• Assist with onboarding and training of law clerks and new legal staff. 

• Other tasks as assigned and as needed. 

Qualifications

Required: 

• Flexibility to work occasionally on weekends and evenings to meet filing deadlines.  

• Bachelor's Degree, Associate's Degree, or Paralegal Certification.

• Proficiency in platforms and other technology used to support litigation work, such as Microsoft Office Applications, file management, Adobe Pro, and PACER/ECF. 

Preferred:  

• Experience with eDiscovery is a plus. 

• Interest in food and agriculture, public health, and/or environmental advocacy is a plus.  

• Paralegal training, two or more years of relevant experience, and/or a background in environmental advocacy are preferred but not required.   

• Recent college graduates interested in a career in public interest law and people with an administrative assistant background looking to transition to paralegal work are encouraged to apply. 

Compensation and Benefits

CFS offers a strong compensation package, a flexible and hybrid work environment, and a four-day “Flexible Fridays” work week. We also offer a discretionary annual bonus and an employer 401(k) retirement plan contribution. Benefits include medical, vision, and dental insurance, disability insurance, pre-tax medical savings plan, and generous vacation and leave policies.  

This is a hybrid position with a remote/in-person combination. Salary depends on experience and location. Salary will be commensurate with experience and vary based on location, but could range from $54,000 to $85,000.

Location

The position is preferred to be based in either Portland, Oregon, or the San Francisco Bay Area in a hybrid home-office model, but with fully remote also considered.