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 embedding animal welfare requirements in the organic standards and protecting 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.

About the role

Center for Food Safety (CFS), one of the nation’s top food and environmental nonprofits, seeks a new Staff Attorney to join our team. The Staff Attorney should have at least four years of litigation experience, including clerkships and/or fellowships. CFS Staff Attorneys develop and prosecute precedent-setting cases in furtherance of CFS’s organizational mission and theory of change. The Attorney will participate in and, as appropriate, lead all phases of public interest high-impact litigation and administrative advocacy. CFS Staff Attorneys work with clients, allies, frontline communities, coalitions, and collaborative networks to apply and implement CFS campaigns. Staff Attorneys engage in public speaking and outreach. The Attorney will work on all CFS program areas, including but not limited to:

• Consumer Advocacy
• Farmworker and Farmer Protection
• Food and Climate Change
• Food Labeling/Right to Know
• Genetically Engineered Organisms and Monocultures
• Industrial Animal Agriculture
• Industrial Aquaculture
• Pesticides & Other Toxins
• Pollinator & Wildlife Protection
• Public Health
• Regenerative Agriculture: Organic & Beyond

What you'll do

• Support litigation and advocacy developed by CFS’s Legal Team and Legal Director.
• Serve as lead counsel or co-counsel as appropriate in CFS cases.
• Fulfill the full range of litigation tasks, including factual investigation, legal research and analysis, discovery and record review, briefing, oral argument, appeals, amicus briefs, settlement, and fee recovery.
• Lead the factual development for and litigation of precedent-setting public interest cases, furthering CFS’s theory of change.
• Represent CFS and clients in state and federal rulemaking and agency engagement.
• Support and engage in federal and state legislative activities connected to CFS litigation and organizational mission.
• Work closely with other CFS attorneys, policy and communications staff, scientists, coalition partners, and clients to build cases and support CFS policies and programs.
• Engage in public speaking, media, and outreach.
• Maintain and develop organizational partnerships with new clients, allies, and coalition partners to implement CFS's strategic litigation and organizational mission.
• Oversee fellows and law clerks and engage in recruitment efforts as appropriate.

Desired qualifications and skills

• Law school graduate with at least 4 years of litigation experience, including clerkships or fellowships (administrative/environmental/animal law or related area preferred);
• Ability to independently manage a litigation docket.
• Excellent analytical, legal research, and writing skills.
• Excellent communication and public speaking skills.
• Oral argument experience.
• Self-motivation and willingness to do administrative tasks.
• Proven ability to work collaboratively with others in a ,small, team-oriented environment.
• Strong work ethic, initiative, and creativity.
• Sensitivity to the concerns of and the ability to work with individuals from diverse cultures, backgrounds, and orientations.
• Admission to the California or Oregon bar or a willingness to be licensed in either state within one year (or bar admission in an existing remote location).
• A passion for enforcing and strengthening environmental laws.
• A passion for and/or a background in food and agriculture issues.

Compensation and benefits

Hybrid - San Francisco, CA: $87,000-$133,000 USD/ year (salary)
Hybrid - Washington, D.C.: $82,000-$123,000 USD/ year (salary)

Hybrid - Portland, OR: $77,000-$113,000 USD/ year (salary)

CFS offers a competitive compensation package, a flexible hybrid work environment, and a four-day workweek. In addition to salary, we offer a discretionary annual bonus and employer matching contributions to a retirement plan. Benefits include medical, vision, and dental insurance, disability insurance, a pre-tax medical savings plan, and generous vacation and leave policies. As a 501(c)(3) organization, CFS qualifies as an employer for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program.