Application Deadline: 11:59pm PT on March 22, 2026
Location: In-person based at office located on xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish) & səl̓ilwətaʔɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) territory (Vancouver, BC). Remote work from another BC location is possible.
Remuneration: Commensurate with experience based on year-of-call salary scale ($89,000 - $110,000 yearly based on preferred minimum 5-year call) plus competitive benefit package.
Vancouver-based West Coast Environmental Law has an immediate opening for a full-time staff lawyer who is passionate about using their legal skills in service of environmental justice. This position is with West Coast’s Access to Justice program, which provides environmental legal services through:
- a free summary advice service that offers legal assistance by way of a dedicated call-in telephone line and email, and,
- the Environmental Dispute Resolution Fund (EDRF), which is a fund established for the purpose of assisting clients to cover a portion of their legal and expert costs for their work to address environmental justice issues.
RESPONSIBILITIES
A communicator and problem solver, with solid organizational skills, the Access to Justice staff lawyer provides legal guidance for West Coast’s Access to Justice program.
Together with a small team, the Access to Justice staff lawyer is responsible for providing summary legal advice by phone and email to individuals, community groups and First Nations around the province on environmental matters; for advising the management committee of West Coast’s Environmental Dispute Resolution Fund (EDRF) in their assessment of applications; and for providing mentorship and legal guidance to junior lawyers and students.
In some situations, WCEL may provide more than summary advice and on occasion formal representation to the people who contact our service. These opportunities and needs are evaluated on a case-by-case basis and prioritize communities and individuals who are disproportionately impacted by environmental harms and climate change.
The staff lawyer will also be responsible for contributing to and/or collaborating on other program and organizational projects and objectives, including but not limited to:
- public education on environmental justice legal issues including writing blogs, creating legal resources and through presentations and outreach;
- fundraising applications, reports, and relationships;
- peer review of others’ legal work
- attending staff, board and coalition meetings, and;
- other tasks as assigned by West Coast from time to time.
QUALIFICATIONS
Required:
- be a practising member of the Law Society of British Columbia or eligible and willing to transfer;
- have strong general experience in environmental and natural resources law applicable to British Columbia, with Indigenous and Aboriginal law experience as an asset;
- be familiar with the role of legal strategies in community-based environmental campaigns, and adept at identifying and supporting local groups who have the potential to use legal support as part of broader strategies to achieve their objectives;
- possess strong legal research and analysis skills;
- be thoughtful and strategic in approaching legal problems;
- be a patient, emotionally intelligent and trauma-informed listener and communicator;
- bring a commitment to advancing environmental justice for communities who are disproportionately impacted by environmental harms and climate change;
- bring a commitment to, and experience with, trauma-informed legal practice and applying equity and justice principles to contribute to an inclusive working and learning environment; and
- demonstrate experience or willingness to work with innovative approaches for advancing environmental justice and Indigenous self-determination.
Remuneration: Salary range is based on an annual full-time salary of $89,000 - $110,000 commensurate with experience (based on preferred minimum 5-year call). We offer 3 weeks annual leave to start, plus 2 weeks paid time off during our winter office closure, and a competitive benefits package including extended health plan (after 3 months of employment) and RRSP contribution (after one year of employment). Applicants seeking remote work arrangements should be prepared to attend at the West Coast Vancouver office at least once a month.
About West Coast Environmental Law: West Coast Environmental Law harnesses the power of law to solve complex environmental challenges and uphold Indigenous rights. West Coast has been working for systemic legal change to protect the environment for 50 years. We work to transform environmental decision-making and strengthen legal protections for the environment through collaborative legal strategies that bridge Indigenous and Canadian law. We approach our work through an environmental justice lens, conscious of the importance of breaking down silos between environmental and other social justice movements. Our work seeks to address environmental harms while simultaneously promoting an equitable society. By putting the law into the hands of communities and creating legal risk for those who would harm the land, air and water, we are building the collective power to build a more sustainable future for all. Read West Coast’s values statement here.
West Coast Environmental Law aims to promote equity and challenge discrimination. We recognize the value of diversity in the workplace and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, races, national origins, gender identities, sexual orientations, religions, abilities and beliefs. We strongly encourage applicants from equity-deserving groups, specifically Indigenous and racialized people, members of the LGBTQIA2S+, trans and gender-diverse communities, women, and people living with a disability, chronic illness and/or neurodiversity to self-identify so that we can prioritize your application.